Interpersonal Communication Fundamentals

Interpersonal Communication Model

• Interpersonal communication is a process where messages are generated and transmitted by one person and received and translated by another.
• The model consists of five essential elements: sender, message, receiver, feedback, and barriers.

Sender

• The sender transmits a message to another person.
• The sender formulates or encodes messages before transmitting them, but sometimes messages are transmitted spontaneously without thinking.

Message

• The message is the element transmitted from one person to another.
• Messages can be thoughts, ideas, emotions, information, or other factors.
• Messages can be transmitted both verbally (by talking) and nonverbally (by using facial expressions, hand gestures, and so on).
• Research shows that 55% or more of a message is transmitted through its nonverbal component in some situations.

Receiver

• The receiver receives the message from the sender.
• The receiver "decodes" the message and assigns a particular meaning to it.
• In receiving and translating the message, the receiver considers both the verbal and nonverbal components of the message.

Feedback

• Feedback is the process whereby receivers communicate back to senders their understanding of the senders' message.
• Feedback allows communication to be a two-way interaction rather than a one-way monologue.
• Receivers respond to messages with their own verbal and nonverbal messages, feeding back information to the sender about how the message was translated.

Barriers

• Barriers are interferences that affect the accuracy of the communication exchange.
• Barriers can be detrimental to interpersonal communication.

Personal Responsibilities

• As a sender, you are responsible for ensuring that the message is transmitted in the clearest form, in terminology understood by the other person, and in an environment conducive to clear transmission.
• As a sender, you need to ask for feedback from the receiver and clarify any misunderstandings to ensure the message was received as intended.

Test your understanding of the principles and elements of interpersonal communication, including the sender, message, receiver, and feedback. Learn how effective communication can improve your personal and professional relationships.