Person to Person: Positive Relationships Don't Just Happen, 5th edition

This text helps students learn to take responsibility for themselves, make wiser choices, improve their relationships, appreciate all kinds of diversity, and live happier, fulfilling, and productive lives.

In writing Person to Person 5.e, Sharon Hanna, Doug Radtke, and Rose Suggett sought to delve into a skill too often glossed over or taken for granted in all our lives: building positive relationships is not an accident; each one requires understanding and effort. Because the self is the foundation of all relationships, one of the goals of this text is self-discovery and self-satisfaction, with an emphasis on heightened self-esteem, and the ability to make wise choices regarding emotional and physical health. Because through interpersonal communication human beings interact and relate to one another, it is essential to learn how to communicate in a positive way; the overriding goal of the second section of this text. Learning about oneself and developing effective communication skills will help build positive relationships. The last section of this book teaches about various interactions and all kinds of relationships. Career, love, couple relationships, marriage, and family are given special emphasis. Today the workplace demands interpersonal and communication skills. This book can assist its readers in all walks of life and can help them live positively in a world of diversity.

Do your students have access to the latest research being conducted in this field?

• Updated research–Includes many studies from 200* and 200* (with most no earlier than ****). Ensures that both students and instructors are exposed to the cutting edge of the field.

Are questions of racial, gender, and sexual diversity often raised in your classes?

• Studies and examples of diversity in sexual orientation - including gay and lesbian relationships. Emphasizes the value of diversity, but also discusses the reality of challenges related to prejudice and discrimination. Features an interview with a lesbian couple regarding their family of three (after having a baby).
• Increases students' understanding and acceptance of relationships that are commonly misunderstood and even condemned.
• Unique presentation and emphasis on appreciation of diversity–From beginning to end, presents differences of all kinds (personality, values, gender, age, racial/ethnic, sexual orientation, family structures, etc.) in such a way that their appreciation is almost a “given.” Introduces differences in terms of self-awareness and pride in individual uniqueness and then interweaves diversity into each chapter in a natural progression that is hardly noticed. By the time students read Chapter 9 on prejudice/intolerance, the groundwork is in place, and students cannot help but think critically and appreciatively about diversity.
• Prepares students to become enlightened, open-minded individuals who do not fear differences, but instead embrace diversity.

How do you address personal health and value choices?

• Increased material on improving one's health - Including stress management. Features the section “Improving Oneself” (including self-esteem) in Chapter 1. Chapter 3 contains a section on decision-making and wise choices that includes conscious better health conditions (e.g., smoking, alcohol use, etc.).
• Allows students to begin to focus on stress management and other wellness suggestions and put them to use immediately.
• “Exploring Values and Making Wise Choices”–e.g., value development, goal achievement, time management, etc. in Chapter 3.
• Teaches students to achieve goals and manage time, which will benefit them throughout the course and beyond.

Are you ever faced with questions from students regarding finding and entering romantic relationships?

• A new section dealing with how to meet a potential “significant other” - Chapter 11.
• Shows that people struggle with connecting with potential mates; young people today report more difficulty than in the past. This section has widespread, practical appeal.

Are your students engaged with their text?

• Reflect and Apply inserts–In each chapter. Encourages students to pause and think; then provides action-based tips to reinforce learning and to help them actually use the material in their everyday lives.
• Looking Ahead and Looking Back sections–At the beginning and end of each chapter. Keeps students focused as they work through the material and provides a convenient review tool for checking their comprehension.
• Reflections and Applications section–Perforated, at the back of the book. Provides assignments, in-class exercises, and extra credit work–organized by chapter. Activities are fun to do, very helpful, and enlightening.
• Provides numerous opportunities for hands-on learning in the classroom. Their separation from the narrative reflects the preferences of students who don't like to have their flow of reading interrupted by in-chapter written activities.
• A more attractive format–With more boxed excerpts and other design elements interspersed within the narrative. Makes the text even easier to read, especially for today's more visually oriented students.
• Reader-friendly writing–Features a conversational writing style and practical, lively, and relevant content and examples, many of which come from students themselves. Draws students so effectively into the material that they have a hard time putting the book down. Students not only read their assignments and come better prepared to class, but by personally relating to content, they easily retain more as well.

Person to Person — 5^th Edition

Throughout the book readers will find a more readable format, updated pictures and other graphics as well as the addition of student activities.

Chapter 1 — Knowing and Valuing Yourself

• New updates to research and references
• Update and expanded description of Howard Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligence
• All health related information moved to a newly created chapter (Ch. 6)

Chapter 2 — Understanding Yourself Throughout the Life Span

• New updates to research and references
• New Reflection and Application:  Career Choices based on the Myers-Briggs

Chapter 3 — Exploring Values and Making Wise Choices

• Revised information on Values
• Added student activity for values identification
• New example for values which will assist students in making connection between values and career choices
• New Decision Making Model — The CHANGE Model
• New Reflection and Application:  Time Management

Chapter 4 — Achieving Happiness and Satisfaction

• New updates to research and references

Chapter 5 — Experiencing and Expressing Emotions

• New updates to research and references
• New tribute in the section on grief
• New Reflection and Application:  Death Anxiety Questionnaire

Chapter 6 — Improving Your Heatlh — This is an entire new chapter

• In this chapter we have included previous material on health issues such as physical activity, nutrition, smoking, alcohol and aging as well as new information on drugs and mediation
• New updates to research and references
• New Reflection and Application:  Calculating Your Longevity Scale

Chapter 7 — Becoming a Positive Listener

• New updates to research and references

Chapter 8 — Improving Communication

• New updates to research and references

Chapter 9 — Improving Communication

• New updates to research and references

Chapter 10 — Building Positive Relationships

• New updates to research and references
• New information on Internet Dating
• New section on Understanding Conflict
• New 8-Step Conflict Resolution Model
• New Reflection and Application:  Conflict Resolution

Chapter 11 — Succeeding in Your Career

• New updates to research and references

Chapter 12 — Developing and Enriching Intimate Relationships

• New updates to research and references

Chapter 13 — Strengthening Families

• New section on Mediation for Divorcing Parents