The relationship between understanding and rhetorical sensitivity was studied in the context of dating relationships. The hypothesis was that rhetorically sensitive persons would understand their dating partners better than persons who were not rhetorically sensitive. Subjects for the study were 34 dating couples in which one of the partners was enrolled in an introductory communication course. These subjects provided data by completing a two part questionnaire. The RHETSEN scale was used to measure rhetorical sensitivity, while a modified version of the Interpersonal Perception Method was used to gauge understanding. Correlational analyses failed to support the hypothesis. There were no significant correlations between rhetorical sensitivity and measures of understanding at the individual level. Two explanations for the results are (1) the apparent complexity of the rhetorically sensitive individual, and (2) differences between the attitudes and the behaviors of rhetorically sensitive persons. (RL)