Looking Out/Looking InThirteenth Edition

1A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

CHAPTER TOPICS

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

2A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

Why We Communicate

• Physical Needs

• Identity Needs

• Social Needs

• Practical Goals

3A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

Why 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

4A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

Why 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

5A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

Why 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

6A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

Why 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

7A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

The Process of Communication

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

Figure 1.1 Page 10

8A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

The 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?

9A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

The Process of Communication

• A Transactional View• Communication as a uniquely human process

Figure 1.2 Page 11

10A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

The 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

11A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

Principles 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

12A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

Principles 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

13A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

Principles 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

14A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

Principles 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

15A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

Principles 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

16A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

Principals 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

17A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

Principals 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

18A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

The Nature of Interpersonal Communication

• 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

19A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

The Nature of Interpersonal Communication

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

communication contributes to its value

20A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

The Nature of Interpersonal Communication

• 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

21A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

The Nature of Interpersonal Communication

• 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

22A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

The Nature of Interpersonal Communication

• 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

23A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

What Makes an Effective Communicator

• 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

24A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

What Makes an Effective Communicator

• 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

25A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

What Makes an Effective Communicator

• 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

26A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

What Makes an Effective Communicator

• Competent Communicator Characteristics• Intercultural Communication

• National Differences• Ethnic Differences• Co-cultures

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

27A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

What Makes an Effective Communicator

• 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

28A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

Chapter Review

• Why We Communicate• The Process of Communication• Communication Principles and

Misconceptions• The Nature of Interpersonal

Communication• What Makes an Effective Communicator