FIA 3131
INTERPERSONAL
COMMUNICATION
Week 1
Introduction to IC
(Part 2)
LESSON OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson, students
should be able to:
• explain why it is useful to study
interpersonal communication.
• describe the key components
of the communication process,
including communication as
action, interaction, and
transaction.
1) Importance of IC
2) IC and Communication Process
Chapter 1: Introduction to IC
Sub-Topic:
Importance of IC
IMPORTANCE OF IC
1) Improve Relationships with Family
• Interpersonal communication provides more options for
responding to communication challenges within families.
• Family communication is the single factor in determining
kinds of relationships with others (Satir, 1972).
2) Improve Relationships with Friends and Romantic Partners
Understanding interpersonal relationships offers insight into
relational behaviors.
▪ Losing a relationship is among the most stressful
experiences.
▪ Studying interpersonal communication can offer insight
into our behaviors in friendship, romance, and love.
3) Improve Relationships with Colleagues
• Colleagues at work are like family members.
• While we choose friends and lovers, we often
cannot choose colleagues.
• Understanding how relationships develop at
work can help you avoid conflict and stress
and increase your sense of satisfaction.
• Ability to listen to others and manage conflicts.
4) Improve Physical and Emotional Health
Positive
interpersonal
relationships is
a major source
of personal Lack of
happiness. interpersonal
relationships
leads to
illness and
even death.
Chapter 1: Introduction to IC
Sub-Topic:
IC and
Communication
Process
Elements of a Communication Process
Sender Decode Channel Noise
Encode Message Receiver Feedback
Context
Sender
• Originator of thought or emotion, who puts it into a code that can be
understood of a receiver
Encode
• Process of translating ideas, feelings and thoughts into code
Decode
• Process of interpreting ideas, feelings and thoughts that have been translated
into code
Message
• Written, spoken or unspoken elements of communication to which people assign
meaning
Channel
• Pathway through which messages are sent (phone calls, text messages, email)
Receiver
• Person who decodes messages and attempts to make sense of what the source
has encoded
Noise
• Anything literal or psychological that interferes with accurate reception of a
message (physical noise, internal noise)
Feedback
• Response(s) to message – verbal or non verbal
Context
• Setting (environment) and situation in which communication takes place
• Includes social, cultural, and physical factors
Models of Communication Process
Communication as action: message transfer
Figure 1.1 A Simple Model of Human Communication as
Action
Models of Communication Process
Communication as interaction: message exchange
Figure 1.2 A Model of Communication as Interaction
Models of Communication Process
Communication as transaction: message creation
Figure 1.3 A Model of Communication as Transaction
