“Interpersonal communication is the process of sending and receiving information between two or more people,” (Runion, paragraph 1). Communication can be broken down into the following four basic components: sender, receiver, message, and feedback. Interpersonal communicaton is used in all areas of life, such as dating, family relationships, during phone calls, in employment settings, for shopping, when solving a personal or business problem, when driving a car, and when working in a social service occupation, such as medicine and nursing .
Interpersonal communication is not just expressed by talking. There are two channels of communication, including verbal chanels which utilize the spoken or written word to convey a message . This type of communcation is used in speeches, poetry readings, business and personal letters, e-mails, the telephone, in-person communication, and text messages through a cell phone. While most people think that this is one’s main form of communication, it is really non-verbal communication that is used more to convey how one is feeling and thinking.
Use your promo and get a custom paper on
"Different Types of Interpersonal Communication".
On the flip side, non-verbal communication goes goes deeper. When we deliver a message or hear it from somebody else, we focus on other things other than just the words of what somebody is saying. We notice people’s facial expressions and the gestures. Is an individual smiling or frowning? When giving a speech, is the speaker standing with tight, closed fists or showing his hands, which are open and relaxed? Some people talk with their hands to emphasis a point, show anger, or express a topic that one has passion for .
Other non-verbal channels of communication include one’s body posture. Is a business manager standing there with his arms folded and legs crossed when his subordinate is giving a speeech or are his hands on the table, his body turned toward the speaker? One’s posture says much about how a person is feeling and thinking. Eye contact is another area that says much about how somebody really feels. If one is engaged and interested in a topic or somebody, then their eyes will usually blink more. Also, somebdy’s eyes can also be a gauge into their true feelings. For instance, liars tend to look to their left or avoid eye contact, which is how parents can sometimes tell if their children are telling the trurth about something. Proximity is another area where interpersonal communication presents itself. The more people like or trust somebody, the closer they tend to stand to them .
Some types of interpersonal communication are brief, while other forms of communication are long-standing and ongoing. For instance, a husband and wife who are engaged in couples therapy are in this type of communication. People who work together for a long time are also engaging in longterm communication. However, some forms of communication are brief and goal focused with people that we may never see again. For instance, my goal at 7:30 a.m. on a Monday mroning may consist of buying a coffee and bagel at Tim Horton’s restaurant. Obviously, communicating my message of, “Yes, I would like to order a bagel with cream cheeese and a coffee with two creams” is less emotionally involved than the relationship and messages that I give to my partner and work supervisor.
If done well and with sensitivity, interpersonal communication can be quite powerful, helping to make positive changes in the workplace. When co-workers get along well and can express concerns and feelings to each other and their supervisor in an effective manner, going to work can be a joyful and pleasant experience vesus stressful and dismal. Obviously, families and spouses that talk openly, share things with each other, and try to resolve conflicts quickly, live in a more harmonious and emotionally satisfying environement. However, when interpersonal communciation is not done well, it can cause stress, anxiety, and unhappiness. For example, supervisors who bully and yell and scream at people will probably see high turnover rates in their company. An uncommunicative spouse who never works out problems may get served with divorce papers from a spouse that desires more emotional intimacy from a partner. At the extreme end, bad interpersoanl communication can cause road rage, massive shootings, crimes of passion, and serious arguments that end up in court.
Interpersonal communication, comprised of verbal and non-verbal channels, is used for our personal and professional interactions. When communication is effective, it can help our relationships stay healthy, calm, and satisfying. Bad interpersonal communication can cause stress, aggravation, and break downs in family and work relationships. No matter where we are in life, knwoing how to engage in healthy interpersonal communication is a necessary skill.
- Cherry, K. (n.d.). Types of nonverbal communcation: 8 major nonverbal behaviors. Retrieved from About Education.com: http://psychology.about.com/od/nonverbalcommunication/a/nonverbaltypes.htm
- Runion, M. (n.d.). Definition: interpersonal communication. Retrieved from Self Geowth website: http://www.selfgrowth.com
