IS103 | JKSemos | 2021
LECTURE 2:
DYNAMICS OF INTERPERSONAL
COMMUNICATION
IS103 COMMUNICATION SKILLS
MR. SEMOS
DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS & COMPUTER SCIENCE
IS103 | JKSemos | 2021
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• Define interpersonal communication
• Identify characteristics of interpersonal communication
• Identify types of messages created through interpersonal communication
• Describe contexts of interpersonal communications
• Practice interpersonal communication
• Identify competent interpersonal communication
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DEFINITIONS
• Communication is the use of symbols (sounds, gestures, images etc..) to
represent meanings.
• Interpersonal communication is communication between people with
some form of relationship.
E.g: father & son, doctor & patient, teacher & student, close friends, lovers,
etc..
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Activity
• List three communication experiences you had since last
week that you consider to be interpersonal communication.
• List three communication experiences you had since last
week that you do NOT consider to be interpersonal
communication.
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• Interpersonal communication is often face-to-face interactions.
• Partners communicate both verbally and nonverbally with
words, gestures and body language.
• Interpersonal communication can also occur through phone
conversations, text messaging or chat rooms. So long as there
is personal connection with the other person.
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CHARACTERISTICS OF INTERPERSONAL
COMMUNICATION
• Interpersonal communication is:
1. a continuous process
2. a dynamic process
3. is consequential
4. is irreversible
5. is imperfect
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1. Continuous process
2. Dynamic process
• Both partners participate in
interpersonal communication.
Even when one partner is
speaking, the other may
communicate through body
position, eye contact and facial
experiences.
• Meanings change and unfold
over time, and previous
messages affect how
subsequent messages are
created and understood.
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3. Consequential
Interpersonal communication has consequences or produces outcome/s.
• Intentional consequences
For example:
• convince your parents to call you
• Say sorry to your friend.
• Unintentional consequences
• Insult classmate
• Hurt a friend
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Activity
• Think about the last time an interpersonal interaction made
you feel strong emotions, such as happiness, anger or sadness.
• What was it about the conversation that produced those
emotions?
• Does face-to-face interpersonal communication evoke more or
less intense emotions compared to instant messaging/phone
conversations/chat rooms etc..?
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4. Irreversible
5.
• You can not take back messages
that you have communicated.
• Your thoughts can never be
completely communicated to
another person.
• Nor can you recreate
communication opportunities that
have passed.
• Therefore, if you make hurtful
comments (just an example), you
can apologize, or you can explain
Imperfect
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TYPES OF MESSAGES
Content messages: Literal or typical meaning of the
symbols used to communicate. E.g Are you using your car
this afternoon?
Relational messages: Meanings that symbols have for the
relationship between communicators.
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CONTEXTS OF INTERPERSONAL
COMMUNICATIONS
• Interpersonal communication can unfold between strangers,
acquaintances, close friends, or family members. (Jaiswal, 2021)
• Other context includes
a) Organizations/Workplace
• When you and a coworker chat about your personal lives, when you
pitch an idea to your boss.
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b) Health settings (Health and well-being)
c) Computer-mediated communication
• Using technology, we are able to create a personal connection
with others that transcends the separations imposed by time
and space.
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Activity
• Does computer-mediated communication offer less threatening
communication venue for people who get anxious about talking to
new acquaintances?
• What proportion of your interpersonal interactions involves the
use of technology?
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PUTTING THEORY INTO PRACTICE:
THINKING CRITICALLY
• Recognize the fallibility of symbols
• The symbols you use will always have a different meaning to
your interaction partner than they do to you.
• Steps to reduce miscommunication
1)
Pay attention to your partner’s responses to see if he or she seems to be getting the right idea.
Notice whether your partner asks relevant questions, laughs when you meant to be funny, etc..
2)
Double check how well your meaning was understood. Use phrases like “I’m not sure I was
clear”
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• Pay attention to relational messages
• Relational messages are always part of interpersonal
communication experiences, so you’ll communicate more
effectively if you pay attention to the relational messages that
you receive and send to others.
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INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
COMPETENCE
• Fidelity – clarity of a message. Extent to which meanings can be
correctly inferred from the symbols.
• Appropriateness – Interpersonal communication is appropriate when
the messages that people produce match the requirements of the
situation.
• Satisfaction – competent interpersonal communication is also
enjoyable.
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• Effectiveness – effective interpersonal communication occurs
when you are able to produce the outcomes that you want with
your interaction partner.
• Efficiency – interpersonal communication is efficient if you can
produce the outcomes you seek with no more than a reasonable
amount of effort.
• Ethics – Ethical interpersonal communication involves using
values as a moral guide when you interact with other people.
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Activity
• With a colleague, discuss and give at least one example
of each of the interpersonal communication competence
explained in the previous slides.
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PROMOTING COMPETENT
INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
• Conditions that can help you have competent interpersonal
communication.
Motivation
Knowledge
Skill
1. Motivation – Competent communication takes effort
– you need to pay attention to what is and is not
appropriate and satisfying, weigh your options so that
you maximize effectiveness and efficiency, and attend
to ethical considerations. Competent interpersonal
communication requires motivation or desire to
communicate well.
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2. Knowledge – all the motivation in the world won’t help if you
don’t know what communication behaviors are best for a given
situation.
• Examples:
Motivation
• Empathize with someone.
• Discuss feelings and emotions.
Knowledge
Skill
• Wanting information to solve a problem
3. Skills – people need skills to act upon their motivation and
knowledge in an interpersonal interaction.
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SUMMARY
• Defined interpersonal communication
• Identified characteristics of interpersonal communication
• Identified types of messages created through interpersonal communication
• Described contexts of interpersonal communications
• Discussed practices of interpersonal communication
• Identified competent interpersonal communication
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REFERENCE
Retrieved from Mayank Jaiswal, mayank.jaiswal@proquest.com. (2021). ProQuest Ebook Central Reader. Proquest.com.
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/divineword/reader.action?docID=1101332&query=interp
ersonal+communication#
Solomon.D & Theiss. J (nd) Interpersonal Communication: Putting Theory into Practice.
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