| Not So Common Knowledge | 456752 | | Erin Scheffels | 1/30/2012 |
MW 2-3:15

At the typical party there are many people interacting with each other and most likely an individual or a few keeping to themselves. This simple scene involves the skill of interpersonal communication or lack of it. Interpersonal communication is the interaction between two or more people that can be both verbal and non-verbal. Interpersonal communication is very important because it affects nearly every day of a person’s life. For example, the start of an individual’s life begins with some simple interpersonal communication that develops into a relationship. Interpersonal communication involves three goals which define why people act the way they do. The three main goals of interpersonal communication are: self-presentation, relational, and instrumental. In my essay I will be describe the aspects of relational interpersonal communication. First, I will define relational interpersonal communication and the goals behind it. Secondly, I will explain how the goals of relational interpersonal communication affect the common man every day including myself. Lastly, I will describe how ethics play a role on relational goals. Relational goals of interpersonal communication can be defined by big words and by scholars, but it comes down to something simple. Relational goals can be described by the actions people take to further, maintain, or diminish personal relationships. For example, a husband bringing home flowers to a wife, this action would result in most likely reaching the goal of furthering or maintaining the relationship between them. These goals can have even the best of us acting irrationally and making rash decisions. In my last relationship in order to attempt to accomplish the goal of starting a relationship, I tried to be as funny as I could be around a mutual