The Psychology Behind Words: Understanding Interpersonal Communication Among Undergraduate Students
Authors
Faculty of Education, Language and Communication, University Malaysia Sarawak, Malaysia (Malaysia)
Faculty of Cognitive Sciences and Human Development, University Malaysia Sarawak, Malaysia (Malaysia)
Article Information
DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS.2025.91100042
Subject Category: Social science
Volume/Issue: 9/11 | Page No: 517-533
Publication Timeline
Submitted: 2025-11-07
Accepted: 2025-11-14
Published: 2025-11-28
Abstract
The discourse surrounding education today often highlights technical proficiency, yet academic analysis reveals that interpersonal communication (IPC) is central to the lives of undergraduate students, fundamentally shaping friendships, academic collaboration, and professional development trajectories. Communication is not established as "simply a skill" that everyone can utilize effectively; rather, it is a complex, valuable discipline that necessitates specialized study to achieve true proficiency. An education focused on communication equips individuals with the capacity for scientific research through diverse approaches including rhetorical, qualitative, and quantitative studies alongside domain knowledge in areas like business, political, and interpersonal communication. This article analyzes the relationship between human psychology and interpersonal communication, emphasizing how perceptions, emotions, and cognitive processes affect how students express themselves, settle disputes, and form bonds. The study makes the case that improving interpersonal communication abilities benefits students' social and academic lives as well as their readiness for professional settings where successful human connection is crucial.
Keywords
Interpersonal Communication, Psychology, Undergraduate Students
Downloads
References
1. Adler, R. B., Rosenfeld, L. B., & Proctor, R. F. (2016). Interplay: The process of interpersonal communication (13th ed.). Oxford University Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
2. Adler, R. B., Rosenfeld, L. B., & Proctor, R. F. (2021). Interplay: The process of interpersonal communication (15th ed.). Oxford University Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
3. Altman, I., & Taylor, D. (1973). Social penetration: The development of interpersonal relationships. Holt, Rinehart & Winston. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
4. Andersen, P. A. (2008). Nonverbal communication: Forms and functions (2nd ed.). Waveland Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
5. Andrews, J., & Higson, H. (2008). Graduate employability, ‘soft skills’ versus ‘hard’ business knowledge: A European study. Higher Education in Europe, 33(4), 411–422. https://doi.org/10.1080/03797720802522627 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
6. Argyris, C., & Schön, D. A. (1974). Theory in practice: Increasing professional effectiveness. Jossey-Bass. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
7. Aronson, E., Wilson, T. D., Akert, R. M., & Sommers, S. R. (2019). Social psychology (10th ed.). Pearson. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
8. Bandura, A. (1977). Social learning theory. Prentice-Hall. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
9. Bandura, A. (2001). Social cognitive theory of mass communication. Media Psychology, 3(3), 265–299. https://doi.org/10.1207/S1532785XMEP0303_03 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
10. Barker, R. T., & Gower, K. (2010). Strategic application of storytelling in organizations: Toward effective communication in a diverse world. Journal of Business Communication, 47(3), 295–312. https://doi.org/10.1177/0021943610369782 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
11. Bass, B. M. (1985). Leadership and performance beyond expectations. Free Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
12. Beebe, S. A., & Masterson, J. T. (2015). Communicating in small groups: Principles and practices (11th ed.). Pearson. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
13. Beebe, S. A., Beebe, S. J., & Ivy, D. K. (2017). Communication principles for a lifetime (6th ed.). Pearson. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
14. Brackett, M. A., Rivers, S. E., & Salovey, P. (2011). Emotional intelligence: Implications for personal, social, academic, and workplace success. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 5(1), 88–103. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-9004.2010.00334.x [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
15. Burgoon, J. K., Guerrero, L. K., & Floyd, K. (2016). Nonverbal communication (2nd ed.). Routledge. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
16. Burleson, B. R. (2003). Emotional support skills. In J. O. Greene & B. R. Burleson (Eds.), Handbook of communication and social interaction skills (pp. 551–594). Lawrence Erlbaum. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
17. Burleson, B. R. (2010). The nature of interpersonal communication: A message-centered approach. In C. R. Berger, M. E. Roloff, & D. R. Ewoldsen (Eds.), The handbook of communication science (2nd ed., pp. 145–163). SAGE Publications. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
18. Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approach (5th ed.). SAGE Publications. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
19. Deardorff, D. K. (2009). The SAGE handbook of intercultural competence. SAGE Publications. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
20. Derks, D., Fischer, A. H., & Bos, A. E. R. (2008). The role of emotion in computer-mediated communication: A review. Computers in Human Behavior, 24(3), 766–785. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2007.04.004 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
21. DeVito, J. A. (2019). The interpersonal communication book (15th ed.). Pearson. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
22. Dhawan, S. (2020). Online learning: A panacea in the time of COVID-19 crisis. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 49(1), 5–22. https://doi.org/10.1177/0047239520934018 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
23. Ekman, P. (2003). Emotions revealed: Recognizing faces and feelings to improve communication and emotional life. Times Books. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
24. Extremera, N., & Fernández-Berrocal, P. (2006). Emotional intelligence as predictor of mental, social, and physical health in university students. The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 9(1), 45–51. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1138741600005965 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
25. Eysenck, M. W., & Keane, M. T. (2020). Cognitive psychology: A student’s handbook (8th ed.). Routledge. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
26. Festinger, L. (1957). A theory of cognitive dissonance. Stanford University Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
