Interpersonal Communication An Introduction

Interpersonal Communication The (transactional) process through which people create and manage their relationships, exercising mutual responsibility in creating meaning.

Functions of Interpersonal Communication Meet our social needs Maintain our sense of self Fulfill social obligations Exchange information Influence others Get and improve our jobs

Message Formation Message – a person’s verbal utterances and nonverbal behaviors to which meaning is attributed during communication Meaning – the substance of messages that you send – the ideas and feelings in your mind Symbols – words, sounds, and actions that are generally understood to represent meaning

Values Beliefs Attitudes Experiences Past events or activities that give knowledge. Values Beliefs Attitudes Experiences

Sender Receiver Channel Encoder Decoder Both the route traveled by the message and the means of transportation Encoder Decoder Transforming ideas and feelings into words, sounds, and actions Transforming messages back into ideas and feelings Sender Receiver

Encoder Decoder Meaning Encoder Sending Channel Encoder Decoder Meaning Encoder Sender Verbal and/or nonverbal responses to a message Receiver Feedback

Noise Sending Channel Encoder Decoder Stimuli that get in the way of sharing meaning Meaning Meaning Decoder Encoder Sender Receiver Feedback Channel

Noise External noise – the sights, sounds, and other stimuli that draw people’s attention away from intended message Internal noise – the thoughts and feelings that interfere with meaning Semantic noise – unintended meanings aroused by a speaker’s symbols

Context Context Context Context Noise Encoder Decoder Noise Meaning Sending Channel Noise Encoder Decoder Noise Meaning Meaning Decoder Encoder Noise Sender Receiver Context Context Feedback Channel V/ V, p 9.

Context – the setting Physical – where communication takes place, the environment, the distance between participants, seating, time of day Social – the nature of the relationship Historical – the background of previous communication Psychological – the moods and feelings Cultural – the set of beliefs, values, and norms that are shared by a large group of people

Principles of Interpersonal Communication (pps., 9-12) Is purposeful Is continuous Is Transactional (Messages vary in conscious encoding) Is relational Symmetrical or Complementary Is Irreversible Has ethical implications Is learned

Communication has Purpose All communication is goal-directed Goal may be serious or trivial Successful communication achieves its goals People are not always aware of their goal in any particular act of communication.

Communication is Continuous Interpersonal communication can be verbal or nonverbal. Therefore, we are always sending messages to others--whether we are aware of it or not!

Messages Vary in Encoding Encoding process may be spontaneous or scripted Spontaneous expression means that messages are encoded without conscious thought Scripted communication uses conversation phrases that we have learned from past encounters.

Communication is Relational Affect – feelings of affection that the participants have for one another Control – the extent to which one person dominates the other Complementary relationship – one person lets the other define who is to have greater power Symmetrical relationship – one in which people do not agree about who is in control

Communication is Learned Communication about communication When you develop skill in communicating about your and others’ messages, you can increase the chance of creating shared understanding.

Ethics A set of moral principles that may be held by a society, a group, or an individual

Key Ethical Issues Truthfulness and honesty – refraining from lying, cheating, stealing, or deceiving Moral dilemma – choice involving unsatisfactory alternatives Integrity – having a consistency of belief and action (keeping promises)

Key Ethical Issues (continued) Fairness – achieving the right balance of interests without regard to one’s own feelings and without showing favor to any side in a conflict Respect – showing regard or consideration for a person and for that person’s rights Responsibility – being accountable for one’s actions

Diversity – variations between and among people Age Gender Race Religion Class Ability Country of origin Sexual orientation Physical characteristics

Culture – systems of knowledge shared by a relatively large group of people Culture is a critical concept to communication because every communicator is a product of his or her culture. -Anderson 2000

Communication Competence Competence is the perception by others that our communication was appropriate as well as effective. Competence can be enhanced by: Increasing communication knowledge Identifying and attaining goals Being able to use skills to achieve goals

Developing Competence Skills 1. Message-formation skills increase accuracy and clarity of the messages you send. 2. Conversational-climate skills increase the opportunities to develop a supportive relationship.

Developing Competence (continued) 3. Listening-for-understanding increases your ability to understand meaning. 4. Empathic-response skills increase the likelihood that you will be able to understand and respond to the emotional experiences of another. 5. Disclosure skills increase the likelihood that you will share your ideas and feelings in an honest and sensitive manner.

Developing Communication Improvement Plans Describe the problem Describe the specific goal Outline procedure for reaching the goal Devise a method of assessment