INDIVIDUAL COMMUNICATION: CHARACTERISTICS, TYPES, EXAMPLES - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The individual communication is a process of information exchange between two people, face to face without there being any interlocutor. It is the most basic type of communication that exists, and in fact it is the basis of practically all other forms of message transmission that we can find.

Despite being one of the simplest information exchange processes that we can find, individual communication can be studied from different points of view and is made up of several related phenomena. Thus, within it we can find verbal and non-verbal communication, and conscious and subconscious processes.

Understanding individual communication processes is essential, since doing so allows us to better understand all the other situations in which we transmit messages to one or more interlocutors. Thus, the basis of processes such as group or collective communication remains the same as that of the individual.

Because of this, today we know a lot about individual communication processes, their components and their most important characteristics. In this article we will study the most important aspects of this method of transmitting information.

Characteristics of individual communication

- It involves only one sender and one receiver

Most of the types of communication that exist involve several people, being able to find some processes that occur in groups, others that go from a single transmitter to a large number of receivers, and other combinations of all kinds. On the contrary, in individual communication we only find a sender and a receiver.

This does not mean that there are no variations in the process. For example, in some cases the sender is always the same, and the receiver just listens to the message. At other times both take turns, which leads to a reciprocal and more interactive communication process.

- It is made up of several elements

The fact that individual communication only involves two people does not mean that it is a simple phenomenon. On the contrary, it includes a large number of different processes and components, which must be studied in depth in order to understand what happens when it appears.

Thus, in addition to the most basic components such as the transmitter and the receiver, we can study in depth all the other elements that make up this type of communication.

On the one hand, the message in individual communication is usually very different from those transmitted in other contexts. When we are alone with a person it is much easier to be honest or to let ourselves be carried away by our emotions.

In this sense, the context shared by the sender and the receiver also has much more influence within individual communication processes than in other alternatives. Depending on the relationship they have, their way of behaving and the types of messages that can be conveyed will change greatly.

For example, two people who know each other deeply will be able to make references that only they understand and will use many more set phrases and body language to communicate with each other. On the contrary, two strangers will have to be much more literal to be able to convey information properly.

Types

Not all individual communication processes work the same way. There are many variables that can influence the exchange of information between two people, such as the type of relationship they have, the hierarchy of each one of them, their preferred communication style or the common context they share.

Individual communication is one of the most studied classes in this field, so we can find a multitude of theories about it. Next we will see what are the most common types of one-to-one communication that exist.

- Verbal vs. non verbal

When we think of a communication process, we usually imagine two or more people talking. However, not all information exchanges have to occur so explicitly, using spoken language. Other elements, such as proxemia or gestures, can also be considered forms of communication.

Experts in this field consider that the information transmitted verbally represents a very small percentage of all that we exchange in a face-to-face conversation. Body language, tone of voice, gestures and other similar elements account for approximately 80% of all our messages.

- Conscious vs. unconscious

In the same way that we do not always have to transmit information to ourselves in a spoken way, not in all the contexts in which communication occurs it appears consciously. In fact, on many occasions we send messages to other people without realizing it.

Experts consider that it is not possible for two people to be in the same room without communicating in some way. When we are not consciously exchanging messages, our brain continues to constantly process data, which is considered a type of subconscious communication.

- Reciprocal vs. unilateral

In some individual communication scenarios, one of the participants is in charge of transmitting information continuously, in such a way that the roles of sender and receiver always remain fixed and are not reversed. In others, on the contrary, the roles are exchanged from time to time depending on who it is who takes the role of issuer.

This is the main difference between reciprocal and one-sided individual communication. Both types can appear in completely different contexts, and they have quite different characteristics.

- Virtual vs. pres ential

The last classification to appear is the one that divides individual communication processes based on whether they occur in person or through communication technologies. With the advent of social media and instant messaging services, new ways of transmitting information one by one have appeared.

Examples

Finally we will see several examples of situations in which individual communication occurs.

- A boss talking to his employee to congratulate him on his work.

- A woman telling her partner how much she appreciates him.

- Two friends talking on the phone to tell each other the news that have appeared in their lives.

References

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3. "Group vs. Individual Communication ”in: Brain Mass. Retrieved on: March 11, 2020 from Brain Mass: brainmass.com.
4. "33 types of communication and their characteristics" in: Nagore García Sanz. Retrieved on: March 11, 2020 from Nagore García Sanz: nagoregarciasanz.com.
5. "The 35 types of communication and their characteristics" in: Marketing & Web. Retrieved on: March 11, 2020 from Marketing & Web: marketingandweb.es.