Ethics In Interpersonal Communication

Communication Ethics Journal

The first assignment examined communication, ethics and perception. Entering into this class, I can say that I definitely took communication for granted. I focused too often on analyzing what is said when communicating rather than fully listening. The ability to put forth ideas and information in ways that are verbal and nonverbal is amazing. When thinking about ethics in communication, the first thing that comes to mind is patient/doctor or attorney/client privilege. Next, are companies that make claims that are worded in such a way that if their products do not work exactly as advertised, their half-truths may not be considered illegal but they are definitely unethical.

The first class assignment forces

one to look at ethics differently. After reading the sentence “there may not be a right or wrong answer” on the assignment sheet, one may become uneasy. I knew immediately how I would handle the adultery scenario. Adultery is unethical. There is no gray area on this matter. I could potentially see someone’s motivation for committing adultery but regardless, the act of adultery is unethical and immoral.
I immediately supported the decision of the Abu Ghraib whistleblower. Arguably, the whistleblower behaved unethically by revealing confidential military information and in particular, revealing it to the American mainstream media. This is a gray area on ethics for me. If you are breaking “ethical code” to genuinely help people, to stop unethical behavior and not in a self-serving way, then you are doing the right thing. My personal stance is that the media should be informed in situations where human rights are violated. Human rights violations are not only unethical but unlawful.
The third scenario regarding the mental health worker was difficult. That was the only scenario where I struggled. My top priority would be my child and children in general. If I had to break laws or behave unethically to keep my child safe then it’s highly likely that I would. Culture and identity are also relevant to ideas about ethics.

Verbal vs. Nonverbal
Culture and identity play a necessary part in verbal and nonverbal communication. The way I see myself and the way the world sees me, shapes my identity. Important aspects of a person's identity include race, nationality, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, social class, disability and religious orientation. I am an African American. I am descendant of Africans. I was born and raised in the United States. In addition to African ancestry, I also have Irish and Native American ancestry. The Native American tribes in my background are Lumbee, creek and Seminole.
Regardless of my Irish and native ancestry, I identify as black. I only use African American in formal settings, such as this paper. I only mention the other parts of my ancestry if I am asked or if it is relevant, like in this paper. I am heterosexual. I am a woman. I am able-bodied. I am in my early thirties. As a child, I was in a lower middle class family then my family became an upper middle class family. I was raised in a Christian home with northeastern United States dialect and traditions. All of these things shape the way that I communicate.
My culture and identity also shape my views on ethics. Within a culture there are “cultural norms”. Even within a culture, there is division on what is ethical and unethical. An example would be assisted suicide. Assisted suicide is illegal. Many believe it to be unethical. There are also people that believe the opposite. An able bodied person whose mother suffered from cancer might not be opposed to assisted suicide. A person who has struggled with mental illness and thoughts of suicide might be opposed to assisted suicide.
Facial expressions, voice and body language are aspects of nonverbal communication. This class led me to wonder how verbal and nonverbal communication shifts for someone who is deaf or blind. I have read that if you lose one sense, the others compensate for that. It would be interesting to communicate with people that have always been deaf or blind and people who became deaf or blind later in life, to get their insight.

Interpersonal Relationships
Effective communication is beneficial regarding mental and physical health.

There is a large misconception that it is unacceptable to argue in a relationship, whether it be romantic, platonic, familial, etc. This depends on if participants are arguing in a healthy way. Everyone is unique. People will not always agree. It is imperative to listen to each other, use positive communication and be authentic.

I have to admit that I have not thought much about the term ‘ethics’ in regard to interpersonal relationships. Most people think about ethics in relationships and do not realize it. An example would be, that abuse is unethical. Abuse in interpersonal relationships in unethical. Physical abuse, sexual abuse and neglect are all illegal. Emotional abuse is technically abuse but it is hard to prove and not necessarily illegal. It is unethical just as all other forms of abuse are.

Behaving ethically in a relationship is vital to the success of the relationship. Note that ethics in relationships are not absolute. If a woman yells at her son for no reason on a regular basis, she is behaving unethically. If a woman yells at her son once then her behavior is not necessarily unethical. She is not acting this way repeatedly or using the action of yelling to intimidate or manipulate her

son.
Ethical behavior can be subjective to different people. If a couple agrees at the start of their relationship that outside sexual relations are allowed, then neither person in the relationship would consider that behavior unethical. That same couple might decide that sexual relations outside of the relationship are only permitted with the approval of the other partner. If that rule is broken, then the behavior would be unethical. Another couple might decide that if either party sends text messages with sexual content to people outside of the relationship, then they are behaving unethically.
If a relationship needs to be terminated, there are ethical ways to end it. Romantic relationships are not the only relationships that are terminated. Occasionally, friendships, partnerships and familial relationships need to end. It is best to try to end these relationships ‘ethically’ but in cases of abuse, the person terminating the relationship should end it in way that is comfortable for them. Abusive behaviors include gas lighting, physical violence and sexual coercion.
Being unethical within reason to protect yourself from physical and emotional harm is reasonable. If safe to do so, be upfront and honest with the person about the reasons for the termination. It is unethical to lead the person on in a romantic relationship, behave in a passive aggressive manner in the friendship to push the friend to terminate the relationship or completely disappear without a word to the family member that you wish to sever ties with.

Cross Cultural Communication
Intercultural communication is essential in today’s world.

That communication should be ethical. Ethical cross cultural communication improves intergroup relations and self-awareness. If you do not have self-awareness, it will be hard to connect with other people in general not just people from a culture different from your own. I personally believe being self-aware and acknowledging your biases are the best ways to communicate with different cultures effectively and authentically.

I try to be self-aware. I know that though I am a member of several marginalized groups, I still have privilege. I have privilege since I am heterosexual, able-bodied and right-handed. I am an American citizen, fluent in English. I have had the opportunity to go to college. I have medium brown skin which gives me privilege over someone with darker skin.

Believing that all people believes as I do or that they should believe as I do is not necessarily unethical on its own. If I were to use that belief to make decisions regarding the way I treat others, for example, not hiring someone because they are Muslim, then it would definitely be unethical. Downplaying or ridiculing a cultural tradition that is different from my own tradition could be considered unethical if I were a teacher and the ridicule was directed at a

student.
"Fetishizing" or "othering" a person is dehumanizing. Every attempt should be made to avoid stereotyping and prejudice. Stereotypes and prejudices can be unethical and harmful. There is a stereotype that dark skinned people do not get skin cancer. If a doctor decides not to discuss skin cancer prevention with his patients with dark skin, his behavior and belief in a stereotype, could be considered unethical. It is difficult because human beings carry prejudices. It is human nature.
Regardless of all attempts made to avoid stereotypes and being mindful, there will most likely still be miscommunications in cross cultural communications. What can be talked about in an informal setting in one culture might be considered taboo in another culture. Do not assume that just because someone is of a different culture than your own that they cannot understand or communicate with you. Conversely, just because someone is a member of a certain culture does not mean that they conform to norms within that culture.

Conclusion

Now that I have completed this course, I have a better appreciation for the philosophy surrounding ethics. I know that communication ethics is so much more than doctor/patient privilege. My self-awareness and understanding of my own code of ethics has deepened. I can now see a clear connection between psychology, communication and ethics. My personal and professional relationships will benefit because of this course.