Evidence suggests that health communication helps patients to:
● express their physical and emotional needs;
● ask questions and be more involved in their care;
● gain a sense of control over their condition and treatment;
● develop trust and confidence in the process and so comply with treatment;
● gain physical health benefits such as reduced pain and lowered blood pressure.
● express their physical and emotional needs;
● ask questions and be more involved in their care;
● gain a sense of control over their condition and treatment;
● develop trust and confidence in the process and so comply with treatment;
● gain physical health benefits such as reduced pain and lowered blood pressure.
Michael Argyle (1983) suggests that the skillful interpersonal behavior includes:
● Perception of others’ reactions: The communicator is attuned to the other’s behaviour and signs of understanding or misunderstanding.
● Attention to feedback and corrective action: The communicator has learn what kind of response is needed according to the feedback from the other.
● Timing of social responses: This requires the communicator to know when to speak, when to listen, when to interrupt or prompt, or when to take the
lead or be led.
● Self-presentation: A good communicator has self-awareness and is able to use this self-knowledge to present themselves to the other. This gives the
other feedback about who the communicator is and therefore how to interpret and respond to them, for instance, sitting in a forward-leaning position
assures the other that they are being listened to.
● Rewardingness: This is the ability to engage the other in the communication
and know how to reward communication behaviour. For instance, using
nods, smiles, and eye contact encourages someone to talk about
themselves.
● Taking the role of the other: Here the communicator can put themselves in the shoes of the other in order to understand how they are seen. For instance, if
they realize that being dressed formally is offputting to a young teenager theycan respond by removing a tie or rolling up their sleeves.
● Perception of others’ reactions: The communicator is attuned to the other’s behaviour and signs of understanding or misunderstanding.
● Attention to feedback and corrective action: The communicator has learn what kind of response is needed according to the feedback from the other.
● Timing of social responses: This requires the communicator to know when to speak, when to listen, when to interrupt or prompt, or when to take the
lead or be led.
● Self-presentation: A good communicator has self-awareness and is able to use this self-knowledge to present themselves to the other. This gives the
other feedback about who the communicator is and therefore how to interpret and respond to them, for instance, sitting in a forward-leaning position
assures the other that they are being listened to.
● Rewardingness: This is the ability to engage the other in the communication
and know how to reward communication behaviour. For instance, using
nods, smiles, and eye contact encourages someone to talk about
themselves.
● Taking the role of the other: Here the communicator can put themselves in the shoes of the other in order to understand how they are seen. For instance, if
they realize that being dressed formally is offputting to a young teenager theycan respond by removing a tie or rolling up their sleeves.