INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION: CHARACTERISTICS, BARRIERS, TYPES, EXAMPLES - PSYCHOLOGY - 2024

The interpersonal communication is a process by which two or more people share information, meanings, emotions or ideas between them. This exchange can be done both verbally and non-verbally, and in general it is considered that it has to be carried out in person.

The interpersonal communication process includes all kinds of processes and elements, and is not limited only to what is said, but also has to do with how it is said, the context, and other elements that are not so easy to detect with the naked eye.. In fact, most interpersonal communication is considered non-verbal.

Interpersonal communication occurs between two or more people

Contrary to what might seem at first, interpersonal communication is a process that occurs constantly, even if there is no conscious information exchange on the part of those involved. Experts consider that as soon as we are in the presence of another individual, we begin to communicate indirectly with him.

Among the elements included in the interpersonal communication process are posture, facial expression, movements, tone of voice and proxemia (the distance between the interlocutors). Thanks to all these factors we can draw conclusions about the personality, emotional state or intentions of the other person.

Characteristics of interpersonal communication

- Occurs at all times

One of the most important concepts to understand about interpersonal communication is that whenever there is more than one individual present, this process is taking place. This is so even if none of the interlocutors is aware of what is happening.

Human beings are extremely social animals. Our brain is programmed to interpret all the information that comes to us from our environment related to other people, in such a way that we can predict their behavior and understand the best way to act in each situation.

- Has a strong non-verbal component

Within social psychology, traditionally it was considered that between 80 and 90% of the information that is exchanged in interpersonal communication is done non-verbally, through gestures, expressions, postures and tones of voice.

Although these numbers are in doubt today, the most widely accepted theory remains that most communication is not about speech.

Modern neuroimaging studies have allowed us to discover that a large part of our brain is specialized in the detection and interpretation of data from non-verbal language, proxemics, the tone of the voice or its inflections.

- Includes all elements of traditional communication

In the study of communication, this phenomenon is normally considered to include a series of fundamental elements, without which it cannot directly occur. These elements are the following:

- Message. This is the information that is transmitted, whether voluntarily or involuntarily.

- Issuer. It is the person who transmits the message.

- Receiver. Who receives the information transmitted by the issuer.

- Channel. The channel is the medium by which the message is transmitted. In interpersonal communication, normally the channel is speech, in addition to the visual and auditory elements detected by the receiver.

- Code. It is about the language in which the message is expressed. In the case of interpersonal communication, it can involve elements such as spoken languages, but also signs and other similar elements.

- Context. Communication always occurs in a certain context, and this influences all the other elements of it. In the case of interpersonal communication, the most important context is the type of relationship between the interlocutors.

- Produces effects on all participants

One of the most important characteristics of interpersonal communication is that it always has an effect on both the sender and the receiver. People are prepared to respond to other individuals whenever they are present, and this type of communication affects our emotions, thoughts and way of acting.

On the other hand, the effect of interpersonal communication is reciprocal, in such a way that the sender has influence on the receiver and vice versa. Thus, this phenomenon is one of the pillars of human relationships, and one of those that most affect us on an emotional, cognitive and personal level.

Barriers

Among the elements of communication, one of the most important is the presence of distortions or barriers in the process. These phenomena hinder the transmission of information between the parties involved, and may even prevent the process from being carried out in some cases.

Interpersonal communication is one of the most complex types out there, so there are many different barriers that can affect the process. Most of them are related to the channel, the code or the message itself. Here we will see some of the most common.

- Barriers in the canal

Channel barriers usually have to do with physical impediments that prevent the message from being transmitted correctly. In interpersonal communication, for example, the presence of a lot of ambient noise can make it much more difficult to hear what the interlocutor is saying, in such a way that part of the information is lost.

In the case of online interpersonal communication, there can be many other types of channel barriers. Among the most common we find network failures in the case of interlocutors communicating over the Internet, or the crash of the application through which the information is being transmitted.

- Barriers in the code

Barriers in the code are among those that most affect the transmission of information. The most common is the use of different languages ​​by the interlocutors, since not sharing a language is much more complicated for two people to communicate correctly.

However, this problem is not the only one that can act as a barrier in your code. For example, some people may have serious difficulties reading the body or emotional language of other individuals, so they do not share the code with their interlocutors and lose much of the information they receive.

- Barriers in the message

Finally, the barriers in the message are those that directly affect the information that is being transmitted. In the case of interpersonal communication, they generally have to do with spoken expression, but as in the previous case, they can also be related to other elements of it, such as body language.

Types of interpersonal communication

Within interpersonal communication there are mainly three types: verbal, non-verbal and virtual. Next we will study what each one of them consists of.

- Verbal communication

Verbal communication consists of the transmission of information through the use of spoken or sometimes written language. Through it, all kinds of messages can be sent, although its main function is to transmit pure data between several people.

It is calculated that in a normal communication context, the verbal part only forms approximately 7% of all the information that is transmitted between the receiver and the sender. However, even so, it is a fundamental element to be able to generate understandable messages that allow us to function in society.

- Non-verbal communication

The other side of the coin is non-verbal communication. This includes a large number of different elements, such as the tone of the voice, facial gestures, body language, proxemics or physical contact. Many experts believe that the vast majority of communication occurs at this level, often subconsciously.

Non-verbal communication is mainly used to convey information about the state and emotions of the interlocutor. The receiver can interpret and predict their behavior using this type of communication, making it very useful in almost any context.

- Virtual communication

The last type of interpersonal communication that exists is virtual, that is, one that does not occur face to face but through the use of some type of information technology. Although some experts consider that it cannot be classified as part of this phenomenon, the truth is that it is increasingly common to use this method of information exchange as the main tool.

Importance

Human beings are extremely social animals. Due to this, interpersonal communication is one of the most important tools in our daily lives, especially highlighting the ability to speak.

Through interpersonal communication we are able to influence our environment, predict the behavior of other people and understand what is happening around us. For this reason, a large part of our time is dedicated to using this tool and perfecting our handling of it.

Examples

As we have already seen, interpersonal communication occurs in many different ways and on many different levels. Thus, a conversation within a group can be a good example of this phenomenon, but also a simple glance, a text message, or even a hug or a caress between people with a close relationship.

References

1. "What is interpersonal communication?" in: Skills You Need. Retrieved on: March 08, 2020 from Skills You Need: skillsyouneed.com.
2. "Interpersonal communication" in: Businesstopia. Retrieved on: March 08, 2020 from Businesstopia: businesstopia.net.
3. "Interpersonal Communication: Definition, Importance and Must-Have Skills" in: Smarp. Retrieved on: March 08, 2020 from Smarp: blog.smarp.com.
4. "Interpersonal communication" in: Communication Theory. Retrieved on: March 08, 2020 from Communication Theory: communicationtheory.org.
5. "Interpersonal communication" in: Wikipedia. Retrieved on: March 08, 2020 from Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org.