INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

Interpersonal Communication



Interpersonal Communication

“I do” are the two most important words that one will say in their lives. With only two words, one will promise themselves before god to another person. It is a promise to an individual that you will: love and be loved; honored and cherished; faithful and honest. Marriage is a lot of work but, after years of observing I feel although I have an understanding of what makes a marriage work.

Another important aspect to making a successful marriage is to be able to resolve conflicts with each other. Life is not perfect; in fact it is far from perfect. It is life's road blocks that will determine strength of a marriage. A couple that is able to all personal feelings aside and resolve an issue, without pointing fingers will result in a successful couple. A marriage will grow when conflicts are over come, because solving issues together brings the couple together on a new emotional level. A huge part in solving conflict is the ability to communicate.

We are primarily Social beings in the sense that we spend most of our lives with others. It is therefore important to learn to get along with others and to function adequately in social situations. Certain communication skills help us to improve interpersonal relationships.

Communication is the act by which an individual establishes a contact with another that lets you transmit information. In communication there are several elements that may facilitate or hinder the process.

Process of Communication

The process of communication can be illustrated with the help of a diagram.

Issuer: The person (or people) that emits a message.

Receiver: The person (or persons) who receives the message.

Message: Content of information that is sent.

Channel: A means by which the message is sent.

Code: Signs and rules used to send the message.

Context: A situation in which communication occurs.

Figure 1: Process of Communication

Effective communication between two people occurs when the receiver interprets the message in the sense intended by the sender.

Types of Communication

Forms of human communication can be grouped into two broad categories: verbal and nonverbal communication.

Verbal communication refers to the words we use and the inflection of our voice (tone of voice).

Nonverbal communication refers to a large number of channels, the most important are the eye contact, facial gestures, movements of arms and hands or body posture etc.

Despite the importance that we usually attribute to verbal communication, between 65% and 80% of our communication with others is achieved through nonverbal channels. To communicate effectively, verbal and nonverbal messages must match each other. Many communication difficulties occur when our words are contradicted by our nonverbal behavior. Examples:

A husband gives his wife a gift for her birthday and she, with an expression of disappointment, said: Thanks, it's just what I wanted.

A boy finds his best friend down the street and when he greets, the other man returned the greeting with a cold and dry, hello, and looks ...