LESSON 8: Communicating with others one to one.

Communicating with others one to one.

What is interpersonal Communication?

Interpersonal communication is sending and receiving of messages between parties, usually in close visual and aural proximity which allows for immediate feedback and close attention to verbal and nonverbal cues.

In simple terms, Interpersonal communication is sending and receiving of messages between a small number of people who can see and hear each other with immediate feedback.

Interpersonal communication is different from Public Communication because of the number of people and the proximity involved.

Number of People

Interpersonal Communication involves a small number of participants. It is often referred to as Dyadic communication, when two people are involved, e.g husband and wife, or two friends. When three people are involved in Communication it is known as Triadic communication for example a couple talking to a real estate agent about a house they want to rent.

When the number of people becomes enlarge beyond three it is referred to as small group.

Proximity.

Proximity is an important element of interpersonal communication. The communication is usually unmediated unlike in mass communication whereby something comes between the sender and the final receiver of the message. Interpersonal communication is often face to face communication, for example a teacher and student talking at the teacher’s desk, a patient seeing the doctor to discuss symptoms of illness.

Features of Interpersonal Communication

1. Use of less formal language:- The small number of people and proximity affects the nature of language used in interpersonal communication. We usually use language that is less formal than that of writing or public speaking.
2. The proximity of interpersonal communication allows for verbal and non verbal cues. Through a series of small movement and gestures, we can know when a conversation needs to continue or end.
3. Close proximity also allows for physical contact which is expected. For example a business interview almost universally opens with a handshake, children may want to be held while their comforts them.
4. Interpersonal Communication requires immediate feedback since both parties can see and hear each other. Feedback is a very essential element of interpersonal communication. A phone conversation is a form of interpersonal communication, but while it involves a small number of close aural proximity, it eliminates all non verbal cues with the exception of paralinguistic.