Looking Out/Looking InLooking Out/Looking InThirteenth EditionThirteenth Edition

11A FIRST LOOK AT A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATIONINTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

CHAPTER TOPICSCHAPTER TOPICS

• Why We Communicate• The Process of Communication• Communication Principles and Misconceptions• The Nature of Interpersonal Communication• What Makes an Effective Communicator

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Why We CommunicateWhy We Communicate

• Physical Needs

• Identity Needs

• Social Needs

• Practical Goals

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Why We CommunicateWhy We Communicate

• Physical Needs• Social isolation increases risk of:

• Coronary disease• Rivals cigarette smoking, high blood pressure and lack of

physical activity

• Catching the common cold• Premature death

• Positive communication and strong social ties lead to better health

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Why We CommunicateWhy We Communicate

• Identity Needs• Identity comes from how we interact with

others

• Acting human is a learned process

• Messages influence our identity throughout our lives

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Why We CommunicateWhy We Communicate

• Social Needs• Communication is used to:

• Obtain pleasure, affection, companionship, relaxation, escape and control

• Create happier relationships and social lives

• Theorists argue that positive relationships may be the most important source of human satisfaction and emotional well-being

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Why We CommunicateWhy We Communicate

• Practical Goals• Getting others to behave in ways we want• Communication is the tool that:

• Lets you explain your needs to the hair stylist• Helps you negotiate household duties• Is essential in virtually every career

• Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs• Physical, Safety, Social, Esteem and Self-

Actualization

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The Process of CommunicationThe Process of Communication

• A Linear View• Communication is “done to” a receiver

Figure 1.1 Page 10

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The Process of CommunicationThe Process of Communication

• Linear Communication• The model

• Suited to radio and television• Created by scientists interested in electronic media• Affected the way we think and talk about

communication

• Is there really only one sender and one receiver?

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The Process of CommunicationThe Process of Communication

• A Transactional View• Communication as a uniquely human process

Figure 1.2 Page 11

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The Process of CommunicationThe Process of Communication

• Transactional Communication• The model

• Messages are sent and received at the same time• Sender/Receiver become communicators• Environments

• Physical location• Personal experiences and cultural backgrounds

• Noise• Internal as well as external noise is represented

• Channels retain significant role

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Principles and MisconceptionsPrinciples and Misconceptions

• Principles• Some communication is clearly intentional• Communication can be unintentional

• Overhearing another's conversation• How does the meaning change?

• Nonverbal Communication• Unaware of your expressions

• Sour face, restlessness, sighs of boredom• Unknowingly being observed

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Principles and MisconceptionsPrinciples and Misconceptions

• Principles• Communication is irreversible

• It is impossible to “unreceive” a message• Think about “unsqueezing” a tube of toothpaste

• Words said and deeds done are irretrievable

• It’s impossible not to communicate• Intentional and unintentional behaviors send a

message• People who decode your message may not

interpret it accurately

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Principles and MisconceptionsPrinciples and Misconceptions

• Principles• Communication is unrepeatable

• Communication is an ongoing process• It is impossible to repeat the same event

• If attempted, the act of repetition will change the intended meaning

• Both communicators have changed because they have lived longer

• The “same” words and behaviors are different each time they are spoken or performed

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Principles and MisconceptionsPrinciples and Misconceptions

• Principles• Content and relational dimension

• Content dimension• Involves the information being explicitly discussed

• Relational dimension• Involves how you feel about the other person

• Like or dislike• In control or subordinate• Comfortable or anxious

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Principles and MisconceptionsPrinciples and Misconceptions

• Misconceptions• More communication is not always better

• Excessive communication can be unproductive and can also backfire

• Pestering a potential employer about a job prospect• Texting too many “call me” messages

• Meanings are not in the words• Saying something is not the same as

communicating it

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Principals and MisconceptionsPrincipals and Misconceptions

• Misconceptions• Communication and shared understanding

• Successful communication doesn’t always involve shared understanding

• Being deliberately vague• Sacrificing clarity to spare another's feelings

• More satisfying relationships can sometimes come from less-than-perfect understanding

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Principals and MisconceptionsPrincipals and Misconceptions

• Misconceptions• People/Events do not cause another’s

reaction• Communication is transactional, ongoing and

collaborative• Communication does not occur in a vacuum

• Communication will not solve all problems

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The Nature of Interpersonal The Nature of Interpersonal CommunicationCommunication

• Two Views of Interpersonal Communication• Quantitative Communication

• Any interaction between two people, usually face to face

• Can be considered routine or impersonal

• Qualitative Communication• Occurs when we treat others as unique individuals

regardless of context or the number of people involved

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The Nature of Interpersonal The Nature of Interpersonal CommunicationCommunication

• Aspects of Qualitative Communication• Uniqueness• Irreplaceability• Interdependence• Disclosure• Intrinsic Rewards• The scarcity of quality interpersonal

communication contributes to its value

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The Nature of Interpersonal The Nature of Interpersonal CommunicationCommunication

• Mediated Interpersonal Communication• Mediated Channels

• Instant Messaging, emailing, blogging, Twittering• Social networks

• Facebook• MySpace

• The difference between face-to-face and virtual relationships is eroding

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The Nature of Interpersonal The Nature of Interpersonal CommunicationCommunication

• Mediated Interpersonal Communication• Benefits

• Internet users have more social networks than nonusers

• Computer-based communication encourages offline interaction by keeping relationships active

• Text-only messages can: • Bring people closer by minimizing the perception of

differences• Stimulate both self-disclosure and direct questioning

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The Nature of Interpersonal The Nature of Interpersonal CommunicationCommunication

• Mediated Interpersonal Communication• Challenges

• Leaner Messages• Face-to-face messages are rich with nonverbal cues• Without nonverbal cues, online communicators can

create idealized images of one another

• Disinhibition• Sending messages without considering the consequence• Messages tend to be more direct and often critical

• Permanence• Messages can be archived virtually forever

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What Makes an Effective What Makes an Effective CommunicatorCommunicator

• Communication Competence• There is no ideal way to communicate

• A variety of communication styles can be effective• You can always learn new styles of communication

• Competence is:• Situational• Relational

• Competence varies from one situation and person to another

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What Makes an Effective What Makes an Effective CommunicatorCommunicator

• Competent Communicator Characteristics• Behaviors

• Possessing a wide range of behaviors• Ability to chose appropriate behavior based on:

• Context• Goals• Knowledge of the other person

• Skill at performing behaviors

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What Makes an Effective What Makes an Effective CommunicatorCommunicator

• Competent Communicator Characteristics• Cognitive Complexity

• The ability to construct a variety of frameworks for viewing an issue or situation

• Empathy• Feeling and experiencing another's situation

• Self-Monitoring• High Self-Monitoring• Low Self-Monitoring

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What Makes an Effective What Makes an Effective CommunicatorCommunicator

• Competent Communicator Characteristics• Intercultural Communication

• National Differences• Ethnic Differences• Co-cultures

• Age• Occupation• Sexual orientation• Religion• Physical disability

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What Makes an Effective What Makes an Effective CommunicatorCommunicator

• Competent Communicator Characteristics• Motivation

• The desire to communicate successfully

• Tolerance and Open-mindedness• Communicating across cultures can be confusing

• Knowledge and Skill• Passive observation• Active strategies• Self-disclosure

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Chapter ReviewChapter Review

• Why We Communicate

• The Process of Communication

• Communication Principles and Misconceptions

• The Nature of Interpersonal Communication

• What Makes an Effective Communicator