Chapter 5
Interpersonal Communication
Chapter Summary
Interpersonal communication is the study of behavior and action of at least two communicators
through a communication process. This chapter defines interpersonal communication, how it
happens in developing relationships, in developed relationships, and in the dissolution of
relationships.
Definition and Development of Interpersonal Communication
With its roots in the various theories such as human productivity, symbolic interactionism,
psychology, and non-verbal communication, interpersonal communication is the study of
behavior and action of at least two communicators through a communication process. The main
concepts related to interpersonal communication are context, meaning building, intentionality,
and verbal and non-verbal behaviors.
Interpersonal Communication in Developing Relationships
Communication is an essential element in developing a relationship. Social penetration theory
describes the development of a relation as a gradual movement from the shallower levels to more
intimate levels as parties get more acquainted during a process that includes the stages of
orientation, exploratory, affective exchange, and stable exchange. In each stage there are
different levels of breadth and depth of topics. Despite the initial perception of one-way
development of a relationship, later approaches asserted there is a back and forth process in
intimacy. Self-disclosure is also closely related to social penetration theory, and it is a multiUnderstanding Communication Theory, by Stephen Croucher
© Taylor & Francis 2015
dimensional process of revealing information about oneself to increase intimacy and enhance
interpersonal relationships. Different hypotheses describe the mechanisms of social penetration.
Because intercultural friendships have a specific nature in comparison with intracultural
friendships, theorization about self-disclosure and social penetration theory has been a major
theoretical development.
Interpersonal Communication in Developed Interpersonal Relationships
Dialectics refer to the tension in interpersonal relationships to decide about the different aspects
of the relationship. There are four important concepts in dialectics: contradictions, totality,
process, and praxis. Based on the notion of contradiction, this chapter proposes three relational
dialectics: certainty/uncertainty, connection/autonomy, and openness/closedness. Relational
dialectics has been studied in married couples, long-distance relationships, bereaved parents’
relationships, and in health care contexts.
Another way to think about interpersonal communication is to study it from the viewpoint of
conflict. As an inevitable part of daily communication and relationships, conflict is defined as the
contradiction between the aims and goals of at least two interdependent sides of a relationship.
Three main elements of a conflict have been defined as affective, behavioral, and cognitive
components. To have a healthy relationship, it is important to manage conflicts. According to
Rahim (1983) the five styles of avoiding, accommodating, competing, collaborating, and
compromising can be used to determine how much emphasis should be put on self versus other
while dealing with conflict. Cultural elements such as collectivism and individualism and context
can affect the conflict style preferences.
Understanding Communication Theory, by Stephen Croucher
© Taylor & Francis 2015
Romantic relationships are more intimate relationships influenced by both cognitive and
affective aspects of the interaction. Research into the cognitive aspect of romantic relationships
has focused on three aspects: relational schemes, beliefs and standards, and attribution and
accounts. Relational schemes define how and what a person is like in a relationship. Peoples’
relational schemes shape their attachments and their different styles such as secure, dismissing,
preoccupied, and fearful attachments. At the same time, people set their standards and
expectation for a relationship. There is much research on how elements such as television define
these standards and beliefs. Research into the affective aspect of romantic relationships has
shown positive behavior and the sex of participants can influence the quality of relationships and
the level of satisfaction. Along with the cognitive and affective elements, type of couples, e.g.
traditional, independent, separate, or mixed couples can affect a relationship. Ending is another
important stage of interpersonal relationships. This process has been defined to include five
stages: differentiating, circumscribing, stagnating, avoiding, and terminating.
Understanding Communication Theory, by Stephen Croucher
© Taylor & Francis 2015