Looking Out, Looking In [with CD-ROM + InfoTrac]

by Ronald B. Adler, Russell F. Proctor II, Neil Towne

Used by more than a million readers, LOOKING OUT, LOOKING IN has been the leading interpersonal communication text for almost 30 years. Written in a reader-friendly voice that links scholarship to students' everyday lives, this popular text motivates students to improve their interpersonal skills and sharpen their critical understanding of the process of communication. Through thoughtful, diverse examples that include fine art, music, poetry, film, and more, students can consistently see the importance of interpersonal communication and how it affects their society and their lives.

Genres: Psychology, School, Nonfiction, Textbooks, Communication, Self Help, Philosophy

Hardcover

First published December 1, 1978

About the author

Ronald Brian Adler

Reviews

[Anna · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had to read this for school, and I reallllly hated it. I don't think the text was too bad, but with a teacher who constantly told me how I should have just tried better (believe me I was trying) and nothing I did was good enough, reading this book was pretty much annoying. I did not enjoy this at all and had a hard time getting much out of it.

I know that might appear to be "unfair" to some people, but I just really did not like it and don't plan on ever reading it again.


**Also, I am glad that I took this as an online class. If I was in an actual classroom, I am definitely sure that I would leave the class each day either crying or really just upset.

[Candace · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was one of the books we read in my Interpersonal Communications hybrid class. I found it very enlightening. I just wish the class was in the physical classroom because some of the concepts this book touches base on would have been interesting to openly discuss with my fellow peers. Plus, I feel like I would have gotten more from the class if it wasn't online, for it was interpersonal. The whole idea of an online interpersonal communications class was a bit ironic to me. Not talk bad so much about the book, because it was absolutely great, just the irritability of my schedule. My silly school and their systematic procedures of scheduling weird ways of taking a class that deals with COMMUNICATING WITH OTHERS FACE-TO-FACE... in weird set-up stipulations.

[Shay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, this is a very decent textbook. Not unbearable to read, and it holds quite useful information about communication. The reason I gave the book three stars instead of four, is because I sometimes (not often) struggled with staying focused on the book. This might have been, because of the distractions that I have going on in my life right now, or because my professor in Interpersonal Communications had assigned quizzes and assignments for each chapter that had me trying to rush through the textbook. As I wrote before, this is a decent textbook that holds quite useful information about communication.

[Joseph · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent book. I found the materials at the Looking Out Looking In website to be useful.

[Michelle Padilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read textbook with relatable experiences.

[Toka Western · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had subconscious effects on me. I felt more in control during conversations. In control does not mean to take it over, but a better ability to extract the essential points, how to stay on point and comprehend contradicting points and find weakness in the argument. Listening has been my weak point but I'm able to hear more than the surface meaning through getting to the deeper intentions of the other party.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm going to start writing reviews here. Not for others, but for my own memory. Please skip.

This was an academic assigned book. UAS post Qmed Maritime degree English class. I don't know that I read it cover to cover, but I finished the class and usefulness of this title. I believe it is still bought in my Kindle list. Maybe it will make a good reference later.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing read, an old college textbook that is absolutely effing wonderful.
I became interested in this when one of my FB discussion friends said it was the ONLY book he remembers from his years at university. Human communications in all its complexity, perceptions, identity, emotions, nonverbal, listening skill, relationship dynamics and conflicts. A resource I shall return to.

[Debby Tiner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a communication studies major, and this is by far one of the best books I have ever read on the subject. It contains humor, ethical questions, and clear language and art to explain the principles of communication I ended up buying the newer edition of this book after reading it.

[Travis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fairly straightforward and quite helpful. For a textbook it wasn't overly boring. They included comics, poems and stories in every chapter that were relevant and entertaining.

[Julianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is- by far- the most immediately applicable textbook I've ever read. Good stuff.

[Justine Shepherd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chapters felt like ramblings instead of educational

[Josh Peterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my textbook for an interpersonal communications class. It had a lot of helpful information and steps, though some of the info and opinions are a little dated

[清 · Rating 2 out of 5]

读到6%，读不下去了。2024-7-4

[Debby Reiner]

Qur’an: Chapter 20, Verse 135—
SAY: “Everyone lives in expectation, so be on the lookout! You will know who are [your] companions along the Level Road and who has been guided.

[Laura Xie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of basics, but still has some very insightful tactics for communication.

[Benjamin Hu · Rating 4 out of 5]

useful. introduces me the awareness to truth occurring in human communication such as deep meaning or true message.
likes a red pill to my life.
Truth is what even powerful narcissists manipulating other social groups can't abandon. They still need encode & translate true message to maintain execution of internal stuffs in their group.
In society ruled by narcissism group resorting manipulation for their power, there still exists true message people can exchange publicly. It's encoded message such as sarcasm or sentences with multiple meanings. Because action, in which villain accuses there is a 2nd layer in the language & it has another meaning, signs a message that the meaning is actually the truth of situation but forbidden. Any opposite action to the sarcasm is actually a confirmation to the truth the irony embodies. The ability to aware of deep meaning in sarcasm across all types of society also reveals a truth that even individual can be socialized to belief what is false is truth.
But there exists something in human brain which can't be modified by social interaction & never gives up generating intuitions & feelings of what condition actually is. Can't recognize truth about condition is fatal for evolution in competitive & free environment. Sarcasm is the only acceptable truth for some people. Irony is communication tool people can use in express without losing their integrity.
Truth gives human freedom this is what communication science shows clearly & tries to do.
Welcome to human condition.

[Rebekah Waldorff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave this book four stars because 1)it is a textbook and 2)it is a pretty good textbook. We were assigned this text in my Interpersonal Communication class(undergrad level at UCF). The class was really great--in large part due to my really awesome professor. The book was awesome too because it made sense, was interesting, and had a good format. I have read texts in boring classes that made me feel like an ancient monk interpreting musty old english(*ahem* research comm *cough*). But Adler's Looking out, Looking In won't put you to sleep. Another problem I've had with texts is their extreme pushing of the author's opinions, and I also found non-factual information in one. But no! Not in this text. This one was really what it labeled itself as: a nice, clear, concise, colorful, well formatted text for college students dying to learn the stupid information already and graduate.

[fpk · Rating 4 out of 5]

I happened upon this text book while on vacation last week- what an interesting book! For an academic textbook, it reads more like an enjoyable, informal informational guide about how to communicate, how different cultures interpret body language- plus it has exercises to assess communication skills, Dilbert cartoons (how can you go wrong w/Dilbert?) and a host of interesting charts and anecdotes. I think this would be a good reference for anybody, but would serve as a great book for couples, for businessmen and women, for anybody traveling to different countries. I didn't read the enire book (can't accomplish that while sitting in a used and out of print bookstore!) but I think I'll buy it. My husband 'chided' me for not buying it once I told him about it :0)

[Steven Hummer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good concepts and ideas that are simple to understand, but the chapters where way too long.
This book's goal is to get you and the people around you to communicate messages clearly and be understood more clearly.
Throughout the book there are many examples that explain how to do just that but of the thousands of scenarios and examples out there the author's repeatability used ones for mature audiences like comunicating clearly between lovers that sexual intercourse is consensual and stuff like that.
I don't understand how BYUI can approve and sale this book along with 1984 but you can't buy a good Vince Flynn, Ian Flemming or Brad Thor shoot em up spy thriller off of the shelves of the campus book store.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is probably one of the best collegiate textbooks on interpersonal communications. As a collegiate, majoring in communications, the 3rd edition of this book, was required reading. I fell in love with the book. It has a lot of fun stories, activities, and ways to learn. Granted, this textbook has evolved over the years, to now, I hardly recognize it. I lost my 3rd edition, and fortunately, was able to find a used copy of the 4th ed--close enough to the 3rd. I would purchase the 11th edition, which really evolved over cultural differences, as well as a change in one of the authors, Neil Towne, who I want to say, is deceased.

Yes, the textbooks are lengthy in chapters, as many collegiate textbooks tend to be. I keep both copies as reference resources.

[Nikita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, I know it’s a textbook — but hear me out, this was actually so good. It wasn’t just dry, academic stuff; it felt practical, like I could take what I learned and use it immediately in real conversations. The examples made the concepts click, and it really opened my eyes to how much our communication style shapes relationships. Five stars, because anything that can make me smarter and keep me interested the whole way through deserves it.

[Kimberly Hallahan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this as an adult, after my daughter finished reading it for her college course on interpersonal communications. Wow, if everyone could read this by age 20, I think many fewer of us would be in therapy trying to figure out what we're doing wrong in our relationships! Very practical, useful information, clearly presented.

[Sudi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kalau yang ini buku teks tentang relasi interpersonal. Agak serius, tapi tetap asik buat dibaca. Bisa jadi panduan untuk memahami cara-cara berkomunikasi yang baik dengan siapa saja di sekeliling kita.

[Bri · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not completely horrible as far as textbooks go. I think my issue with it was more the fact that I really just don't get Communication Studies... (And this is with a roommate who's getting a master's in it...)

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of my all time favorite reads on communication and a book I have referenced on numerous occasions over the years (I had an earlier edition). I highly recommend this book for individual development as well as improved team communications.

[Linda Branham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Communication Textbook. Interesting updates. I'm working on the class now. I have added some stuff to the powerpoints though to keep the students interest- the powerpoints are not very exciting :)

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this in my Interpersonal Communications class and decided to keep it rather than sell it! It was a great, educational (you think?) book that I think a lot of people would benefit from reading.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the 10th edition (2002) it is excellent.

[Walter Herrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, as textbooks go.