ENG/220 Draft of Comparison-Contrast Essay
ant311517Running head: INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION 1
Interpersonal Communication
Prof. Katherine Kleier
Introduction
The topic question is the effectiveness of the interpersonal communication so as to help in human understanding one another. Without communication of whatsoever kind, it would be difficult to express ourselves and to be understood by others since communication is the core basis of a healthy relationship.
Communication entails people from a different background so as to speak to others in a manner that is clear (Campbell 2017). One is the parents so that they can be able to address the children in a well-sorted manner. Another is spouses so as to have an effective way of expressing feelings, desires, and sharing of the ideas with one another. Relationships strengthen through the exchange of feelings, ideas, and expressing one’s desires which are enabled by effective communication. Another is public so as to understand ways of understanding ideas and the blocks that can arise to an efficient transition to the communication.
The article is looking for the means to examine various interpersonal skill that is vital during the communication process. Since communication is essential barriers that block its effectiveness in the expression of one's feeling will also be mentioned. An idea cannot be implemented if there are no proper means of communication. Also, the equation like does being a good speaker increases one’s self-confidence. The influence that the culture in the process of one’s communication skills.
The following are the topic sentences that will address in the research together with all the possible angles the needs to be exhausted.
(i) Principles of a constructive interpersonal communication
(ii) Barriers to effective interpersonal communication
(iii) The role of communication in maintaining and enhancing one’s self-esteem, self-image, and self-concept.
(iv) The impact of gender and culture on the overall interpersonal communication of an individual.
Principles of a constructive interpersonal communication
To develop an effective mode of communication with another person the following principles must be observed:
A). Treating each other with respect
Respect has to prevail in communication for effective communication to be attained. By showing respect, an enjoyable communication is enhanced since all the parties will get eager to listen to each other’s sentiments (Knapp et al., 2014).
B). Avoiding interrupting each other.
Interruption interferes with one’s listening and hinders an effective communication. We should learn to listen to talking, and we should apply turn taking in communication to avoid unnecessary interruption.
C). Another principle is knowing that we have the right to pass.
This principle shows that as individuals, we have the right to choose what we want to do. We must understand that trying to change others or being modified by others in the conservation is not loving and can feel uncomfortable (Knapp et al., 2014).
D). Volunteering for others is unaccepted. We all have the right to choose what we want to do and how we want to do it meaning no one should violate the other’s right to choose.
E). People speak for themselves. This principle helps us to understand that we cannot speak for others because they can talk for themselves and this avoids unnecessary resentments.
Barriers to effective interpersonal communication
Effective interpersonal communication may fail due to various reasons are known as barriers. They include physical barriers such as hearing problems and speech difficulties. In a situation whereby one is deaf, and the other is not, communication proves difficult. Deaf people use signs as a form of communication and individuals who are not deaf use words. If either of them does not understand each other’s form of communication, nothing relevant will be communicated. In cases where there are speech difficulties, for example, one who is stammering in their statement, communication will not be effective since the one stammering will be hard to understand (Beebe et al., 2009).
Language difference is another barrier. There are various languages in the world, and people are limited to knowing a few. For instance, when two people, one speaking French and the other English, the two cannot make an effective communication. It is because the two do not understand each other’s language. For communication to be effective the language being used has to be understood by the two.
The lack of interest or irrelevance to the receiver. According to Beebe et al., (2009), one cannot listen to something he/she is not interested in because the lack of interest leads to boredom and eventually the speaker will end up talking to himself. Lack of interest mainly results from talking about irrelevant things. For an interpersonal communication to be effective, the topic should be relevant to the listener.
The use of jargon or unfamiliar technical words is a hindrance to effective communication. Some people likes to use over-complicated words that are hard for the listener to comprehend. Such habits pose as a barrier because the audience will end up not understanding what he/she is being told since he/she is most likely to get lost in the larger terms being used by the speaker.
