Using music to identify and evaluate Knapp’s Relationship Staircase Model

This teaching activity builds students’ interpersonal competencies in identifying Mark Knapp’s Stages of Relationships (Adler, Rosenfeld, Towne, & Scott, 2012, Interplay: The process of interpersonal communication, p. 504, Holt, Rinehart, and Winston). The activity establishes a theoretical understanding of each stage and asks students to use their knowledge to identify and pair the stages with popular song lyrics. The benefits of using music in the classroom are described and then the Staircase Model is introduced, followed by an outline of the activity and a debrief. Lastly, variations are described. Courses Interpersonal Communication, Introduction to Communication, Intercultural Communication. Objectives This activity engages students in discussion about Knapp’s Relational Staircase Model. By the end of this activity, students will be able to connect songs and lyrics to identify and interpret specific relational stages. Students will also be able to articulate their perceptions for where lines between cultural or personal expectations may blur. This activity also challenges students to identify their own expectations of relationship progression and dissolution while unpacking interpretations.