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Interpersonal Communication Essay Example
Communication is a part of all our daily lives, from having a conversation with friends, ordering food from a restaurant, or even praying. However, not all communication is verbal, it can be written, such as a text or email, or it can be the way we express ourselves with our body language.
How we communicate can be affected by multiple factors such as whom we are speaking to, the location we are in, and how we communicate, such as by written or face-to-face communication.
Face-to-face communication is the best method to avoid confusion and misunderstandings. This is because, without face-to-face communication, you are losing the nonverbal cues in a conversation, such as body language, posture, eye contact, and the use of different facials. Types of communication such as emails, texts, and phone calls are very beneficial for those who do not live nearby but still want to be able to have conversations.
Although communication has been around for centuries, some questions about ethical communicators still come to play. Children have always learned from a young age lying is a thing you should never do. However, what do you do if someone asks if you like their shirt when you do not? Do you lie and say you like it to spare their feelings, or do the ethical thing and tell the truth?
Communication and ethics can sometimes clash with each other and leave many people confused about what to do. Scholars Spitzberg and Cupach came up with the different terms, “bright side response,” “easy dark side response,” “hard dark side response,” and “evil dark side response.” Each of the different terms represents the appropriate, ethical responses or the inappropriate, unethical responses.
The “bright side response” is ethical and appropriate, while the “evil dark side” response is neither. The “easy dark side” response is unethical but appropriate such as lying to spare a friend’s feelings. The last one, the “hard dark side” response, is ethical but could hurt the friend’s feelings.
Communication does not always have to include other people but can be intrapersonal. Intrapersonal communication is the thoughts that pop up in your mind daily or talking to yourself. Although intrapersonal communication only involves you, it can affect how we present ourselves and our ability to communicate with peers.
This is because individuals who think more positively tend to have a positive outlook on life, and individuals who think more negatively generally have a negative outlook on life. This can influence whom you spend the most time with and whom you choose as friends. Self-perceptions are not enduring and can be changed with lifestyle improvements such as self-monitoring, engaging in uplifting conversations, therapy, and looking at the positive in challenging situations.
As humans, we tend to distort reality and turn it into more of an illusion. This could be caused by selective perception, negative filtering, or forced consistency. Participating in these constructs causes different prejudices, such as racism, sexism, heterosexism, and ableism. These prejudices are damaging and can lead to bullying, lack of job opportunities, and an overall feeling of degradation.
Overcoming prejudices can be difficult, especially if you grew up with them ingrained in your mind. However, it is possible. To overcome a distorted perception of others, you must start by questioning how accurate the perceptions are while getting more information.
After getting more information, try getting to know and understand those you have distorted perceptions with. This will not only benefit them but your life as well. Every person in the world has a cultural identity. Our culture is based on several factors, such as values, language, and customs. Since each culture has different traditions, visiting other countries will usually have the people visiting experience culture shock.
Cultural shock occurs when different social interactions occur, and our normal routine gets messed up. Communication varies widely when it comes to culture. For example, a thumbs up sign in America meets good or good job; however, in Vietnam, putting a thumbs up sign is equivalent to giving someone the middle finger in America.
It is very important to learn about communication in different cultures to avoid misunderstandings or communication barriers. When understanding a culture and its communication, it is best to find all the information before entering the new culture.
Figuring out what similarities and differences you share, avoiding stereotypes, and being open-minded will be helpful when adapting to other cultures. Complying with a different culture’s communication skills will take some time but watching their society work, express their values, and participate in rituals, will increase cultural competence.
It is not only necessary but important to respect their culture and appreciate the differences that come along with it. With over seven billion people on earth, diversity is all around, and learning about other cultures will promote global awareness and eliminate negative stereotypes.
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