Another barrier is emotional obstacles and taboos. In some communities, some topics are usually off-limits. Talking to such a person is hard since the person is most likely to switch off or avoid listening and talking to simply because the topic is forbidden. Emotions also affect effective communications in that they make it difficult for one to express themselves (Beebe et al., 2009). From the principles and barriers of communication, we can conclude that a couple can communicate more efficiently when they follow the principles as guidelines and look for solutions for the barriers of communication.
The role of communication in maintaining and enhancing one’s self-esteem, self-image, and self-concept.
To improve one’s self-image takes practice and time. To develop one’s self-esteem a positive, realistic attitude toward oneself and the world around needs to be developed. Self-esteem needs self-respect hence one will have to appreciate worth and behave responsibly towards others (Roland et al., 2003). Self-esteem can be built on changing one’s way of thinking before changing the circumstances. Positive thinking offers an individual a positive self-concept since it enables one to make a view of themselves as honest hence making them accept themselves. By taking oneself, a person can remove the internal barriers that can prevent the individual from doing their best. On the other hand, building one self’s solid personal foundation is essential in meeting the current challenges a person faces. A solid foundation consists of self-love, self-confidence, and self-knowledge.
What matters in this review is that communication can be used to develop and maintain one’s self-knowledge, self-love, and self-respect and self-confidence through understanding themselves and changing the way of thinking. This matters for the couple because it helps them understand that their way of thinking can change the way they feel about hence changing the manner in which they express themselves to each other. It will also create more understanding between them.
The impact of culture and gender on the overall Interpersonal Communications of an individual.
Regarding Cameroon (2007), women are more talkative, and they tend to use words to make connections. Women express their feelings and emotions and hence in the process they connect to those whom they are talking. On the other hand, men talk less and use words to achieve their desires. Men are not so keen in expressing how they feel hence the few words which they only speak when in need something from the ones they are talking to (Cameron, 2007). Culture define the choice of words to use and how one talks to others. Some cultures use some words like sir or madam when addressing people of importance and others do not. Culture also ponders into how people look at the opposite gender in conjunction with and how they communicate with other individuals.
When one grabs an understanding of the different style of communication that occurs between the culture genders in interpersonal communications, he or she gets to know reasons behind people’s choice of words and why they use these words. The couple can use this impact of culture and gender on interpersonal communications to help them understand each other’s choice of words hence increasing the understanding between themselves.
Conclusion
The content reviewed above supports the thesis that effective communication is a necessity to understanding each other as humans. The principles of effective communications show how we should communicate and enhance understanding through respecting each other, avoiding interruptions, avoiding volunteering each other and also understanding that people can speak for themselves. The barriers of effective communication also show us how we can avoid some issues and improve others to increase the understanding of each other through effective interpersonal communications. When these principles are followed, effective communication is achieved hence enhancing an understanding among us.
Communication also helps us understand ourselves more through maintain an individual’s self-respect, self-esteem, and self-image. The impact of culture and gender interpersonal communications further proves the point that through, our gender, how we talk and our choice of words, helps us to understand more about ourselves based on the cultures we are from concerning the selection of words we use and how we talk. It can be concluded that, for understanding to exist among us, there has to be an effective interpersonal communication. It also can be completed that an effective interpersonal communication is one where there is an understanding between two or more communicating parties. The work supports the research question and highlights the methods that ought to be used to strengthen.
References
Beebe, S. A., Beebe, S. J., & Redmond, M. V. (2009). Interpersonal communication. Pearson Custom Publishers.
Cameroon, D. (2007, October). Do men and women speak the same language? Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/oct/01/gender.book
Campbell, D. A. (2017). An audience inventory: a guide to more effective communication among banana farmers in St. Vincent (Doctoral dissertation).
Knapp, M. L., Vangelisti, A. L., & Caughlin, J. P. (2014). Interpersonal Communication & Human Relationships. Pearson Higher Ed.
Roland, C. E., & Foxx, R. M. (2003). Self-respect: A neglected concept. Philosophical Psychology, 16(2), 247-288.