COM 421 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Nonverbal Communication, Pragmatics, Proxemics
Document Summary
Compare and contrast the four different approaches taken by scholars in conceptualizing interpersonal communication. The situational approach is of limited scientific utility. Situational approach is still widespread despite its downfalls. A change in this dimension is certain to produce change in the other three. Author has 2 reservations for this method: 1) it asks about the range of the number of people to define the communication as interpersonal. 2) implies a static, non developmental process. People are communicating interpersonally when they are eye-to-eye, whether or not they are friends or strangers. A phatic greeting exchange between nodding acquaintances qualifies as interpersonal communication but a telephone conversation between a husband and wife does not, (ibid) The situational approach neglects the qualitative and quantitative changes in communicative transactions within developing relationships. The developmental approach best reflects the processual nature of interpersonal relationships. How it eliminates the downfalls of the situational approach:
