You engage in interpersonal communication everyday, for example with strangers at the grocery store, with friends and family at home, or with peers at work. This second unit will define interpersonal communication and will provide an application of the basic elements addressed in Unit 1. You will investigate interpersonal communication in its formal and informal settings. This unit will also include a discussion of conflict management. Conflicts arise in all relationships – with family and friends as well as with colleagues in the work or service environment. Understanding and applying human communication principles to these situations can often help to diffuse conflicts and even prevent conflict. In the units to follow, you will explore additional applications of interpersonal communication.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 16 hours.
Read Chapter 9 for an in-depth discussion of interpersonal communication and its functions. After you read, complete the discussion questions and write definitions for the key terms listed at the end of the chapter.
Read this chapter. You have seen some of these concepts already, but this chapter reinforces the elements of interpersonal communications and relationship-building.
Read this chapter, which discusses the importance of listening in human communication transactions. Attempt the exercises at the end of each section and the chapter exercises in section 4.6.
Work your way through the seven challenges in this workbook. Each challenge includes activities for practicing the interpersonal skills we discussed in this unit.
In this video, interpersonal communication skills and conflict management skills are addressed in the context of a police officer's daily interactions.
Take this assessment to see how well you understood this unit.