The role of communication is increasingly central in all areas of social life and it is not surprising that books, seminars, degree courses and professions are born around it. Any human activity based on interpersonal relationships always involves communication processes. In all our contacts with others, we need the ability to communicate and we must be effective.
In this Psychology-Online article, we will talk to you about interpersonal communication: what it is, types, characteristics and examples.
What is interpersonal communication
Communication is the essential element through which the interpersonal relationship is carried out. The word communication comes from the Latin communicare and means to share. Communicating is a social and reciprocal act of participation, an act mediated by the use of meaningful symbols between different individuals and groups. Thus, communication can be defined as the modality through which social relations are established, structured, developed and the “I” is affirmed in the world as individual and/or collective actors.
So what is interpersonal communication? Face to face communication. It can be considered as the set of phenomena that allow the exchange of information between two or more people. This exchange is carried out through spoken language and through the non-verbal signals that we send through the movements of the body or parts of it. These are received through the visual channel. Interpersonal communication, understood as a moment of meeting/exchange, determines the quality of the relationship. In this article, you will see the .
Types of interpersonal communication
Interpersonal communication, which involves several people, is based on a report in which the interlocutors influence each other as in a vicious circle. Specifically, there are three types of interpersonal communication:
- Verbal communication: It is carried out through the use of language, both written and oral, and which depends on precise syntactic and grammatical rules. Know the.
- : occurs without the use of words, but through diversified channels, such as facial mimicry, looks, gestures and postures. Discover the .
- paraverbal communication: refers ultimately to the voice. That is, to the tone, the volume and the rhythm. It also refers to pauses and other sound expressions such as clearing one’s voice or, for example, playing with everything that happens within arm’s reach.
In this article, you will see what the .
Characteristics of interpersonal communication
Interpersonal communication is a spiral process, with evident characteristics of reciprocity, in which the information sent by a “sender” to a “receiver” produces reactions or responses in the latter. These then “return” as new information to the first of the two interlocutors, therefore, they are allowed to send new information. Thus, the main elements and characteristics of interpersonal communication are:
- The sender, or the source of transmission, is the person from whom the communication occurs. The sender is characterized and depends on his culture, his own interests, his own language, the resources and instruments available to him, his past experience and his knowledge of the context and his interlocutors.
- The message It is represented by the contents and meanings that the sender wants to transmit to the recipient.
- The channel It is the medium used to convey the message. For example, newspapers, radio, television, voice, etc.
- The code It is the set of conventional norms used to express the message. For example, the mother tongue, the hierarchical language used within a youth group, the alphabet for the deaf and mute, or Braille for the blind,
- The receptor It is the subject to whom the message is directed. He or she is also characterized by his or her culture, his or her own language, and his or her own experiences and instruments.
- Feedback represents the “return message” from the receiver to the sender. It allows you to verify that the message has reached its destination and has been understood.
Disturbances in interpersonal communication
Regarding the structure of the communicative process, there are communication disturbances also called “noises.” These act on the elements of interpersonal communication and can interrupt this flow, causing a “bad” reception of the message issued. Communication disturbances can affect the following factors.
- Attitude: little interest in communication.
- Channel or code: a disturbed telephone line, a different language, etc.
- Listen: poor listening on the part of both the receiver and the sender.
- Context or culture: diversity of cultural values.
- Content and relationship: a message constructed too complex for the receiver.
- Verbal or non-verbal.
- Stereotypes.
Communication disturbances also occur when one of the actors involved in the communication process realizes that the other is not responding, that is, that they are not giving adequate feedback to their communication. When you communicate, especially if you communicate deeply and personally, it is very important to receive adequate feedback. If this does not happen, the sender can withdraw and stop communicating. In this article, we tell you.
Examples of interpersonal communication
Now that we have talked about the concept of interpersonal communication, we show you some examples of this type of communication:
- Phone call: Talking on the phone is an example of interpersonal communication. Verbal and paraverbal communication are used.
- Friends meeting: Meeting friends is an act of interpersonal communication. There is an exchange of information through verbal, non-verbal and paraverbal communication.
- Presentation of a project at work: formal meeting of people in which an exchange of information occurs. In this case, interpersonal communication is very important to transmit what we want correctly. Discover the importance of.
- Write an email or text message: When we write a text message it is written communication. It is also an example of interpersonal communication because there is an exchange of information.
- game of glances: when you pass someone you like or know on the street. In these situations there is usually an exchange of looks, gestures or words. In this case, non-verbal communication plays a very important role. In this article, you will find information about .
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
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Bibliography
- Cheli, E. (2004). Theory and technique of interpersonal communication. An interdisciplinary introduction. Milan: Franco Angeli.
- PAQ (2013). Interpersonal communication. Retrieved from: qualitapa.gov.it/sitoarcheologico/relazioni-con-i-cittadini/comunicare-e-informare/comunicazione-interpersonale/index.html
- Zanon, R. (2010). Elements of ethics for socio-sanitary operators. Santarcangelo di Romagna: Maggioli Editore.