Interpersonal Communication: Source, Receiver, Encoding and Decoding

Interpersonal Communication Elements

• A bridge occurs when a message is sent over two or more channels simultaneously.
• Gatekeepers allow some messages to pass from sender to receiver while blocking others.
• Obstruction occurs when one or more channels are physically damaged.

Noise

• Noise refers to anything that distorts a message, preventing the receiver from receiving it.
• Physical Noise: external interference that impedes physical transmission of the signal or message.
• Physiological Noise: internal barriers within the sender or receiver, such as visual impairments or hearing loss.
• Psychological Noise: mental interference in the speaker or listener.
• Semantic Noise: interference due to different meaning systems between the speaker and listener.

Context

• Context refers to the form and content of messages.
• Physical Dimension: the tangible environment in which communication takes place.
• Interpersonal competence involves effective communication as both source and receiver.
• Competence includes knowledge about certain topics and contexts, as well as rules of nonverbal behaviors.

Source and Receiver

• Encoding: the act of producing messages, such as speaking or writing.
• Decoding: the act of understanding the message, such as listening or reading.
• Code-switching: using different language styles depending on the situation.
• Code-switching identifies one as part of a group and helps clarify meaning.

Messages

• Messages are signals that serve as stimuli for a receiver.
• Messages can be auditory, visual, tactile, olfactory, or gustatory.
• Messages can be synchronous or asynchronous.
• Metamessages are messages about other messages, including feedback and feedforward messages.

Channel

• Channel refers to the medium through which messages pass.
• Temporal Dimension: the time of day and moment in history, and how messages fit into events.
• Social-Psychological Dimension: status relationships, roles, and games.
• Cultural Dimension: cultural beliefs and customs of the people communicating.

Effects

• Cognitive Effect: changes in thinking.
• Affective Effect: changes in attitudes.
• Behavioral Effect: changes in behavior.

Ethics

• Ethics is the study of good and bad, right or wrong, and moral and immoral actions.
• Objective View: claims that the ethical nature of an act depends on universal standards.
• Subjective View: claims that the morality of an act depends on a specific culture's values and beliefs.

Principles of Interpersonal Communication

• Interpersonal communication exists on a continuum from impersonal to highly personal.
• Interpersonal communication involves social role information, personal information, and social rules.
• Social rules define interactions, such as between a server and customer, or friends and parents.