Basic Aspects of Interpersonal Communication - Coursework Example

Interpersonal Communication Introduction Also known as communication skill, interpersonal skills can be referred to as the abilities one uses as they communicate with others. These skills enable people to interact with each other. Although interpersonal skills, as an academic course, are studied for professional purposes, its importance is not just in the work place. They are important in our personal and social lives. Those who pose quality interpersonal skills are viewed as people with qualities that that appeal and attract others. This essay is going to look into the basic aspects of interpersonal skills and how self-disclosure, non-verbal communication, and listening play significant roles in interpersonal communication (Koprowska, 2010). Basic Aspects of Interpersonal Communication Interpersonal skills have so many aspects but we will look into the main four aspects. One of its basic aspects is that they are inescapable. No one lacks interpersonal skills whether good or bad. The only time one can escape is them is by choosing not to communicate at all which is not possible. People communicate daily, consciously and subconsciously. Communication occurs not only through words but also through facial expressions, posture, tone voice, and gestures among others (Wood, 2013). A number of times you hear people talk about taking back their words or statements but in a real sense, the damage or good it meant to achieve has already been achieved and it is inevitable remains. Interpersonal skills are irreversible. The impact or effect made by a word, gesture, posture or any other communication channel cannot be reversed even when the person communicating says he takes back his words. Once communicated, it cannot be swallowed back (Wood 2013). Interpersonal communication is also complicated. It does not matter whether one is using words, gestures, postures, facial expressions, or whatever channel to communicate, none of them is easy. This is so because of the variables that are involved. Theorists have it there is a minimum of six people involved in every communication; who the communicator thinks he is, who he thinks the other person is, who the communicator thinks the other person thinks he is, who the other person thinks he is, who the other person thinks the communicator is and who the other person thinks the communicator thinks he is. Another thing that complicates communication is that people only swap symbols that stand for ideas and not the ideas. In other words, no two people use the same gesture, word, facial expressions, or posture to mean exactly the same thing (wood, 2013). The last aspect of interpersonal skills is that it is contextual. Communication cannot happen in isolation. It therefore involves several contexts. One of the contexts of communication is the psychological context. This is who the communicator and the communicated are and what he brings to the interaction. It includes their desires, personality, values, and others. The situational context deals with the psychosocial area where the communication is taking place. A conversation in a hospital is different from one in a restaurant. Relational context involves one's reaction to the other person they are communicating with. Environmental context is concerned with the physical area where the communication is taking place. Examples of factors I this context are time, temperature, noise level, season among others. The last context is the cultural context. This one involves rules and behaviors learned that affect the interaction (Wood 2013). Self-Disclosure and Interpersonal Communication Any form of purposeful verbal or non-verbal communication that exposes something about oneself to someone else is self-disclosure. It could be in the way we talk about ourselves, how we dress, and many other ways. Whether superficial or deep, self-disclosure does have both positive and negative effects of interpersonal relations. It has a positive effect for interpersonal relations if it works out well. However, when it does not turn out well, it leads to lowered self-esteem, embarrassment, deteriorated relationships, and could sometimes even lead to termination of interpersonal relationships (Derlega, 1987). Before joining college, I had an idea that I will get my soul mate in college therefore so I was prepared for a going on dates with different individuals before finally deciding on who was the one for me. During the dates, we would talk about our likes and dislikes and sometimes our family or our future and we dreamt it would be like. Some dates turned out bad such that it took a while before I could look at some of my dates in the eye and some turned out so well that we went on second and third dates. The bad dates were because of the negative effects of personal disclosure and the good ones a result of the positive effects. Non-Verbal Communication and Interpersonal Communication The process of communicating non-verbally involves everything but words. It could involve touch, gaze, gesture, distance, voice, or physical environment. For non-verbal communication to be effective, it should be done in the right manner. Non-verbal communication is very significant to interpersonal skills. It enables individuals to express themselves better than they would in words, especially if the person is shy or cannot find the words. Non-verbal communication is also more interesting than the verbal communication that is just words. It also enables people who do not speak the same language get along just fine (Weiten & Lloyd, 2006). When I was in the eighth grade, I made a friend via the internet who could not speak English. We therefore resorted to using pictures and emotions that enabled us to understand much of what we were communicating with each other. Listening and Interpersonal Communication The act of taking time to hear out what the other person has to say is what is referred to as listening. Listening has the ability to help make, maintain, and strengthen positive interpersonal relationships. Listening is a very important aspect of communication that one encounters from birth and throughout his life. Good listening skills have helped maintain marriages, raise kids, ensure customer satisfaction, improve salesperson's performance, improve quality of healthcare provisions, and many other things. Good listeners are considered charismatic and attractive (Purdy & Borisoff, 1997). I started playing with other kids when I was about four. One day they roughed me up and I ran back to the house crying and upset in search of comfort. The first person I met was my dad. He ordered me to shut up and stop crying like a baby. Still upset, I went to look for my mother. Immediately she saw me she noticed something was not right and asked me what was wrong. Amidst fresh tears and sobs I told her what had happened. She did not say a word she only listened to me. She did not volunteer to go beat up the kids who had roughed but I felt much better that I went back to playing almost immediately. From then henceforth I would go to my mother when feeling low and in search of comfort. I established an interpersonal relationship with my mum because she listened to me. Conclusion Interpersonal skills are vital for both professionals and non-professionals. Those who have worked to develop good and strong interpersonal skill are most of the times more successful in their lives both professionally and personally unlike those with poor interpersonal skills. People who pose good interpersonal skills are considered as calm, optimistic, charismatic, and confident. One can develop their interpersonal skills through interaction with others and with practice. Other interpersonal skills include verbal communication, negotiations, problem solving, decision-making, and assertiveness. All these skills put together enable individuals to form interpersonal relationships, strengthen them, and maintain them (Koprowska, 2010). Work Cited Derlega, V. J., & Berg, J. H. (1987). Self-disclosure: Theory, research, and therapy. New York: Plenum Press. Koprowska, J. (2010). Communication and interpersonal skills in social work. Exeter: Learning Matters. Purdy, M., & Borisoff, D. (1997). Listening in everyday life: A personal and professional approach. Lanham, Md: University Press of America. Weiten, W., & Lloyd, M. A. (2006). Psychology applied to modern life: Adjustment in the 21st century. Australia ; Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth. Wood, J. T. (2013). Interpersonal communication: Everyday encounters. Boston, MA: Wadsworth. Read More