Interpersonal Communication- A Mindful Approach to Relationships, 2020a

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CHAPTER 1
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communicators
Introduction to Human
Communication
If you’re like most people taking their first course or reading your first book in interpersonal
communication, you may be wondering what it is that you’re going to be studying. Academics are
notorious for not agreeing on definitions of concepts, which is also true of interpersonal communication
scholars. Bochner laid out the fundamental underpinnings of this academic area called “interpersonal
communication,” “at least two communicators; intentionally orienting toward each other; as both subject
and object; whose actions embody each other’s perspectives both toward self and toward other.” 1 This
simplistic definition of interpersonal communication frustrates many scholars because it does not provide
clear parameters for the area of study beyond two people interacting. Mark Knapp and John Daly noted
that four areas of contention are commonly seen in the discussion of interpersonal communication:
number of communicators involved, physical proximity of the communicators, nature of the interaction
units, and degree of formality and structure. 2
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Interpersonal Communication