Interpersonal communication

About: Interpersonal communication is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 26243 publications have been published within this topic receiving 767999 citations.

2002—a research odyssey: Toward the development of a communication theory of identity

Abstract: (1993). 2002—a research odyssey: Toward the development of a communication theory of identity. Communication Monographs: Vol. 60, Into the New Century, pp. 76-82.

The VideoWindow system in informal communication

Abstract: Imagine sitting in your work place lounge having coffee with some colleagues. Now imagine that you and your colleagues are still in the same room, but are separated by a large sheet of glass that does not interfere with your ability to carry on a clear, two-way conversation. Finally, imagine that you have split the room into two parts and moved one part 50 miles down the road, without impairing the quality of your interaction with your friends. That scenario illustrates the goal of the VideoWindow system project: to extend a shared space over considerable distance without impairing the quality of the interactions among users or requiring any special actions to establish a conversation. While the VideoWindow system -a very large screen, full duplex teleconferencing technology that we will describe later in this paper -cannot yet achieve this goal, we believe it can come closer to it than any other system yet invented.

Writing about the benefits of an interpersonal transgression facilitates forgiveness.

Abstract: The authors examined the effects of writing about the benefits of an interpersonal transgression on forgiveness. Participants (N 304) were randomly assigned to one of three 20-min writing tasks in which they wrote about either (a) traumatic features of the most recent interpersonal transgression they had suffered, (b) personal benefits resulting from the transgression, or (c) a control topic that was unrelated to the transgression. Participants in the benefit-finding condition became more forgiving toward their transgressors than did those in the other 2 conditions, who did not differ from each other. In part, the benefit-finding condition appeared to facilitate forgiveness by encouraging participants to engage in cognitive processing as they wrote their essays. Results suggest that benefit finding may be a unique and useful addition to efforts to help people forgive interpersonal transgressions through structured interventions. The Transgression-Related Interpersonal Motivations Inventory—18-Item Version (TRIM–18) is appended.

How does motivational interviewing work? Therapist interpersonal skill predicts client involvement within motivational interviewing sessions.

Abstract: Although many studies have shown that motivational interviewing (MI) is effective in reducing problem behaviors, few have investigated purported causal mechanisms. Therapist interpersonal skills have been proposed as an influence on client involvement during MI sessions and as a necessary precursor to client commitment language. Using the Motivational Interviewing Skills Code (MISC; Version 1.0) rating system, the authors investigated 103 unique MI sessions for substance abuse and found that therapist interpersonal skills were positively associated with client involvement as defined by cooperation, disclosure and expression of affect. An unexpected finding indicated that behaviors inconsistent with MI enhanced the impact of therapist interpersonal skills upon client involvement. Drawbacks to the study include a potential sampling bias and uneven reliability of the variables measured.