Human communication is an art and a science. Communication is a means to connect deeply yet it can also be a path fraught with miscommunication and adverse and unpredictable behavioural effects. In this complex dance of human interaction, each step, gesture, and moment of silence carries weight and meaning, shaping the fabric of our relationships and our mental health and well-being.
Communication theory gives us a map to better navigate the nuances of our daily exchanges. Blaise Pascal's observation about the power of words sets the tone for understanding the multi-layered nature of communication. He said that "words arranged differently have different meanings and meanings arranged differently can have different effects." Our "ordinary" communication is better seen as a symphony where words, their arrangement, tone, and context play pivotal roles in the construction of our reality and the quality of our relationships. Ludwig Wittgenstein cautioned us about the traps of language and invited us to use our linguistic tools wisely, to express ourselves rather than to ensnare ourselves. In their seminal work "The Pragmatics of Human Communication", Don Jackson, Paul Watzlawick, and Janet Bavelas provide us with five axioms or general rules, of communication. These rules form a framework for interpreting human interaction, emphasizing the importance of context, perception, and relational dynamics in communication. Understanding and applying these rules can lead to more effective and meaningful interactions These principles act as a scaffold for understanding how we interact. They are as follows:
1. The Impossibility of Not Communicating (The Rule of Inevitable Communication)
2. The Content and Relationship Levels of Communication (The Rule of Digital and Analogical Modalities)
3. Punctuation of the Sequence of Events (The Rule of Interactional Punctuation)
4. The Rule of Complementary and Symmetrical Interchanges
5. The Rule of Metacommunication
In therapeutic settings, these axioms or rules are not merely academic; they are practical tools that guide clinicians in their interactions with clients. The recognition of the inescapable nature of communication is essential in understanding the impact of every gesture, word, and silence within the therapeutic milieu. Understanding the paradoxes and contradictions that can occur in everyday communication allows us to navigate and negotiate mixed messages and misalignments in verbal and nonverbal communication. This can aid us in clarifying intentions and fostering empathy, which are the cornerstones of healthy relationships and understanding, but it also assists us in influencing and persuading others to undertake actions that may create the change they require.
We must remember that our words have the power to shape our world and our interactions with others. Communication should be the bridge that connects us, not the cage that confines us. There is no "not communicating'', and so every action, every inaction, is laden with messages, both apparent and implied. The inevitability of communication is evident in all social situations, including non-verbal cues and the context of interactions also serves to shape our perception of and reaction to the message so every interaction is multi-layered, with a significant component being the relationship signals that define how we should relate to one another beyond mere facts.
An interactional approach to communication underscores that we are all participants in a pre-existing system of communication and acknowledges the reciprocal nature of communication, where behaviour is both a response and a stimulus within a cycle of relational interactions. The relationship aspect of communication is pivotal. It's often not the content of our communication that leads to conflict, but the discrepancies in interpretation and the relational signals that are misaligned. Communication theory allows us to see that each behaviour in an interaction serves as a response and a stimulus for the next move and affects both parties. It emphasizes the shared responsibility we have in communication. It also provides a comprehensive framework for understanding human interactions, shifting the focus in our clinical work from individual psychology to the dynamics of relationships, between ourselves, others and the world around us. It emphasizes the role of relationship dynamics and the reciprocal process of communication. I believe that this framework is critical in fields such as psychotherapy, conflict resolution, and the broader understanding of human behaviour.
References
Gibson, P. (2021) Escaping the Anxiety Trap. Strategic Science Books.
Gibson, P. (2022). Persuasion Principle. Strategic Science Books.
Gibson, P, Manzoni, M., Pietrabissa (2014) A 4-year Observational Study on the efficacy of BST Treatment for OCD in an Irish Clinic. Journal of Therapies in Medicine.
Gibson P., Papantouono, M., Portelli, C (2014) Winning Without Fighting: A Handbook of Effective Solutions to Social, Emotional and Behavioural Problems in Schools
Nardone, G., & Portelli, C. (2005). Knowing Through Changing: The Evolution of Brief Strategic Therapy. Glasgow: Crown House Publishing.
Pascal, B. (1995) A.J. Krailsheimer (translator) Penées (USA; Penguin Classics) Italian version (1962), Pensieri (Turin: Einaudi).
Watzlawick, P., Beavin, J. H., and Jackson, Don D. (1967), Pragmatics of Human Communication: A study of Interactional Patterns, Pathologies and Paradoxes (New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Co.).
Wittgenstein, L. (1953) Philisophical Investigations. Trans. G. Anscombe. New York: Macmillan
Human Communication: Connection and Disconnection
14
0
27.11.2023
Human communication is an art and a science. Communication is a means to connect deeply yet it can also be a path fraught with miscommunication and adverse and unpredictable behavioural effects. In this complex dance of human interaction, each step, gesture, and moment of silence carries weight and meaning, shaping the fabric of our relationships and our mental health and well-being.
Communication theory gives us a map to better navigate the nuances of our daily exchanges. Blaise Pascal's observation about the power of words sets the tone for understanding the multi-layered nature of communication. He said that "words arranged differently have different meanings and meanings arranged differently can have different effects." Our "ordinary" communication is better seen as a symphony where words, their arrangement, tone, and context play pivotal roles in the construction of our reality and the quality of our relationships. Ludwig Wittgenstein cautioned us about the traps of language and invited us to use our linguistic tools wisely, to express ourselves rather than to ensnare ourselves. In their seminal work "The Pragmatics of Human Communication", Don Jackson, Paul Watzlawick, and Janet Bavelas provide us with five axioms or general rules, of communication. These rules form a framework for interpreting human interaction, emphasizing the importance of context, perception, and relational dynamics in communication. Understanding........
© Psychology Today
visit website
login
who are we?
contact us
qosheapp
Toi Staff
Gideon Levy
Belen Fernandez
Rami G Khouri
Mort Laitner
Rachel Marsden
Donald Low
Bradley Blankenship
Ali Fathollah-Nejad
Nikkei Editorial
Abbas Juma
Michael Kwet
