A Review of Intrapersonal Communication

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        Intrapersonal Communication         

Running Head: Intrapersonal Communication

A Review of Intrapersonal Communication

American International University - Dubai


Table of Contents


A Review of Intrapersonal Communication

Introduction

Communication is not dominated by fixed social rules; it is a two-step process in which the speaker first takes in stimuli from the outside environment, assessing and selecting from among them in regards of his/her own cultural background, personal history, and what he/she knows about his/her receiver. He/she then decides on the norms that apply to the situation at hand. These norms determine the speaker’s selection from among the communicative options available for encoding his intention (Gumperz and Hymes, 1986).

Intrapersonal communication is communication that a person has with him or herself. Although some might assert that no communication is needed if only one individual is involved, but then we communicate with ourselves all the time.

Definition of Intrapersonal Communication

Intrapersonal communication is the basic level from which all other forms of human communication are derived. It is that communication which occurs within an individual. It involves the evaluating of and reacting to internal stimuli. These evaluative and reactive processes help human beings to cope with and understand ideas, events, objects, and experiences. For example, thinking is one form of intrapersonal communication.

Intrapersonal Communication Is More Than just Talking to Oneself

Intrapersonal communication is more than communication only with oneself. Intrapersonal communication is a level of communication not distinct by the number of people involved, the communicative functions fulfilled, or the means of communication used. Intrapersonal communication comprises of mental processes that function every time we communicate.

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Intrapersonal communication is about the individual’s processing of stimuli, both verbal and nonverbal. Sometimes those stimuli are generated within the perceiver, and sometimes they are received from outside the perceiver. At times what is generated remains within the individual (e.g., talking with one’s self, “seeing” images, or having physiological sensations), and sometimes what is generated is expressed (e.g., speech and gesture).

The study of intrapersonal communication is the study of decoding and encoding, therefore we can conclude that intrapersonal communication is the study of meaning making. Whether or not what is decoded originates inside or outside the body of ...

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