Intrapersonal communication is the process of understanding and influencing one’s own thoughts, feelings, motives, and actions. The three main elements of intrapersonal communication are self-concept, perception, and expectation. With intrapersonal communication, you can build skills like time management, self-discipline, persistence, self-control, etc.
Key Takeaways
- Intrapersonal communication basically means you are communicating with yourself
- In Intrapersonal communication, you are the sender as well as the receiver of the message
- Awareness of the diverse effect of your behavior is a prime example of interpersonal communication
- Self-management and time management are two very important skills of interpersonal communication
What Is Intrapersonal Communication?
Intrapersonal communication can be achieved by a variety of different means such as journaling, meditation, talk therapy, and journaling. It’s important to recognize that there is no “one size fits all” approach to intrapersonal communication; it will depend on individual cases.
When you talk to people, you also listen and react in various ways that are determined by your mood and how you feel at that moment. Intrapersonal communication can help you see how others are feeling around you and not become overwhelmed with your own emotions.
Intrapersonal communication keeps us grounded in reality which helps us when we need a break from the stressors of life.
There are four main factors involved in intrapersonal communication:
1, self-awareness,
2. self-control,
3. motivation and
4. emotion regulation.
List Of Intrapersonal Communication Examples
When it comes to intrapersonal communication, there are many examples that can be found in everyday life (in various forms of communication). For example, a worker may accidentally say something to their boss that might offend them. Another example would be when someone makes a social media post and is later bothered by the feedback they received from others.
Intrapersonal Communication Examples:
– Unintentional Intrapersonal Communication: A worker unintentionally says something to their boss that might offend them.
– Intentional Intrapersonal Communication: When someone posts on social media and is later bothered by the feedback they received from others, they might find it hard to take a step back and appreciate the perspective of their audience.
Here are more examples and types of Intrapersonal communication-
1. Openers and closers
2. The interview technique
3. Storytelling technique
4. Informational interview technique
5. “I need help” technique
6. The negotiation process
7. The cross-examination process
8. The “I did something wrong” technique
9. Rapport building process
10. Influence principle
11: Currying favor
12: Flattery
13: Humor
14: Giving advice
15: Questions about the interviewer’s personal life
16: Questions about the interviewer’s work
17: Questions about the interviewer’s interests
18: “What should I do?” technique
19: “What are your thoughts on…”
20: “What would you suggest I do?”
What Are The Differences Between Intrapersonal Communication VS Interpersonal Communication?
The main differences between these two are- Intrapersonal communication is the communication between the self and one’s own feelings, thoughts, perceptions, etc. Interpersonal communication is the communication between two or more people.
People who are good at interpersonal communication tend to have a greater capacity to influence others. They are good at understanding others and helping them achieve their goals.
In Intrapersonal Communication:-
– You communicate with yourself, and may not like what you’re saying about yourself
– You are more likely to use negative words such as ‘hate’ or ‘failure’
– You have a hard time expressing your personal needs and wants without feeling judged by others
In Interpersonal Communication:-
– You communicate with someone else, and may not like what the other person says about themselves
– You are more likely to use positive words such as ‘love’ or ‘success’
– You have a hard time expressing your personal needs and wants without feeling judged by others
What Are The 5 Elements Of Intrapersonal Communication?
Intrapersonal communication is a term that refers to the communication between the self and the self. It is said that human beings can have at least 5 sources of intrapersonal communication.
Internal Dialogue: The inner voice we hear in our heads when we are alone with our thoughts or while thinking about something.
Internal Feelings: The emotions we feel when we think about something and react to people or events in a way that reflects that emotion.
Physical Sensations: These are physical changes in the body such as feeling sick from being nervous, or hands sweating during an interview.
Body Memories: When you remember one moment in time, your body will react accordingly without you realizing it. For example, if you were running from someone chasing you your body might automatically speed up.
Noise Or Feedback: When it comes to self-improvement, internal channels such as self-reflection and journaling are better options than external feedback.
