Microanalysis of Interpersonal Communication

Question 1

What is the microanalysis of communication?

Answer 1

• distinctive methodoly and way of thinking about communication
• communication can be verbal and non-verbal
• studying social interactions by analysis of video- and audio-recordings
• study of interpersonal communication as a subject in its own right

Question 2

What is the practical relevance

Answer 2

• Highlights fine details of social interaction à easier for people to change their behaviour
• Changes how people actually think about communication
• Development of formal training procedures to improve how people communicate
  ○ Communication Skills Training (CST)
• Increases understanding of how people communicate.
• Can facilitate improvements in communication.
  Increases transparency (for example, in the communication practices of politicians).

Question 3

Macro and Microscopic Communication:

Answer 3

• When we interact socially, effective communication is critical to our audience understanding an intended meaning
• Sometimes, meaning is not effectively communicated by words alone (i.e. body language, facial expressions, tonal inflection, could imply something different)