Chapter One

A First Look at Interpersonal Communication

Why We Communicate

u   Physical Needs

•   Can impact your physical health

u   Identity Needs

•   We learn who we are thru interactions

•   Early childhood messages are strongest

u   Social Needs

•   Pleasure, affection, companionship, escape, relaxation and control

u   Practical Goals

•   Instrumental goals & others

Process of Communication

u   Linear Model

•  The sender encodes the message, sends it through a channel to the receiver, who decodes it and filters out any noise

u   Transactional Model

•  Communicators have a constant flow of messages through multiple channels & noise, each in their own environment

Principles & Misconceptions

u   Principles

•   Can be intentional or unintentional

•   Impossible not to communicate

•   Messages are irreversible & unrepeatable

u   Misconceptions

•   More comm. is not always better

•   Meanings are not in words

•   Understanding not required for success

•   No 1 person or event causes the reaction

•   Communication will not solve all problems

Interpersonal Communication

u   Quantitative

•  Dyad-2 people interacting

•  Group-3 or more people

u   Qualitative

•  Person is treated as unique individuals

u   Technology

•  CMC-Computer mediated comm.

u   Personal vs Impersonal

•  Balance of personal elements in comm.

Effective Communicators

u   Communication Competence

u Achieving one’s goal while maintaining or enhancing the relationship in which it occurs

u No ‘ideal’ way to communicate

u  Competence is situational & relational

u Skills can be learned & improved upon

•  Characteristics include:

u Ability to be appropriate, perform desired behaviors, show cognitive complexity & empathy, self-monitor & be committed

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

u   Physiological needs (food, shelter)

u   Safety needs (protection, security)

u   Social needs (acceptance, regard)

u   Self-esteem (appreciation, respect)

u   Self-actualization (highest level of achievement)