Interpersonal Communication Chapter 1

Physical Needs

Need for health and survival

Relational Needs

Need for companionship, affection, relaxation, and escape

Identity Needs

Who we are and who people perceive us to be

Spiritual Needs

Values, beliefs, and spiritual practices

Instrumental Needs

Practical, everyday needs

Models of Human Communication

-Action
-Interaction
-Transaction

Model

A formal description of a process

Action Model

Depicts communication as a one-way process

Interaction Model

Depicts communication as a two-way process

Transaction Model

Depicts both people in a conversation as sources and receivers

Source

The orginator of the thought or idea

Encode

To put an idea into language or gesture

Message

Verbal and nonverbal elements of communication to which people assign meaning

Channel

A pathway through which messages are conveyed

Decode

To interpret or give meaning to a message

Receiver

The party who interprets a message

Noise

Anything that interferes with the encoding or decoding of a message

Feedback

Verbal and nonverbal responses to a message

Context

The physical or psychological environment in which communication occurs

Characteristics of Communication

-Relies on multiple channels
-Passes through perceptual filters
-People give it it's meaning
-Has literal meanings and relational implications
-Sends a message, whether intentional or unintentional
-Is governed by rules

Channel-Rich Contexts

A communication context involving many channels at once

Channel-Lean Context

A communication context involving few channels at once

Perceptual Filters

The tendency to filter incoming messages through our own perceptions, biases, etc.

Symbol

Representation of an idea

Content Dimension

Literal information that is communicated by a message

Relational Dimension

Signals about the relationship in which a message is being communicated

Metacommunciation

How people distinguish between content and relational dimensions; communication about communication

Explicit Rules

Rules about behavior that have been clearly articulated

Implicit Rules

Rules about behavior that may not be clearly articulated but are understood

Dispelling Communication Myths

-Everyone is not an expert.
-Communication will not solve everything.
-Communication cannot break down.
-Communication is not inherently good.
-More communication is not always better.

Interpersonal Communication

Communication that occurs between two people within the context of their relationship and that, as it evolves, helps them to negotiate and define their relationship

Intrapersonal Communication

Communication with oneself

Mass Communication

Communication from one source to a large audience

Small Group Communication

Occurs within small groups of 3 or more people

Dyad

A pair of people

Why Communication Matters

-It is pervasive.
-It can improve our relationships
-It can improve our health.

Communication Competence

Communicating in ways that are effective and appropriate for a given situation

Effectiveness

Describes how well your communication achieves its goals

Appropriateness

Attending to the rules and expectations that apply in a social situation

Characteristics of Competent Communicators

-Self Awareness
-Adaptability
-Empathy
-Cognitive Complexity
-Ethics

Self Awareness

Being aware of behavior and effect on others; how behavior fits or doesn't fit certain social settings

Self-Monitoring

Awareness of one's behavior and how it affects others

Adaptability

The ability to adapt one's communication to fit the circumstances

Empathy

The ability to think and feel as others do

Cognitive Complexity

The ability to understand a given situation in multiple ways

Ethics

A code of morality or a set of ideas about what is right