The dark side of Modern Love: Introducing the dark side of interpersonal communication

Abstract

This single-class activity provides an opportunity for students to understand qualities of the dark side of interpersonal communication better. To achieve this goal, students review a series of articles from The New York Times’ “Modern Love” column. Students are introduced to the dark side of interpersonal communication and then work in a pair or small group to apply this knowledge to the provided examples. During the debriefing, students are asked to identify which dark side of interpersonal communication elements were present in their selected articles. Students who participate in this activity leave with a variety of applied examples and refined knowledge about what the dark side of interpersonal communication is.Course: This assignment is designed to be used in a dark side of interpersonal communication course. Instructors might also choose to implement this exercise within a dark side unit in the introductory interpersonal communication classroom.Objectives: Students who complete this activity should be able to: (1) describe the dark side of interpersonal communication; (2) analyze and apply examples from contemporary relationships (i.e. The New York Times’ “Modern Love” column) to current dark side of interpersonal communication scholarship; and (3) identify common dark side of interpersonal communication topics.