Demand-Withdraw Communication

Demand-Withdraw Communication

According to LaFreniere (2020), demand-withdraw communication is a type of communication where one party attempts to discuss an issue while the other party ends the discussion or avoids the issue. I think demand-withdraw communication develops from the relative power of each partner because anyone with more power, regardless of gender, can control a conversation to suit their interests. However, various factors should be considered when assessing demand-withdraw communication. The factors include gender, age, and relationship satisfaction. According to Eldridge et al. (2017), wives or women typically assume the demanding role while men assume the withdrawal role because of the feminine communication style that mainly focuses on conflict resolution and open communication, while masculine communication styles mainly focus on internal and introverted conflict resolution if resolving the issue is a priority. Therefore, gender may lead to the development of demand-withdraw communication when the male party has more power than the female party.

Further, age influences the party’s willingness to agree. Older people have more power over the younger ones when resolving conflict or discussing an issue, thus increasing the likelihood of demand-withdraw communication. For example, when someone aged 45 is discussing a problem with someone aged 25 or 30, there is a high possibility that the person aged 25 or 30 will be on the withdraw side and the one aged 45 will be on the demand side because of the respect the younger party has for, the older party. Relationship satisfaction arises when the parties engaging in a discussion handle an issue directly impacting the relationship and how an individual views the relationship. For example, when a married couple is having a conversation to resolve a problem, the party determined to save the relationship will be on the withdrawal side to create a conducive environment for each party to express themselves.

References

Eldridge, K., Cencirulo, J., & Edwards, E. (2017). Demand-withdraw patterns of communication in couple relationships. Foundations for Couples’ Therapy, 112–122. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315678610-12

LaFreniere, J. R. (2020). A closer look at young adult-parent relationships: Examining demand/withdrawal patterns and communication competence. Communication Reports, 33(3), 161–173. https://doi.org/10.1080/08934215.2020.1817517

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What is the demand-withdraw form of communication? Do you think it develops from gender role socialization or the relative power of each partner?

Demand-Withdraw Communication

Provide explanations and facts to explain your choice.