Theoretical Foundations by Elizabeth Natalle

Tentative Axioms of Communication by Paul Watzlawick, Janet Bavelas, and Don D. Jackson (The Palo Alto Group)

1. The Impossibility of Not Communicating -- One cannot not communicate.  Even nonsense, silence, withdrawal, and immobility are all forms of communication.  Any message whether intentional or not is communication
2. Content and Relationship levels of Communication -- Report and Command.  The report aspect of message conveys information while the command aspect refers to the type of message it is to be taken as, or the relationship of the communicants.  The later always classifies the former.
3. Punctuation of the Sequence of Events -- Cause and Effect.  Communication based on Stimulus -- Response -- Reinforcement.  The nature of a relationship is based on the sequences of communication between two communicators.
4. Digital and Analogic Communication -- Digital Communication refers to the words assigned to an object.  Analogic communication is nonverbal communication, comprised not only of kinesics (body movements), but also gesture, facial expression, voice inflection, the sequence, rhythm, and cadence of the words themselves, etc.  Together these forms of communication provide syntax and semantics.
5. Symmetrical and Complementary Interaction -- All communicational exchanges are either symmetrical (minimization of differences) or complementary (maximization of differences), depending on whether they are based on equality or difference. A third cateory includes metacomplementary Interactions  (A lets or forces B to be in charge of him) and pseudosymmetrical (A lets or forces B to be symmetrical) interactions.

I And Thou, Martin Buber

We must be whole people (physically, spiritually, emotionally, intellectually) as we interact with others.  This is how we actualize ourselves and become mature in interpersonal relationships.  We see ourselves as "I" and then relate ourselves to others by either "it" or "you." When individuals use the "I-It" approach they are making a claim that they are not invested in each other.   When people use the "I-You" approach, they suggest that they value each other as human beings.  We cannot fully realize ourselves as human beings without others. 


Communication Competence by John M. Weimann

Effective communication is interactive; competent people are integrated with competent relationships; functions of behavior may be more important than individual skills; and relationships should be honored with appropriate behavior. Natalle suggests that competence in interpersonal dyads needs to be contextualized -- friendship may require a different level of competence from a romance.  Individuals may be more successful in some relationships than others.

Five factors effect interpersonal communication competence.  Affiliation/support, social relaxation, empathy, behavioral flexibility and interaction management.  In short, Communicative Competence is the ability of an interactant to choose among available communicative behaviors in order that he may successfully accomplish his own interpersonal goals during an encounter while maintaining the face and line of his fellow interactants within the constraints of the situation.

The competent communicator is other-oriented, while maintaining his/her own interpersonal goals.  Being other-oriented includes being empathatic, affiliative, supportive and relaxed while interacting with others.  Competent communicators should also be capable of adapting behavior according to the encounter.  The way a communicator MANAGES an interaction helps other interactants' perception of his competence.  Communicative competence helps a person establish a social identity.


PERSONAL APPLICATION:

These reading were fascinating and made me think more about the history of communication theory and the various elements of the communication process.  Learning about and understanding the tenets of these various theories has helped me to become more aware of communication patterns and has inspired me to experiment and adjust my methods of communication in many of my own interpersonal encounters.  By being aware, we all become more empowered to change our personal circumstances, quality of relationships and social identities.   Knowlege really is power. 

Thus, every teacher of interpersonal communications should have an understanding of communication theory and be able to synthesize and express these theories to students.  A teacher that can balance a skill based education with theory will be better able to help facilitate a students ability to take charge of their own interpersonal interactions.