Amanda Denes & Professor Stifano: Relational Communication.

Student’s Name

Institutional Affiliation

Relational Communication


The podcast chosen for this discussion is the Compendium by Professor Stifano. The guest on the podcast is Dr. Amanda Denes, an interpersonal communication researcher. Dr. Amanda is an Associate Professor in the Communication’s Department at the University of Connecticut, who mainly focuses on multiple types of interpersonal relationships including friendships, parent-child relationships, and romantic relations. In the podcast, Dr. Amanda discusses her research on sex, with much emphasis on the impact of pillow talk on relationships.


The guest speaker shares her research on pillow talk, whereby she explains that during sexual climax, the body automatically releases oxytocin hormones, which make the partners safer and more open to each other (Stifano, 2015). This increases the likelihood of partners sharing emotions and building stronger relationships through conversations after sex. Pillow talk is necessary for maintaining a relationship since it increases intimacy. Stifano adds to the topic by suggesting the importance of emotional communication on building and maintaining new relationships (Stifano, 2015). Amanda also explains that there are biological connections to our communication patterns, which include hormones, personality, and predisposition. Such biological connections also influence how individuals engage in pillow talk.


There are several points of the discussion that I consider essential. The first is the fact that individuals lack a safe space to talk about sex. Amanda explains that aside from the sex conferences, the topic of sex draws much attention among the public since it makes people uncomfortable. I consider this important because the lack of openness limits people’s ability to learn more about sex and the importance o...