MODULE 4

Learning Outcomes

 Understand the importance of interpersonal communication in the organization

 Explain the different types of interpersonal communication
 Recognize vitality of effective managerial and business communication

INTRODUCTION

Interpersonal communication is an act of information sharing between two or more individuals.

Organizational communication relies on such communication for the dissemination of information
between functional division, colleagues, and customers in a business. In this module, the topics
collaborated on interpersonal communication and interpersonal communication theories are vital for
a comprehensive understanding of effective managerial and business communication.

Types of Interpersonal Communication

Interpersonal communication can be further divided into other skills. Interpersonal skills are
dependent upon these other skills:

·      Verbal Communication Skills: everything we speak using words fall under verbal
communication.

·      Non-verbal Communication Skills: communication without words is non-verbal communication. It

is the body language, gestures, facial expressions, silence, etc. of an individual.

·      Listening Skills: needed to receive messages from others to give feedback accordingly.

·      Negotiation Skills: these skills deal with resolving conflicts by focusing on mutual agreement. By
negotiation, people come to settle for the same goals and outcomes.

·      Assertiveness Skills: create influence with own ideas, beliefs, thoughts and wants. These skill
helps in creating and maintaining relationships.

·      Decision Making and Problem-solving Skills: help in relationship maintenance. Create harmony
in social environment and helps relationship prosper whereas problems destroy them.
Elements of Interpersonal Communication

Communicators

For any communication to occur there must be at least two people involved. It is easy to think about
communication involving a sender and a receiver of a message. However, the problem with this way
of seeing a relationship is that it presents communication as a one-way process where one person
sends the message and the other receives it.

Message

Message not only means the speech used or information conveyed, but also the non-verbal
messages exchanged such as facial expressions, tone of voice, gestures and body language. Non-
verbal behavior can convey additional information about the spoken message. In particular, it can
reveal more about emotional attitudes which may underlie the content of speech.

Noise

It refers to anything that distorts the message, so that what is received is different form what is
intended by the speaker. The use of complicated jargon, inappropriate body language, inattention,
disinterest, and cultural differences can be considered noise in the context of interpersonal
communication. In other words, any distortions or inconsistencies that occur during an attempt to
communicate can be seen as noise
Feedback

Feedback consists of messages the receiver returns, which allows the sender to know how
accurately the message has been received, as well as the receiver's reaction. The receiver may also
respond to the unintentional message as well as the intentional message. Feedback allows the
sender to regulate, adapt or repeat the message in order to improve communication.

Context

All communication is influenced by the context in which it takes place. However, apart from looking
at the situational context of where the interaction takes place. The emotional climate and
participants' expectations of the interaction will also affect the communication.

Channel

The channel refers to the physical means by which the message is transferred from one person to
another. In a face-to-face context the channels which are used are speech and vision, however
during a telephone conversation the channel is limited to speech alone.

Functions of Interpersonal Communication

 Linking Function - connects the person with his or her environment

 Mental Function - helps us conceptualize, remember and plan
 Regulatory Function - helps to regulate own and other's behavior

Development of Interpersonal Relationship

 Initiating
 Experimenting
 Intensifying
 Integrating and
 Bonding
Course Outcomes

 Explain the different interpersonal theories

 Understand the social penetration in interpersonal communication

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION THEORIES

Uncertainty Reduction. Explore the initial interaction between people that occurs before the actual
communication process and hence also known as initial interaction theory.

Core Concepts and Assumptions. This information can be used to predict people’s behavior, or
the outcome of the starting relationship with them. The process of information seeking through
predictable developmental stages, indicating changes in the quantity and type of information shared.

Seven Concepts of Assumptions

1. Verbal Output
2. Nonverbal Warmth
3. Information Seeking
4. Self-Disclosure
5. Similarity
6. Liking

Motivators. Only in certain circumstances do individuals feel the need to reduce uncertainty.
Theorists identified three situations in which people will seek to reduce uncertainty:

1. Anticipation of future interaction

2. Incentive value
3. Deviance

Types of Uncertainty

 Cognitive uncertainty - uncertainty related to beliefs and attitudes of people.

