Chapter 8 Managing Conflict in Relationships 221c Uncertain climates are those in which at least one of the people involved
is unclear, vague, tentative, and awkward about the goals, expectations,
and potential outcomes of the conflict situation. Many conditions can
create uncertain climates, including unfamiliarity with the people, the sur-
roundings, or the topic at hand. In uncertain climates, communicators are
hesitant to take action, and conflict management can bog down. On The
Walking Dead, small groups of survivors band together in order to survive.
Clearly there are innumerable uncertainties in this postapocalyptic world:
How will Sheriff Rich Grimes and his people keep out the “walkers”? How
will they obtain necessary supplies? And how far are they willing to go to
defend their group from others competing for resources like food, weapons,
and shelter? This confusion is compounded by the overwhelming fear and
hesitation of many of the individual characters who struggle to decide a
clear course of action.
c Defensive climates are those in which the people involved feel threatened. It
is an atmosphere of mistrust, suspicion, and apprehension, leading to efforts
to control and manipulate others (Forward, Czech, & Lee, 2011). On The
Walking Dead, survivors in the Grimes camp are always on the defensive: every
moment is fraught with anxiety, not only about the zombies who wander up to
the gates of their prison camp daily but also about competing groups seeking
to overtake them, as well natural threats and concerns like illness and hunger.c Supportive climates involve communicators who are open to one another’s
ideas and feelings. Such climates involve neutral (rather than blame-filled)
descriptions of the conflict situation and allow communicators to develop
trust and cooperation toward a productive resolution of problems (Forward,
Czech, & Lee, 2011). On The Walking Dead, supportive climates are hard to
find. But individuals—friends, spouses, siblings, and even strangers—do work
to manage problems among themselves. When Rich worries that he is failing
as a leader and a father, he hangs up his holster to take time to focus on beingThe differences among
communication climates
are often related to
language and nonverbal
communication (Chapters
3 and 4). In addressing
conflict with a friend, you
might use few words
and avoid eye contact
(uncertain climate), raise
your voice or speak
sarcastically (defensive
climate), or offer reassuring
touch and speak with a
firm but understanding
tone (supportive climate).The differences amongCONNECT
AS THE FEW escapees
of a zombie epidemic
band together in the post-
apocalyptic series The
Walking Dead, they find
themselves in a variety of
communication climates:
moving from an initial defen-
sive mistrust of one another
to a climate of supportiveness
to ensure their cosurvival.
© American Movie Classics/ Courtesy:
Everett Collection