Interpersonal communication is the technique we use to communicate our ideas, thoughts and feelings to one and other. (Eunson 2012:256) People use visual, written, oral, sense and nonverbal means to communicate. Individuals have communicated with each other for centuries through the medium of letters, telephone, groups with public speaking and one to one conversations. With the introduction of mass media ideas could spread to larger audiences however the means of imparting information required high level skills and equipment not available to the individual. The highly effective tools of the mass media have now become the tools of the individual to use in the digital age to help with interpersonal communication. Electronic communication has enhanced our ability to communicate with each other yet all these interpersonal communication tools still require social intelligence to be able to analyse a digital communication situation.

The broadcast and print media have been traditionally the way we’ve broaden our ideas and gained information. These medium used highly effective devices such as visual and audio communication through things like edited video, persuasive interviews and skillfully written articles that captured the viewers attention. In the broadcast media, of television and radio it required high level skills such as video editing, audio recording and the use of expensive and specialist equipment. Broadcast and print media, like the newspaper and television shows are ‘communication systems that distribute organized, programmatic information from a central point to a large number of anonymous, passive and isolated receivers’(Everett 2003:9). Viewers are seen as fragments and constituted as a mass. (Everett 2003:10) While in the digital age of the internet, these tools have become incredibly easy to use and accessible to almost anyone. The viewers are seen to retain their individuality and have become participants being able to exchange information, connect with one another and explore ideas. The internet enables communication in two ways with instant feedback, whilst the broadcast and print media is only one and feedback is limited. The effective tools of broadcast media have now become the tools for interpersonal communication. 

With the population growing and our network expanding rapidly throughout the world, electronic communication has benefited people immensely. It gives them the privilege to share and connect globally with anyone, like distance family members, friends and work colleagues through various social networking websites such as Twitter, Flickr, Google+ and Facebook. An interpersonal communication technique such as visual communication is used regularly in these websites. Being able to see your social group’s latest photos and video which are updated daily, lets you feel more connected to people you don’t see in person often. (Sless 1987:187) Another form of visual communication is through visual aids to convey ideas and information in ways that can be read orlooked upon. It includes signs, typography, drawings, graphic design and electronic resources. It aims to communicate through personal perspective. If the viewer has an opinion about an image purely based on their personal thoughts they respond differently in their thoughts and values as someone else might. (Smith 2005:12) Electronic communication is commonly used in business meetings. Using various modes as power points, videos, photos and animation, interpersonal communication is used to get a point across and to persuade ideas from each colleague. Yet all of these forms of communication aren’t possible without social intelligence. 

Interpersonal communication requires a form of social intelligence. It’s the ability to cooperate and get alone with others while being aware of situations and social dynamics. It involves a certain amount of insight from ones own perceptions and reaction patterns (Albrecht, 2004). Daniel Goleman, a psychologist uses the term 'social intelligence' to refer to our ability to 'act wisely in human relationships.' He claims that we human beings are hardwired to connect and that the way we make those connections can actually shape our brains, our cells, even our DNA. (Social Intelligence, 2006). Dr. Karl Albrecht, one of the world's leading authorities on human competence, his theory on social intelligence classifies it as a behavior towards others that falls somewhere on a spectrum between “toxic” effect and “nourishing” effect. Toxic behavior causes people to feel angry, guilty, frustrated or inadequate. Nourishing behaviour on the other hand is the complete opposite, causing people to feel valued, respected, encouraged or competent. A pattern of toxic behaviour indicates a low level of social intelligence - not being about to influence or connect with people effectively. While a pattern of nourishing behaviour lets people be more effective with dealing with others; this behaviour indicates high social intelligence. (Albrecht 2004) Interpersonal communication plays hand in hand with social intelligence, if you have a low social intelligence, then interpersonal communication isn’t possible.

The internet has transformed social life. For example, talking to someone on Facebook chat and talking to someone in person, may deliver the same message, but is neglecting important interpersonal communication skills. You’re unable to see the other persons body language, tone and pitch of their voice, and how connected they are to your conversation. On the internet, to get your feelings across, people use emoticons such as smiley faces, sad faces and angry faces. This is a much less affective form of interpersonal communication. There are various ways to communicate on the internet, for instance, on a social network sites, peoples writing is more laid back and informal, like they the way they would talk to a friend in person. Whilst when writing a business letter, it is worded formal and structured, like how one would talk to a higher authority at work. These forms of interpersonal communication are both different, but require respect and social intelligence. (Chesebro 1999) The digital age has formed tools of communication for interpersonal communication through ways like oral communication. People can now be speak to others by phone, the internet, such as voice-over-internet software application like skype, and voice recordings. The ability to answer public inquires by telephone, run and participate in meetings and make a presentation all require forms of oral communication, which all rely on electronic communication. Electronic communication has allowed us to use interpersonal communication with anyone around the world. Our interpersonal communication skills are learned behaviors that can be improved through knowledge, practice, feedback, and reflection. One’s own ‘message’ could be clear to oneself, but one lacks social intelligence then misunderstandings can form and relationships ruined. As technology makes it easier to loose touch with friends and family face to face, it has helped in other ways to bring people together from across the world.











Dr. Karl Albrecht 2004, Theory of Social Intelligence, viewed 20 March 2012, . Kenneth Louis Smith (2005). Handbook of visual communication: theory, methods, and media. Routledge. p. 12

David Sless (1981). Learning and visual communication. p.187

Towards a Behavioral Theory of Communication
Russell L. Ackoff. Management Science Vol. 4, No. 3 (Apr., 1958), pp. 218-234

Chesebro, James W., and Donald G. Bonsall. Computer Mediated Communication: HumanRelationships in a Computerized World. Tuscaloosa: The University ofAlabamaPress, 1999.

Everett, A & Caldwell, J T (eds) 2003, New media: theories and practices of digitextuality, Routledge, New York.. pp10


(Chesebro 1999)