Interpersonal Communication

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Interpersonal Communication
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What is a goal?

• Something you want to achieve
• Human behavior is the goal

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Goal of Interpersonal Communication

• A personal goal that is linked to another
  persons thoughts, feelings, or actions

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Basic Assumptions

• People try to achieve goals in concert with other
  people
• Help someone move initiate friendship, want and
  perception
• We use communication to achieve goals
• Way we communicatewhether or not we get goal

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Self-Presentational Goals

• Communicate image of who we are and how we want
  to be perceived (control image of who we are)
• Modified daily
• Want to look intelligent, capable, expert,
  effective

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Two Self-Presentational Styles

• Competence
• try to show others they know what is best
• better trained, more capable
• talk more about self and own achievements
• traditionally seen as a more masculine trait

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Two Self-Presentational Styles

• Friendliness
• do not want to show others up try to get along
• smile and nod more often, frequently express
  agreement with others
• try to find ways they are similar to others
• traditionally seen as a more feminine
  characteristic

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Other Self-Presentational Styles

• Weak/Indecisive
• to get others do help them i.e. homework, car
  repairs, errands, etc.
• exploits a dependence on others
• Assertive
• strong vs. aggressive
• overbearing

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Relational Goals

• How we develop relationships, maintain them, or
  neglect them
• bring joy sorrow (love daughter/son, friend,
  significant other)
• Every relationship eventually ends
  natural/premature

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Research shows

• relationships are the products of our
  interpersonal communication and the way we
  communicate depends, in turn, on the nature and
  quality of our relationships.

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Research shows

• you and your partner discuss future time together
  holidays, vacations, school/jobs
• increases level of commitment, assured
  continuance of relationship
• increased level of commitment allows you to dream
  and discuss future plans

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Three Types of Relational Goals

• Escalating
• more interdependent, intimate
• Maintaining
• sustain current level
• De-escalating
• drift away

We use communication to accomplish all three.
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Instrumental Goals

• Try to get others to do us a favor or give us
  something
• Goals for self-advancement

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Everyday Events Like

• ride to school
• days off at your job
• help with homework
• money from parents
• We sometimes pursue one type of goal at the
  expense of others