PowerPoint Presentation to accompany
Looking Out/Looking In, Tenth Edition
Chapter 1: A First Look at Interpersonal
Relationships
Presentation prepared by
Dr. Michael Pearson, Gretchen Gill, and Tim
Scanlon of West Chester University
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is a trademark used herein under license.
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Phone: 1-800-730-2214 Fax: 1-800-730-2215
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CHAPTER 1
A First Look at
Interpersonal
Relationships
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A First Look at
Interpersonal Relationships
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Why We Communicate
The Process of Communication
Communication Principles
and Misconceptions
The Nature of Interpersonal Communication
Communicating about Relationships
Communication Competence:
What Makes an Effective Communicator?
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Why We Communicate
Physical Needs
Identity Needs
Social Needs
Practical Goals
•
Instrumental Goals - getting others to behave in
ways we want
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The Process of Communication
A Linear View
Linear Communication Model
• Sender - encodes ideas and feelings
• Message - organized ideas and feelings
• Channel - means of conveying messages
• Receiver - decodes the message
• Noise - any forces that interfere with effective
communication
• Environments - fields of experience that help
to understand others’ behavior
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The Process of Communication
A Transactional View
Transactional Communication Model
• Feedback - response of a receiver
to a sender’s message
• Behavior - replaces the term of encoding,
describes both deliberate and unintentional
actions that can be observed and interpreted
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The Process of Communication
Definition of Communication - a continuous,
transactional process involving participants who
occupy different but overlapping environments and
create relationships the exchange of messages.
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Communication Principles
and Misconceptions
Communication Principles
• Communication can be intentional or
unintentional
• It’s impossible not to communicate
• Communication is irreversible
• Communication is unrepeatable
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Communication Principles
and Misconceptions
Communication Principles
• Meanings are not in words
• More communication is not always better
• No single person or event causes another’s
reaction
• Communication will not solve all problems
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The Nature of Interpersonal
Communication
Two Views of Interpersonal Communication
1. Quantitative Definition - based on the
interaction between two people
• Dyad - term used by social scientists to
refer to two people interacting
2. Qualitative Definition - occurs when people
treat one another as unique individuals
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The Nature of Interpersonal
Communication
Several features distinguish qualitatively
interpersonal communication from
less personal communication
•Uniqueness
•Irreplaceability
•Interdependence
•Amount of disclosure
•Intrinsic rewards
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The Nature of Interpersonal
Communication
Technology and Interpersonal
Communication
• Computer mediated communication (CMC)
– E-mail
– Instant messaging
– Online chat
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Communicating About
Relationships
Content and Relational Messages
• Content - contains the subject being discussed
• Relational - how the parties feel toward one another
Metacommunication
• Metacommunication - describes messages
people exchange about their relationship
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Communicating About
Relationships
Types of Relational Messages
1. Affinity - the degree to which people like or
appreciate one another
2. Respect - to be held in esteem by others
3. Control - the degree to which the parties have
the power to influence one another
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Communicating About
Relationships
Types of Control
• Decision
• Conversational
Distribution of Control
• Complementary - when distribution of power
is equal
• Symmetrical - partners seek same degree of
control
• Parallel - power shifts from one to another,
according to situation
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Communication Competence:
What Makes An Effective
Communicator?
Communication Competence Defined
Communication Competence – achieving one’s
goals in a manner that, ideally, maintains or
enhances the relationship in which it occurs
• There is no “ideal” way to communicate.
• Competence is situational.
• Competence is relational.
• Competence can be learned.
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Communication Competence:
What Makes An Effective
Communicator?
Characteristics of Competent Communicators
• A wide range of behaviors
• Ability to choose the most appropriate
behavior
• Skill at performing behaviors (Four stages)
1. Beginning Awareness
2. Awkwardness
3. Skillfulness
4. Integration
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Communication Competence:
What Makes An Effective
Communicator?
Characteristics of Competent Communicators
• Cognitive Complexity - ability to construct
a variety of different frameworks for viewing
an issue
• Self-Monitoring - paying attention to one’s
behavior and using these observations to shape the
way one behaves
• Commitment - people who seem to care about
relationships communicate better than those who
don’t.
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