INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

Interpersonal Communication

Interpersonal Communication

Interpersonal communication is a dynamic and complex human phenomenon that includes at least two communicators. These communicators intentionally orient toward each other as both subject and object whose actions embody each other's perspectives both toward self and toward other. In essence, interpersonal communication is a goal-driven interaction between at least two people that typically occurs in a face-to-face environment. However, scholarly trends are moving toward studying mediated interpersonal communication via communication technologies. Interpersonal communication in organizations represents an interaction process including a variety of relational situations. These internal situations involve superior-subordinate and peer communication. This article centers on internal interpersonal communication. First, an overview of the process of interpersonal communication will be provided. Second, interpersonal communication is situated in organizations by examining superior- subordinate communication and peer communication. Finally, the process of interpersonal communication is contextualized by reviewing the impact of trust  and technology on interpersonal communication in organizations.

The process of interpersonal communication is viewed from a general communication perspective provided by Claude Shannon and Warren Weaver. This model, in its most basic format, includes the sender, the message, the channel, and the receiver. Noise provides an additional component.

The first two components of interpersonal communication are the sender and the message. The sender mentally composes a message to relay to another person, taking into account the reason, or intention, for sending the message. Perhaps it is meant to persuade, or to inform. The act of transferring this message from thought to words is called encoding.

The channel in this model refers to the mode of communication used to relay the message. Familiar channels include television, radio, and newspaper. However, interpersonal communication differs from mass communication in this respect because the channel used is face-to-face communication in which messages are relayed through verbal interaction at one location.

The fourth component of this model is the receiver. This person is responsible for taking the sender's message and decoding it. The action of decoding results in the assignment of meaning by the receiver.

The exchange described is one basic unit of interaction between communicators. Once the receiver decodes the message and gives meaning to it, that person can encode another message to relay to the sender. The resulting action is characterized as feedback. Feedback helps to clarify the original message or to enhance it. In the feedback process, the original receiver then becomes the sender who encodes the message, and the original ...