Humans are social animals and always need to talk to someone to share their opinion, emotions, and feelings. So, communication is an essential part of life. Whether we say something or not, we can convey our message to the other person because it is inescapable. Communication can be of two types, interpersonal and intrapersonal.
Let’s take a closer look at Intra vs. Interpersonal Communication
| Medium | Both are the medium of conversation but in different ways |
| Person Involved | Interpersonal communication involves only one person, while intrapersonal involves at least two |
| Most Common | In intrapersonal Versus interpersonal communication, interpersonal communication is more common |
| Information | Both ways of communication deal with information |
Table of Contents
What Is Intrapersonal Communication?
Intrapersonal communication is a type of communication done by a person with himself and includes assessments, thoughts, and feelings. It is an activity that takes place within a person’s mind and is also known as self-talk or inner speech. This activity can be verbal or a conversation in mind.
What Is Interpersonal Communication?
Interpersonal communication is a type of communication done between two or more people, verbally or nonverbally. People often exchange their feelings, emotions, or ideas in this communication. It can be in voice, body language, gestures, or facial expressions.
6 Key Differences Between Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Communication
| Components | Intrapersonal | Interpersonal |
|---|---|---|
| Description | It is a type of conversation that takes place within the mind of a person. | It is an exchange of emotions, feelings, and ideas between two or more people. |
| Visibility | It is invisible because it only involves one person and their inner thoughts. | It is visible and can be seen in many examples in our daily life around us. |
| Important Aspects | Self-awareness and interpretation of thoughts are very important in this communication. | In interpersonal communication, the most important thing is good communication skills. |
| Occurrence | This communication occurs during thinking of a person. | It can occur in meetings, get together, or with peers. |
| Concerned With | It is only concerned with the person’s thinking and analysis. | It is concerned with the exchange of feelings, emotions, and ideas. |
| Information Flow | Information only remains to one person. | Information flows from one person to others. |
Interpersonal vs. Intrapersonal communication Similarities
- Both the inter and intrapersonal communication involve thinking and emotions.
- A person may use the same words when thinking (intrapersonal) or speaking in public (Interpersonal)
Inter vs. Intra Personal Communication Pros and Cons
Intrapersonal Communication Pros and Cons
Pros of Intrapersonal Communication
- Intrapersonal communication makes a person well-aware of his personality through introspection.
- It allows a person to learn about his qualities, providing motivation and confidence.
Cons of Intrapersonal Communication
- Since the person with intrapersonal communication mostly talks to himself, he may become shy or anti-social.
- The one-way flow of information can result in misconceptions and faulty assumptions, which can also lead to self-doubts.
Interpersonal Communication Pros and Cons
Pros of Interpersonal Communication
- Contacting other people and sharing feelings and emotions can improve physical and emotional health.
- Communicating with others helps gain self-knowledge and confidence, which plays an important role in building a relationship.
Cons of Interpersonal Communication
- It can be difficult sometimes to convey a message in interpersonal communication when the sender and receiver speak different languages.
- Interpersonal communication may be negatively affected by the lack of cultural understanding.
Comparison Chart
Comparison Video
Conclusion
Communication is a basic need of humans to explain their feelings, ideas, and emotions. Communication has two types: interpersonal and intrapersonal. Suppose we talk about intrapersonal vs. Interpersonal communication differences, these both are different in many ways. The main difference between intrapersonal and interpersonal communication is that intrapersonal is a communication of a person with itself, while interpersonal is communication between two people.
