03. Interpersonal Communication
Dated: 21-12-2024
It is the communication between 2 or few people, face to face.
Exchange with just 2 people requires following communication elements:
- Unique thinking done by each person
- Overriding process created by the interpersonal exchange.
Example:
You meet your friend and plan to meet him again next evening.
Your schedule for tomorrow afternoon is busy and he has a flight tomorrow evening.
After some discussion, both of you agree to meet tomorrow morning.
Behavior and Interpersonal Communication
All behaviors are motivated which can be known or unknown, clear or unclear, controlled or uncontrolled and directly influence each transaction in the interpersonal communication.
Some of the reasons we fail to access other people, are following:
- We assume that people will behave same way in every situation.
- We try too hard to put everyone into consistent categories.
- We are too influenced by first impressions.
- We are positively influenced where we have common characteristics with other people, e.g. same school, same function.
- We are too influenced by apparent negative points, e.g. if someone is not very good at short-term decision making, we might assume that he/she is not going to be good at long-term planning either.
- We make constant errors because of our own limited frames of reference and self-concept.
The Contextual view
An important point to note about the contextual definition is that it does not take into account the relationship between the interact-ants.
There are following contexts present in interpersonal communication.
- Psychological context: Who you are and what do you bring to the interaction? This context consists of your needs, desires, personality etc.
- Relational context: which concerns your reaction to other people.
- Situational context: concerns with "where" the communication is taking place. Such as interaction within a classroom will be different than that of home.
- Environmental context: concerns with physical "where" such as place, time, temperature, weather etc.
- Cultural context: includes all the learned behaviors which influence the interaction.
The Development view
This view differs in the way that your interaction is also influenced by the amount of time you know the next person whom you are communicating with.
Example: Your interaction with a clerk would be different as compared to with a friend even though both are interpersonal interactions.
The interpersonal channels include:
Conversations
These are unstructured, informal and slightly purposive communications.
Dialogues
These are relatively structured and formal transactions.
Interviews
It is a special type of dialogue.
Directive
The interviewer commands the transaction.
Non Directive
Both parties give direction to the interview
Stress
The interviewer creates a stressful situation to determine how the interviewee manages stress.
Depth
This type of interview involves a directive probe into the topic.
Small Groups
Includes 4 to 10 people with time, designation, formality, topic, purpose and cohesion having an impact over the transaction.
Methods for conducting group meetings include:
- Problem solving
- Educating
- Brain storming
- Role playing
Functions of Interpersonal Communication
Interpersonal communication is important because of the functions it provides.
Gaining Information
Social Penetration Theory says that we attempt to gain information about others so that we can interact with them more effectively.
Building a Context of Understanding
Following 2 are sent simultaneously which affects the meaning assigned to the communication.
Content Message
It refers to the surface level meaning of the message.
Relationship Message
It refers to how the message is said.
Establishing Identity
Our relationships determine our identity.
Interpersonal Needs
Inclusion
The need to establish identity with others.
Control
The need to exercise one's leadership and prove one's abilities.
Affection
The need to develop relationships with people.