Introduction to Interpersonal Communication

1. Introduction to Interpersonal Communication Chapter 1

2. The Study of Interpersonal Communication • Understanding the present • Intrapersonal • Interpersonal • Small group • Organizational • Mass • Public Acknowledge our past

3. Defining Interpersonal Communication Message exchange – both verbal and nonverbal Creation of meaning – the understanding communicators take from the message

4. Models of Communication Mechanistic Thinking and the Linear Model Feedback and Interactional Model Shared Meaning and the Transactional Model

5. Linear Model Message Receiver Sender • Noise • Physical noise • Physiological noise • Psychological noise • Semantic noise Sender Message Receiver Channel

6. Linear Model Message Receiver Sender • Context • Physical • Cultural • Social-emotional • Historical

7. Feedback and the Interaction Model Receiver Sender

8. Feedback and the Interaction Model Feedback – responses to people, their messages, or both

9. Shared Meaning and the Transactional Model Field of experience - refers to a person’s culture, past experiences, personal history and how these elements influence the communication process

10. Interpersonal Communication Continuum • Communication that exists on a continuum from impersonal to interpersonal • Relational history • Relational rules • Relational uniqueness

11. The Value of Interpersonal Communication Increases job success Improves relationships with family and friends Improves academic performance Self-actualization – becoming the best you can be

12. Principles of Interpersonal Communication It is unavoidable It is irreversible It is symbolic It is rule-governed It is learned

13. Principles of Interpersonal Communication • It has both content and relationship levels • Content level is the information in the message • Relational level determines how we interpret the message

14. Myths about Interpersonal Communication • It solves all problems • It is always a good thing • Dark side • Bright side

15. Myths about Interpersonal Communication • It is common sense • It is synonymous with interpersonal relationships • It is always face-to-face

16. Interpersonal Communication Ethics Ethics is a perceived wrongness or rightness of a behavior

17. Five Ethical Systems of Communication Categorical imperative - individuals follow moral absolutes (Immanuel Kant) Utilitarianism –ethics is bringing the greatest good to the largest number of people (John Stuart Mill)

18. Five Ethical Systems of Communication • The golden mean - a person’s moral virtues stand between two vices with the average or the mean being the foundation for a rational society (Aristotle)

19. Five Ethical Systems of Communication • Ethic of Care –means being concerned with and focused on the connection between communicators (Carol Gilligan) • Female decision making

20. Five Ethical Systems of Communication Significant Choice –communication is ethical to the extent that communicators can exercise free choice (Thomas Nilsen)

21. Interpersonal Communication Ethics Understanding ethics and our own values Choices for changing times: competency and civility