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Communication climate refers to the social tone of a relationship. The climate is shared by everyone involved, and it can change over time.
Communication climates are determined by the degree to which people see themselves as valued. When we provide confirming messages to others, we are conveying the relational dimension of value; however, we often provide disconfirming messages that convey a lack of regard for the other person. The spectrum of confirming and disconfirming communication includes several categories of messages. Confirming messages include endorsement, acknowledgement, and recognition of the other person. Between confirming and disconfirming messages are disagreeing messages, which include argumentativeness and complaining. Disconfirming messages become more negative in tone and lead to a negative communication climate. Disconfirming messages include messages that are verbally aggressive and ostracising. Defensiveness is a common reaction to disconfirming messages. Research suggests that defensiveness is an attempt to protect your presenting self from face-threatening acts.
Communication climate patterns can be either positive or negative. We typically react to conflict situations by responding in a similar way to the other person. This reciprocal pattern of communication is like a spiral. It can spiral positively or negatively.
Although our confirming messages do not guarantee a positive climate, research provides a number of supportive messages that are helpful to use in place of defence-provoking messages. Gibbs (1961) offers supportive alternatives to six defence-provoking types of messages. His categories include evaluation vs. description, control vs. problem orientation, strategy vs. spontaneity, neutrality vs. empathy, superiority vs. equality, and certainty vs. provisionalism.
Invitational communication involves welcoming others to see your point of view and to freely share their own. When taking this approach, it is important to use the language of choice and to respond non-defensively to criticism. Two ways to respond non-defensively are seeking more information and agreeing with the critic.