INSTRUCTOR’S RESOURCE MANUAL Prepared by:
Piper Editorial
The Interpersonal Communication Book Sixteenth Edition
Joseph A. DeVito Hunter College of the City University of New York
DeVito, The Interpersonal Communication Book 16e, Instructor’s Manual
CHAPTER ONE: FOUNDATIONS OF INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
CHAPTER OBJECTIVES Once you have read this chapter, you should be able to: 1.1 Identify the personal and professional benefits of studying interpersonal communication. 1.2 Define interpersonal communication and its essential elements including source–receiver, messages, channels, noise, context, effects, and ethics. 1.3 Paraphrase the principles of interpersonal communication.
CHAPTER SUMMARY This chapter introduces the study of interpersonal communication and explains why interpersonal communication is so important, examines the essential elements of this unique form of communication, and describes its major principles.
CHAPTER OUTLINE I. The Benefits of Studying Interpersonal Communication A. Personal Benefits 1. Close friendships and romantic relationships are developed, maintained, and sometimes destroyed largely through your interpersonal interactions. 2. Your success in interacting with others depends on your ability to engage in satisfying conversation. 3. Positive interpersonal communication can increase your feelings of wellness and satisfaction and make your life happier and healthier. B. Professional Benefits 1. Interpersonal skills offer a key advantage for just about any profession. 2. Interpersonal skills have a role in preventing workplace violence, improving doctor– patient relationships, and preventing medical mishaps. 3. Interpersonal communication enhances workplace performance, improves culture, and helps to resolve conflict. 4. Interpersonal communication is one of the most valued skills by prospective employers. . 1
DeVito, The Interpersonal Communication Book 16e, Instructor’s Manual
C. Personal and Professional Choices 1. Understanding the theory and research will help you to master the skills. 2. Use your knowledge to make choices as you encounter interpersonal situations day to day in a variety of settings. Integrated Exercise: Rating Communication Situations Interpersonal Choice Point: Communicating an Image
II. The Elements of Interpersonal Communication A. Interpersonal communication is the verbal and nonverbal interaction between two (or sometimes more than two) interdependent people. Integrated Exercise: Interpersonal Communication Myths Viewpoints: Interpersonal Metaphors B. Source–Receiver—each individual performs both functions (formulates messages and sends them) in interpersonal communication. (Consider how the source–receiver relationship is altered when a remote audience is also involved, as that may require changes to your communication.) 1. Interpersonal competence—your ability to communicate effectively (as source and receiver) Viewpoints: On-Screen Competence 2. Encoding—the act of producing messages 3. Decoding—the act of understanding messages 4. Code-switching—using different language styles depending on the situation C. Messages—signals that serve as stimuli for a receiver and are received by one of our senses 1. Synchronous communication—messages sent and received in real time, such as face-to-face communication 2. Asynchronous communication—messages sent at one time and received at another, and perhaps responded to at still another time, such as responding to messages left on Facebook 3. Metamessages—messages about other messages 4. Feedback messages—messages sent back to the speaker concerning reactions to what is communicated; it is important to discern feedback and adjust to it Viewpoints: Feedback and Relationships 5. Feedforward messages—information you provide before sending your primary messages; it reveals something about the message to come D. Channel—the medium through which messages pass . 2
DeVito, The Interpersonal Communication Book 16e, Instructor’s Manual
1. The channel imposes restrictions on message construction. 2. Face-to-face and online communication are both important to understand: a. It’s how we communicate today. b. Online and offline communication are related. c. Employers expect employees to have both offline and online communication skill sets. d. Both forms of communication are vital to current-day communication. Interpersonal Choice Point: Channels E. Noise—anything that distorts a message and prevents the receiver from receiving the message as the sender sent it. 1. There are four kinds of noise: a. Physical noise—interference that impedes the physical transmission of the signal or message b. Physiological noise—barriers within the speaker or listener c. Psychological noise—mental interference in the speaker or listener d. Semantic noise—interference that occurs when the speaker and listener have different meaning systems 2. Signal-to-noise ratio—information we find useful is called signal; what we find useless is called noise Viewpoints: Signal and Noise Online F. Context—the environment that influences the form and content of messages 1. Physical dimension—tangible or concrete environment in which communication takes place 2. Temporal dimension—where a message fits into the time of day, moment in history, or sequence of communication events 3. Social–psychological dimension—includes norms of a society or group as well as status relationships among the participants 4. Cultural dimension—cultural beliefs and customs of people communicating G. Effects—interpersonal communication always has some effect or consequence 1. Cognitive effects—changes in your thinking 2. Affective effects—changes in your attitudes, values, beliefs, and emotions 3. Behavioral effects—changes in behaviors H. Ethics—the study of good and bad, of right and wrong, of moral and immoral Integrated Exercise: Ethical Behavior
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DeVito, The Interpersonal Communication Book 16e, Instructor’s Manual
1. An objective view of ethics argues that standards apply to all people in all situations at all times. 2. A subjective view of ethics argues that the morality of an act depends on specific culture’s values and beliefs as well as on the circumstances. Ethics in Interpersonal Communication: Ethical Standards in Communication Ethical Choice Point: Ethical Standards in Communication III. The Principles of Interpersonal Communication A. Interpersonal Communication Varies in Mindfulness 1. Mindfulness is a state of mental awareness. 2. Mindlessness is a lack of conscious awareness of your thinking or communicating. 3. To be effective communicating, you need to be mindful of your unique communication situation. 4. To increase mindfulness, consider the following: a. Create and re-create categories. b. Be open to new information and points of view. c. Beware of relying too heavily on first impressions. d. Be aware of possible misinterpretation in the message. e. Identify and evaluate your communication choices. B. Interpersonal Communication Exists on a Continuum 1. Social role information versus personal information 2. Societal versus personal rules 3. Social versus personal messages C. Interpersonal Communication Is Transactional 1. Transactional perspective—views interpersonal communication as a process with elements that are interdependent and participants who are mutually influential 2. Interpersonal communication is a process that is ever-changing and circular. 3. Elements are interdependent. 4. Mutual influence—each individual influences the other, to some extent D. Interpersonal Communication Is Purposeful 1. To learn—better understand the world and yourself 2. To relate—communicate friendship and love 3. To influence—alter attitudes and behaviors 4. To play—provide balance, give your mind a break 5. To help—offer guidance through interpersonal interaction . 4