Week 1: Course Foundations & Mindful Communication
Week 1 Summary
Week Summary
This week, we established the foundations for our exploration of interpersonal communication. We defined interpersonal communication as communication that occurs within relationships, distinguished it from other forms of communication, and explored the transactional model that shows how communication is a collaborative process of co-creating meaning.
Key Takeaways
- 1Interpersonal communication is defined by its relational context, not just the number of people involved
- 2Communication is transactional - all parties simultaneously send and receive messages
- 3Mindful communication requires presence, awareness, and intentional choice
- 4Communication competence involves knowledge, skill, and motivation - and is context-dependent
- 5Noise can be physical, psychological, semantic, or physiological
Coming Up Next Week
Next week, we'll explore perception and how our unique perspectives shape the way we interpret messages. We'll examine how we form impressions of others and how those impressions can support or hinder effective communication.