Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Transactional Process Communication Model In Ch. 1 we’ll cover: Why Communicate? Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Transactional Process Communication Model Principles of Communication Misconceptions Definition of Interpersonal-4 qualities Technology & Interpersonal Communication Communication Competence

Ch. 1 Interpersonal Process We communicate to fulfill 4 needs: Physical: Personal communication is essential for well-being (p.4) Identity : Part of self-concept comes from interaction w/ others, esp. in early childhood. (p. 5) Social: Communication =the principal way relationships are created. (p. 6) Practical: everyday needed functions (at work, school, & in other relationships) (p. 7)

Why We Communicate Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: (pp. 7-8) We fulfill the most basic needs first 1) physical 2) safety 3) social 4) self-esteem 5) self-actualization

A Transactional Communication Model (pp.8-11) Communicators-send, receive, & assign meaning Message- the information itself (verbal & nonverbal) Channels- mediums used to exchange messages. Face-to-face or mediated (e-mail, phone, letter, etc.) makes a diff. (All channels have pros and cons) Two-way communication has feedback allowed. Environment(s)- <context> each person’s field of experience, helping to make sense of the message. (It’s the physical location, personal experiences & cultural background you bring.) Noise- anything interfering with transmitting and receiving a message.

3 Types of Noise (p.10) External (physical, environmental distractions disrupting accurate reception-poor lighting, bad sound system, room temperature, etc.) Physiological (biological factors in receivers disrupting accurate reception-hunger, illness, etc.) Psychological (within receivers, any cognitive factor making communication less effective- emotions, etc.)

Communication Principles (pp.11-13) Communication Is Transactional = the dynamic process we create when interacting with each other. (Mutual influence is transactional dimension , occurring when we interact and different with each communication partner.) It has Content & Relational Dimensions : Content= what is discussed (verbal); Relational= how discussed (nonverbal cues expressing your feelings about the other person). It is intentional OR unintentional. “Nothing” never happens. Whatever you do or say, you provide thoughts and feelings! It is irreversible. No one can erase an impression already given. It is unrepeatable. We constantly change, & a message changes somewhat each time it’s given.

Misconceptions pp. 13-15) Not all communication seeks understanding as a primary goal. (social rituals, some persuasion, deliberate ambiguity & deception). More is not always better. (Too much can cause problems, and workers perform better when less talk.) Communication will not solve all problems. (It can make a problem worse if not wanted or you’re not able to clarify.) Effective communication is not a natural ability. (We learn to be more effective communicators.)

Interpersonal Communication Defined Quantitative occurs in an impersonal, 2-person exchange (dyad) when they don’t treat each other as unique individuals. (store clerk & customer- most exchanges) Qualitative- people treat each other as unique individuals, regardless of the context or number or people; quality communication. (significant relationships) Uniqueness: You act differently with different people. Irreplaceability: Since each relationship is unique, none can be exactly like another one. Interdependence: The other person’s life affects you. Disclosure: You share thoughts & feelings, but differently in each relationship. Intrinsic Rewards: A built-in payoff for developing the relationship.

Process: Impersonal vs. Personal Try to balance impersonal and personal exchanges in your life. (not all 1 type) Most relationships fall somewhere between these two extremes. Over time, relationships will change and have more impersonal exchanges than in the beginning, or vice versa, but that is normal. Interpersonal = desirable but not ALL the time

***Technology & Interpersonal Communication Today we have CMC (computer-mediated communication) instead of just face-to face proximity or letters and telephone. It refers to any of the new technologies used today. List some CMC now… 1 2 3 4 5

CMC is here, so if we want to communicate, we’ll adjust. ***Technology cont. CMC (without nonverbal cues) may seem less rich and less satisfying than face-to-face comm. (Nie & Erbring, 2000) Some research shows some users feel they keep in touch more often online, & led to better contact w/ family & friends. (Horrigan et al, 2001) Internet users have more social contacts than nonusers. (Katz et al, 2001) Finding time to contact people is harder today, & the Internet offers quick contact. CMC can expand the quality of interpersonal communication. Relationships can grow because it isn’t face-to-face. CMC is here, so if we want to communicate, we’ll adjust.

***Challenges of CMC Leaner messages: CMC lacks the richness of face-to-face nonverbal cues which add clarity and hints about feelings. As senders, we need to use unambiguous language. As receivers, we need to question and clarify our interpretations of messages rather than assuming we “get it”. Be wary of being too personal in messages by monitoring expressiveness

***Challenges of CMC, cont. Disinhibition: the tendency to transmit messages w/o considering the consequences - Being Too personal! Giving out information much too personal to share that you wouldn’t want a future boss to see or read. Can be information or pictures/videos. - Permanence! Once online, it’s public and can/will be shared . You can’t get it back or stop it from spreading. - Flaming! Extreme, direct, often critical, vicious or obscene messages, expressing more than anyone wants to read, intending to hurt the target. Some persons have committed suicide over flaming sent to them or about them. NEVER use CMC like this! 

Communication Competence (pp.20-21) Defined: Communication competence is both effective and appropriate = It gets what you want enhancing, not hurting, the relationship. It’s a matter of balance for both parties. Remember: No single “ideal”/”effective” way to communicate. Flexibility matters b/c what works w/ one person may not work w/ another. Culture influences greatly what is both effective & appropriate. Competence is situational. We’re more comfortable & effective in some situations than in others. Competence can be learned! Though biology can influence us, communication competence is a set of skills anyone can learn. Education helps, as well as observation and trial and error both positive & negative.

7 Characteristics of Competent Communicators A large repertoire of skills (behaviors) to choose& use for each communication situation Adaptability: Can choose the right response for the situation Skillful performance of the appropriate behavior: (Practice makes this easier.) Involvement: You care about the other person, the relationship & the message, & you desire the relationship to be useful. Empathy: Perspective Taking, meaning seeing it from the other person’s point of view. Cognitive Complexity: The ability to construct a variety of frameworks for seeing the situation/relationship. Self-Monitoring: Paying close attention to your own behavior & using observations to shape the way you behave. (pp. 22-25)