In close relationships, a message is more likely to be misinterpreted due to the gap than with strangers. Which concept does this describe?

• A. Interpersonal Gap
• B. Impression Management
• C. Micro-expressions
• D. Display Rules

Answer: (A)

Interpersonal gap is the mismatch between what a speaker intends to convey and how the other person interprets it. In close relationships, this gap tends to be larger because partners share a lot of context, history, and subtle cues that can be interpreted in different ways or taken for granted. When messages rely on those shared norms or indirect signals, they’re more vulnerable to being read differently than intended, leading to misinterpretation. The other ideas focus on presenting yourself, fleeting facial signals, or social norms for expressing emotion, rather than explaining why meaning can slip between intention and understanding in intimate ties.