Em Griffin received his B.A. in political science from the University of Michigan, and his M.A. and Ph.D. in Communication from Northwestern University. He is professor of communication at Wheaton College in Illinois, where he has taught for the past 26 years and has been chosen Teacher of the Year. His research interest centers on the development of close friendships. Dr. Griffin is the author of three applied communication books: The Mind Changers analyzes practical techniques of persuasion; Getting Together offers research-based suggestions for effective group leadership; and Making Friends describes the way that quality interpersonal communication can build close relationships. He also leads workshops on these topics in the Philippines, Singapore, and the United States.

Division One: Overview
Ch. 1: Launching Your Study
Ch. 2: Talk About Theory
Ch. 3: Weighing the Words
Ch. 4: Mapping the Territory

Division Two: Interpersonal Communication
Interpersonal Messages
Ch. 5: Symbolic Interactionism
Ch. 6: Expectancy Violations Theory
Ch. 7: Family Communication Patterns Theory

Relationship Development
Ch. 8: Social Penetration Theory
Ch. 9: Uncertainty Reduction Theory
Ch. 10: Social Information Processing Theory

Relationship Maintenance
Ch. 11: Relational Dialectics Theory
Ch. 12: Communication Privacy Management Theory
Ch. 13: Media Multiplexity Theory

Division Three: Social Influence Persuasion
Ch. 14: Social Judgment Theory
Ch. 15: Elaboration Likelihood Model
Ch. 16: Cognitive Dissonance Theory

Public Rhetoric
Ch. 17: The Rhetoric
Ch. 18: Dramatism
Ch. 19: Narrative Paradigm

Division Four: Group and Organizational Communication
Group Communication
Ch. 20: Functional Perspective on Group Decision-Making
Ch. 21: Symbolic Convergence Theory

Organizational Communication
Ch. 22: Cultural Approach to Organizations
Ch. 23: Communicative Constitution of Organizations
Ch. 24: Critical Theory of Communication in Organizations

Division Five: Cultural Context
Intercultural Communication
Ch. 25: Communication Accommodation Theory
Ch. 26: Face-Negotiation Theory
Ch. 27: Co-Cultural Theory
Ch. 28: Afrocentricity

Gender and Communication
Ch. 29: Feminist Standpoint Theory
Ch. 30: Muted Group Theory

Division Six: Mass Communication
Media and Culture
Ch. 31: Media Ecology
Ch. 32: Context Collapse
Ch. 33: Semiotics
Ch. 34: Cultural Studies

Media Effects
Ch. 35: Uses and Gratifications
Ch. 36: Cultivation Theory
Ch. 37: Agenda-Setting Theory

Division Seven: Integration
Ch. 38: Common Threads in Comm Theories