For example, you can reflect on your thoughts about your day on a daily basis. This helps you develop a sense of mindfulness and perspective, which is especially important if you struggle with anxiety or depression.
What Are Examples Of Intrapersonal Skills?
Intrapersonal skills are behaviors that enable employees to take care of themselves so they can focus on their work. Intrapersonal skills include:
1. self-management,
2. mindfulness,
3. emotional awareness,
4. stress management, and
5. time management.
6. Intrapersonal skills are not innate and must be learned over time.
17 Benefits Of Intrapersonal Communication (& importance)
Intrapersonal communication is an important skill for success, both in your personal life and work life. It’s one of the foundational skills that will get you where you want to be.
The 17 Benefits of Intrapersonal Communication and why these are so much important are as follows:
1. Gain clarity- understand your core values, skills, and how to better align with them
2. Build stronger relationships- communicate effectively in all areas of your life
3. Improve self-awareness, empathy, and understanding- enhance social intelligence and connect with others on a deeper level
4. Achieve greater happiness and fulfillment- improve well-being through intentional connection w/ yourself
5. Overcome challenges- increase resilience by connecting with your inner strengths and wisdom
6. Increase productivity – build a deep understanding of yourself so you can find the best opportunities for your personal brand, business, and own self.
7. Strengthening relationships: Intrapersonal communication improves self-awareness, and self-motivation and strengthens relationships with people around us.
8. Self-Motivation – By talking to yourself, you can promote self-motivation by reminding yourself of what you are capable of achieving. With this, your eventual actions will be driven by your goals rather than by other people’s expectations or even pressures.
9. Self Awareness – When you talk to yourself often, it helps improve your awareness of how others are perceiving you.
10. Finding the “Why” – Many successful people have advised that people should identify what their “why” is in order to find motivation and meaning in life. Intrapersonal communication provides a way for people to connect with their personal “why”.
11. Intrapersonal communication allows us to better understand ourselves by being aware of how we act in our daily lives. It can help us make adjustments as needed when we’re feeling unproductive or overwhelmed.
12. Enhance creativity, leadership skills, and problem-solving abilities.
13. Boost productivity and relieve stress by reducing anxiety & worries.
14. Increase productivity through innovation, motivation, and inspiration.
15. Provide clarity for goals by overcoming obstacles and achieving success.
16. Improve relationships by listening to others objectively & without judgment.
17. Increase personal satisfaction by having conversations that matter.
What Are The Characteristics Of Intrapersonal Communication?
When it comes to intrapersonal communication, there are 3 characteristics:
1. Self-talk – Talking to oneself about what one wants or doubts or needs to do in order to feel better.
2. Self-expression – Expressing emotions when talking with others.
3. Self-awareness – Knowing why they say and do the things that they do.
What Are The Elements Of Intrapersonal Communication?
The 5 elements of intrapersonal communication. These are:
1. self-affirmation, mindfulness, compassion for oneself,
2. self-compassionate words of affirmation,
3. visualization techniques,
4. gratitude to others for their help or support, and
5. self-soothing practices (such as deep breathing).
Intrapersonal Communication Theories (The List)
The 10 Major Theories on Intrapersonal Communication System:
1. Receiver-Receiver Model/ The Survival Mode Theory
2. Social Linguistic Theory of Interpersonal Communication
3. Theory of Self and Self-Monitoring
4. Conversational Analysis and Interpretation
5. Sociocultural Perspective on Intrapersonal Communication
6. Theories of Social Exchange
7. Speech Act Theory of Intrapersonal Communication
8. Harriman Theory of Intrapersonal Communication
9. Grice’s Maxims for Cooperative Principle
10. Conversational Contexts.
References:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intrapersonal_communication
2. https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/commbusprofcdn/chapter/what-is-intrapersonal-communication/
Last Updated on October 24, 2022 by Magalie D.
Magalie D. is a Diploma holder in Public Administration & Management from McGill University of Canada. She shares management tips here in MGTBlog when she has nothing to do and gets some free time after working in a multinational company at Toronto.
