Interpersonal Communication An Introduction

1. Interpersonal Communication An Introduction

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

3. 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

4. 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

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

6. Channel 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

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

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

9. 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

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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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.

14. 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!

15. 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.

16. 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)

17. 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

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