Page 337 - Essentials of Human Communication

316 Glossary

number or complexity of messages is so great that the subdivision of your speech. Use such summaries to help
individual or organization is not able to deal with them. your audience follow your speech
information power. Power derived from the possession of interpersonal communication. Communication between two
information and the ability to communicate logically and persons or among a small group of persons, as distin-
persuasively. Also called “persuasion power.” guished from public or mass communication; communi-
informative interview. A type of interviewing in which the cation of a personal nature, as distinguished from imper-
interviewer asks the interviewee, usually a person of some sonal communication; communication between or
reputation and accomplishment, questions designed to among intimates or those involved in a close relationship;
elicit his or her views, predictions, and perspectives on often, intrapersonal, dyadic, and small group communi-
specific topics. cation in general.
informative speech. A public speech in which the speaker interpersonal conflict. A conflict or disagreement between
describes, demonstrates, or defines something. Follow the two persons. Prepare for a conflict by arranging to fight in
principles of informative speaking: Stress the information’s private, knowing what you’re fighting about, and fighting
usefulness, relate new information to information the au- about problems that can be solved. After the conflict, profit
dience already knows, present information through several from it by learning what worked and what didn’t, by keep-
senses, adjust the level of complexity, vary the levels of ab- ing the conflict in perspective, and by increasing the ex-
straction, avoid information overload, and recognize cul- change of rewards. Avoid the common causes of online
tural variations. conflicts—such as sending out unsolicited commercial mes-
inoculation principle. A principle stating that persuasion will sages, spamming, and flaming.
be more difficult to achieve when the would-be persuader interpersonal perception. The perception of people; the proc-
attacks beliefs and attitudes that have already been chal- esses through which we interpret and evaluate people and
lenged previously, because the listener has built up de- their behavior.
fenses (i.e., has been “inoculated”) against such attacks. interruptions In conversation, attempts to take over the role
insulation. A reaction to territorial encroachment in which of the speaker.
you erect some sort of barrier between yourself and the intervention group. A type of group in which participants
invaders. gather to help one of their members confront and over-
intensional orientation. A tendency to give primary consid- come some problem.
eration to the way things are labeled and only secondary interviewing. A particular form of interpersonal communica-
consideration (if any) to the world of experience. Contrast tion in which two persons interact largely through questions
extensional orientation. Avoid intensional orientation by and answers for the purpose of achieving specific goals.
responding to things first and to labels second; the way a intimacy. The closest interpersonal relationship; usually in-
person is talked about is not the best measure of who that volves a close primary relationship such as the relation-
person really is. ship between spouses or partners.
interaction management. The control of interpersonal interac- intimacy claims. Obligations that a person incurs by virtue of
tion to the satisfaction of both parties; management of conver- being in a close and intimate relationship.
sational turns, fluency, and message consistency. A compo- intimate distance. The closest proxemic distance, ranging
nent of interpersonal effectiveness. Speak in relatively short from touching to 18 inches away. See also proxemics.
conversational turns, avoid long and frequent pauses, and use intrapersonal communication. Communication with the self.
verbal and nonverbal messages that are consistent. invasion. Unwarranted entrance into another’s territory that
interaction process analysis. A content analysis method that changes the meaning of the territory; territorial
classifies messages into four general categories: social encroachment.
emotional positive, social emotional negative, attempted involvement. The stage in an interpersonal relationship that
answers, and questions. normally follows contact, in which the individuals get to
intercultural communication. Communication that takes know each other better and explore the potential for
place between persons of different cultures or persons who greater intimacy.
have different cultural beliefs, values, or ways of behaving. irreversibility. The impossibility of reversing communication;
When communicating interculturally, become mindful of a principle stating that once something has been commu-
(1) the differences between yourself and culturally different nicated it cannot be uncommunicated.
individuals, (2) the differences within the other cultural
group, (3) cultural differences in meanings for both verbal
and nonverbal signals, and (4) different cultural rules and jargon. The technical language of any specialized group, of-
customs. Communicate interculturally with appropriate ten a professional class, that is unintelligible to individu-
openness, empathy, positiveness, immediacy, interaction als not belonging to the group; “shop talk.”
management, expressiveness, and other orientation. Johari window. A diagram of the four selves (i.e., open, blind,
internal summary. A statement that summarizes what you hidden, and unknown) that illustrates the different kinds
have already discussed in the speech, usually some major of information in each self.