1.1: Introduction to Interpersonal Communication

Being an Effective Communicator

As you open this book to read Chapter 1, stop and think about how many times you have communicated today. Did you take some time to scroll through your social media feeds? Did you chat with a friend, maybe send them a text? Did you order a coffee or some lunch at a local spot? Did you answer a question for a customer or client at work? Did you send your instructor an email? Maybe you are listening to music right now? All of these were communicative experiences, and we have thousands of them each day. Communication is fundamental to our lives but much of the time it remains unconscious and unexamined. We communicate because we must. But just because we communicate doesn’t mean we do it effectively. Being an effective communicator requires not only practice, but knowledge.

This text is designed to help you gain this knowledge and become more effective communicators, specifically in interpersonal encounters. In this first chapter we will define interpersonal communication, examine why communication is fundamental to our existence, lay out the various models of communication, explore fundamental communication principles, and finally talk about what constitutes ethical communication.