Exploring Interpersonal Communication: Interactions in the Digital Age
Edition: 1
Copyright: 2026
Pages: 120
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$55.00 USD
The impetus for creating this book grew from my mounting frustration that many students today don’t prepare for class by reading.
One day I asked my interpersonal communication course students about what they read and how they read it. Regardless of purpose or topics, reading was done on their smartphones. “What about reading a novel or a magazine?” I asked. They shook their heads. “It’s just the way we grew up,” one student explained. “This is normal for us. It might not be right from the point-of-view of my parents or people older than they are. But this is just the world we grew up in.” As for textbook reading, some students said that textbooks were boring and hard to concentrate on. I thanked everyone for their honesty.
I decided to write my own textbook. After all, given my career as a professional communicator and manager, I know the importance of effective interpersonal skills in the workplace. From what I’ve learned about US American undergraduate students, especially since the COVID 19 pandemic, communication skill building is more important than ever.
About This Textbook
About the Author
Chapter 1 A Brief Introduction to Communication
Chapter 2 Communicating in the Digital Age
Chapter 3 Lend Me Your Ears! Listening
Chapter 4 Way of Life: Culture
Chapter 5 It’s More than Body Language: Nonverbal Communication
Chapter 6 Is Perception Reality? Interpersonal Perception
Chapter 7 Friends and More than Friends: Developing Relationships
Chapter 8 Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say: Verbal Expression and Language
Chapter 9 Who Am I? Developing the Self
Chapter 10 It Isn’t Inherently Bad—It’s How You Handle It: Interpersonal Conflict
Priscilla L. Young earned a BA in English with concentration in creative writing from Rhode Island College and an MA in communication studies, with particular interest in intercultural communication, from the University of Rhode Island. She graduated summa cum laude from her undergraduate and graduate programs.
As senior lecturer for seven years at Peking University’s internationalized, graduate HSBC Business School in Shenzhen, China, Priscilla developed the business communication course for the MBA and MA programs. She also established an academic writing course for MA students. Prior to joining the business school faculty, Priscilla served as English instructor in the School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School.
Before changing careers, Priscilla worked as a professional communicator in various settings: talk radio host, ad agency copywriter, nonprofit public relations director, assistant press secretary for a city mayor, healthcare fund development officer for a major hospital system, and executive director of the Rhode Island chapter of a national nonprofit organization.
Aside from the United States, Priscilla has lived and traveled in Europe and China, from where she launched visits to other Asian countries and Australia.
Priscilla currently is adjunct faculty in the communication studies department at the University of Rhode Island. She lives in Middletown on Rhode Island’s Aquidneck Island.
The impetus for creating this book grew from my mounting frustration that many students today don’t prepare for class by reading.
One day I asked my interpersonal communication course students about what they read and how they read it. Regardless of purpose or topics, reading was done on their smartphones. “What about reading a novel or a magazine?” I asked. They shook their heads. “It’s just the way we grew up,” one student explained. “This is normal for us. It might not be right from the point-of-view of my parents or people older than they are. But this is just the world we grew up in.” As for textbook reading, some students said that textbooks were boring and hard to concentrate on. I thanked everyone for their honesty.
I decided to write my own textbook. After all, given my career as a professional communicator and manager, I know the importance of effective interpersonal skills in the workplace. From what I’ve learned about US American undergraduate students, especially since the COVID 19 pandemic, communication skill building is more important than ever.
About This Textbook
About the Author
Chapter 1 A Brief Introduction to Communication
Chapter 2 Communicating in the Digital Age
Chapter 3 Lend Me Your Ears! Listening
Chapter 4 Way of Life: Culture
Chapter 5 It’s More than Body Language: Nonverbal Communication
Chapter 6 Is Perception Reality? Interpersonal Perception
Chapter 7 Friends and More than Friends: Developing Relationships
Chapter 8 Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say: Verbal Expression and Language
Chapter 9 Who Am I? Developing the Self
Chapter 10 It Isn’t Inherently Bad—It’s How You Handle It: Interpersonal Conflict
Priscilla L. Young earned a BA in English with concentration in creative writing from Rhode Island College and an MA in communication studies, with particular interest in intercultural communication, from the University of Rhode Island. She graduated summa cum laude from her undergraduate and graduate programs.
As senior lecturer for seven years at Peking University’s internationalized, graduate HSBC Business School in Shenzhen, China, Priscilla developed the business communication course for the MBA and MA programs. She also established an academic writing course for MA students. Prior to joining the business school faculty, Priscilla served as English instructor in the School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School.
Before changing careers, Priscilla worked as a professional communicator in various settings: talk radio host, ad agency copywriter, nonprofit public relations director, assistant press secretary for a city mayor, healthcare fund development officer for a major hospital system, and executive director of the Rhode Island chapter of a national nonprofit organization.
Aside from the United States, Priscilla has lived and traveled in Europe and China, from where she launched visits to other Asian countries and Australia.
Priscilla currently is adjunct faculty in the communication studies department at the University of Rhode Island. She lives in Middletown on Rhode Island’s Aquidneck Island.