 Behavioral uncertainty - occurs when try to predict the action of others in a given situation.
 Stages of initial interaction - includes behaviors that indicate like and dislike.
 The entry stage
 The personal stage
 The exit stage
Social Exchange Theory

Social exchange theory is a sociological and psychological theory that studies the social behavior in
the interaction of two parties that implement a cost-benefit analysis to determine risks and benefits.
Also, the theory involves economic relationships, it occurs when each party have goods that the
other parties’ value. Social exchange theory suggests that these calculations occur in romantic
relationships, friendships, professional relationships and ephemeral relationships as simple as
exchanging words with a customer at the cash register. Social exchange theory says that if the costs
of the relationship are higher than the rewards, such as a lot of effort or money put into a relationship
and not reciprocated, this could lead to problems.

Assumptions of Social Exchange Theory

 Assumptions based on human nature

 Assumptions based on nature of human relationships

Core Concepts of Social Exchange Theory

Social exchange theory sees social behavior as a result of a process of interactive

exchanges. These exchanges help people weigh the potential benefits and cost of social
relationships. The purpose of social exchange is to maximize positive interactions and minimize
negative interactions. The costs of the relationship outweigh the benefits, people will likely abandon
the relationship.

Cost vs. Rewards

Social exchange theory says that people tend to calculate if the relationship is worthwhile by
subtracting its cost from reward. Worth=Rewards-Cost and rewards associated with the other person
ultimately decide the fate of the relationship. Costs refer to the elements in a relationship that have
negative value to a person. Money, effort and time put into a relationship are costs. Rewards refer to
the element that have positive value to a person. Acceptance, validation, and companionship are
rewards.

Symbolic Interaction

The symbolic interaction perspective, also called symbolic interaction, is a major framework of
the sociological theory. This perspective relies on the symbolic meaning that people develop and
build upon in the process of social interaction. Although symbolic interaction traces its origins to Max
Weber's assertion that individuals act according to their interpretation of the meaning of their world,
the American philosopher George Herbert Mead introduced this perspective to American sociology
in the 1920's.

Core Principles of Symbolic Interaction

 Meaning:the major premise of this theory is that humans act toward people or things based
on the meaning they assign to them.
 Language;meaning is brought about through social interaction and language is the vehicle
through which we convey this meaning.
 Thinking:a person’s interpretation of symbols is modified by their own thought processes. For
the symbolic interactions thinking is an inner conversation and according to Mead this is
called minding. Minding is reflective pause. Mead maintained that thinking is the mental
conversation that we hold with others, always considering how they will see us and how they
will react.

Social Penetration Theory

The theory deals with the ways in which relationships develop and progress. It explains how
communication enriches the relationship of two or more individuals. The theory states that closeness
(penetration) develops if communication begins at relatively shallow non-intimate levels and moves
in gradual and orderly fashion to deeper more personal levels. The theory proposes that
relationships get more intimate over time when people disclose more information about themselves.
The Onion Analogy is used to explain the Social Penetration Theory. Personality is like a
multilayered onion, having the public self (height, weight, gender) on the outer and the private self
(values, self-concept, deep emotions) on the core.

Social penetration refers to the open interpersonal behaviors which take place through social
interaction and the subjective internal process which occurs before, during and after the social
exchange. It can be verbal, nonverbal or environmental. Verbal behavior includes the exchanging of
information while non-verbal behavior includes body language (posture, facial expressions, eye gaze
etc.). -Environmental behaviors include the personal distance between people and the use of
physical objects and areas.
Stages of Social Penetration

Social penetration is an orderly process which goes through different stages over time. As
interpersonal exchange gradually progresses from the superficial to the more intimate our real
selves are revealed, like peeling back the layers of an onion. The four stages to this process are
Orientation Stage, Exploratory Affective Stage, Affective Stage and Stable Stage.

Orientation phase: When people first meet, they are revealing their outer superficial shell.
Conversations revolve around hobbies, likes, and dislikes.

Exploratory Effective phase: The relationship develops as a few layers of the personality are
“peeled off” allowing the personality to show through in verbal and nonverbal communication. The
relationship becomes more intimate.

Affective phase: More layers are peeled away until almost the entire personality is revealed.
Participants develop and understanding for one another and begin to discuss personal topics.

Stable phase: This is the final stage in the relationship where all layers have been peeled away,
exposing the core of the individual’s personality.