This document discusses why we communicate and the process of communication. It covers four key reasons why we communicate: physical needs, identity needs, social needs, and practical goals. It then describes two models of the communication process - the linear model and the transactional model. Finally, it discusses what makes an effective communicator, including communication competence, behaviors, and cognitive complexity.

1. Looking Out/Looking InLooking Out/Looking In
Thirteenth EditionThirteenth Edition
11Introduction to InterpersonalIntroduction to Interpersonal
CommunicationCommunication
CHAPTER TOPICSCHAPTER TOPICS
• Why We Communicate
• The Process of Communication
• Communication Principles and Misconceptions
• The Nature of Interpersonal Communication
• What Makes an Effective Communicator

2. 22A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATIONA FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
Why We CommunicateWhy We Communicate
• Physical Needs
• Identity Needs
• Social Needs
• Practical Goals

3. 33A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATIONA FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
Why We CommunicateWhy 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

4. 44A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATIONA FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
Why We CommunicateWhy 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

5. 55A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATIONA FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
Why We CommunicateWhy 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

6. 66A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATIONA FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
Why We CommunicateWhy 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

7. 77A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATIONA FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
The Process of CommunicationThe Process of Communication
• A Linear View
• Communication is “done to” a receiver
Figure 1.1 Page 10

8. 88A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATIONA FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
The Process of CommunicationThe 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?

9. 99A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATIONA FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
The Process of CommunicationThe Process of Communication
• A Transactional View
• Communication as a uniquely human process
Figure 1.2 Page 11

10. 1010A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATIONA FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
The Process of CommunicationThe 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

11. 1111A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATIONA FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
Principles and MisconceptionsPrinciples 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

12. 1212A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATIONA FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
Principles and MisconceptionsPrinciples 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

13. 1313A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATIONA FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
Principles and MisconceptionsPrinciples 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

14. 1414A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATIONA FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
Principles and MisconceptionsPrinciples 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

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Principles and MisconceptionsPrinciples 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

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Principals and MisconceptionsPrincipals 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

17. 1717A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATIONA FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
Principals and MisconceptionsPrincipals 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

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The Nature of InterpersonalThe Nature of Interpersonal
CommunicationCommunication
• 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

19. 1919A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATIONA FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
The Nature of InterpersonalThe Nature of Interpersonal
CommunicationCommunication
• Aspects of Qualitative Communication
• Uniqueness
• Irreplaceability
• Interdependence
• Disclosure
• Intrinsic Rewards
• The scarcity of quality interpersonal
communication contributes to its value

20. 2020A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATIONA FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
The Nature of InterpersonalThe Nature of Interpersonal
CommunicationCommunication
• 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

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The Nature of InterpersonalThe Nature of Interpersonal
CommunicationCommunication
• 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

22. 2222A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATIONA FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
The Nature of InterpersonalThe Nature of Interpersonal
CommunicationCommunication
• 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

23. 2323A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATIONA FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
What Makes an EffectiveWhat Makes an Effective
CommunicatorCommunicator
• 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

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What Makes an EffectiveWhat Makes an Effective
CommunicatorCommunicator
• 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

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What Makes an EffectiveWhat Makes an Effective
CommunicatorCommunicator
• 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

26. 2626A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATIONA FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
What Makes an EffectiveWhat Makes an Effective
CommunicatorCommunicator
• Competent Communicator Characteristics
• Intercultural Communication
• National Differences
• Ethnic Differences
• Co-cultures
• Age
• Occupation
• Sexual orientation
• Religion
• Physical disability

27. 2727A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATIONA FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
What Makes an EffectiveWhat Makes an Effective
CommunicatorCommunicator
• 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

28. 2828A FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATIONA FIRST LOOK AT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
Chapter ReviewChapter Review
• Why We Communicate
• The Process of Communication
• Communication Principles and
Misconceptions
• The Nature of Interpersonal
Communication
• What Makes an Effective Communicator