27. Fiske, J. (2011). Introduction to communication studies (3rd ed.). Routledge. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
28. Flavell, J. H. (1979). Metacognition and cognitive monitoring: A new area of cognitive–developmental inquiry. American Psychologist, 34(10), 906–911. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.34.10.906 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
29. Friedman, H. H., Friedman, L. W., & Leverton, C. (2014). Increasing student engagement and enhancing learning through constructive controversy. Business Education & Accreditation, 6(2), 33–46. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
30. Giles, H. (1973). Accent mobility: A model and some data. Anthropological Linguistics, 15(2), 87–105. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
31. Giles, H., Coupland, N., & Coupland, J. (2016). Accommodation theory: Communication, context, and consequence. Cambridge University Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
32. Goleman, D. (2006). Emotional intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ. Bantam Books. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
33. Griffin, E., Ledbetter, A., & Sparks, G. (2019). A first look at communication theory (10th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
34. Gross, J. J. (2015). Emotion regulation: Current status and future prospects. Psychological Inquiry, 26(1), 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1080/1047840X.2014.940781 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
35. Gudykunst, W. B. (2004). Bridging differences: Effective intergroup communication (4th ed.). SAGE Publications. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
36. Guerrero, L. K., & Floyd, K. (2016). Nonverbal communication in close relationships. Routledge. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
37. Hall, J. A., & Matsumoto, D. (2004). Gender differences in judgments of multiple emotions from facial expressions. Emotion, 4(2), 201–206. https://doi.org/10.1037/1528-3542.4.2.201 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
38. Harmon-Jones, E., & Mills, J. (Eds.). (2019). Cognitive dissonance: Reexamining a pivotal theory in psychology (2nd ed.). American Psychological Association. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
39. Hatfield, E., Cacioppo, J. T., & Rapson, R. L. (1994). Emotional contagion. Cambridge University Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
40. Hyland, K. (2009). Academic discourse: English in a global context. Continuum. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
41. Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, R. T. (2014). Cooperative learning in 21st century. Anales de Psicología, 30(3), 841–851. https://doi.org/10.6018/analesps.30.3.201241 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
42. Katz, D., & Kahn, R. L. (1978). The social psychology of organizations (2nd ed.). Wiley. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
43. Keyton, J. (2017). Communication in organizations (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
44. Knapp, M. L., Vangelisti, A. L., & Caughlin, J. P. (2014). Interpersonal communication and human relationships (7th ed.). Pearson. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
45. Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Prentice-Hall. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
46. Lazarus, R. S. (1991). Emotion and adaptation. Oxford University Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
47. Littlejohn, S. W., & Foss, K. A. (2011). Theories of human communication (10th ed.). Waveland Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
48. Liu, M., & Littlewood, W. (2019). Why do many students appear reluctant to participate in classroom learning discourse? System, 81, 13–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2018.12.006 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
49. Maslow, A. H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4), 370–396. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0054346 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
50. Matsumoto, D., & Hwang, H. C. (2013). Cultural similarities and differences in emotion regulation: Implications for multicultural counseling. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 44(5), 755–762. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022113478658 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
51. McCroskey, J. C. (1977). Oral communication apprehension: A summary of recent theory and research. Human Communication Research, 4(1), 78–96. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2958.1977.tb00599.x [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
52. Mehrabian, A. (1972). Nonverbal communication. Aldine-Atherton. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
53. Myers, D. G., & DeWall, C. N. (2021). Psychology (13th ed.). Worth Publishers. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
54. Neher, A. (1991). Maslow’s theory of motivation: A critique. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 31(3), 89–112. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022167891313010 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
55. Neisser, U. (2014). Cognitive psychology: Classic edition. Psychology Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
56. Ng, W. (2012). Can we teach digital natives digital literacy? Computers & Education, 59(3), 1065–1078. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2012.04.016 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
57. Northouse, P. G. (2019). Leadership: Theory and practice (8th ed.). SAGE Publications. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
58. Patton, M. Q. (2015). Qualitative research & evaluation methods (4th ed.). SAGE Publications. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
59. Pekrun, R. (2014). Emotions and learning. Educational Practices Series – 24. International Academy of Education. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
60. Perloff, R. M. (2020). The dynamics of persuasion: Communication and attitudes in the 21st century (7th ed.). Routledge. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
61. Petty, R. E., & Cacioppo, J. T. (1986). Communication and persuasion: Central and peripheral routes to attitude change. Springer. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
62. Piaget, J. (1954). The construction of reality in the child. Basic Books. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
63. Richmond, V. P., McCroskey, J. C., & Hickson, M. (2018). Nonverbal behavior in interpersonal relations (8th ed.). Pearson. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
64. Robles, M. M. (2012). Executive perceptions of the top 10 soft skills needed in today’s workplace. Business Communication Quarterly, 75(4), 453–465. https://doi.org/10.1177/1080569912460400 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
65. Rodríguez, J. I., Plax, T. G., & Kearney, P. (2013). Clarifying the relationship between teacher nonverbal immediacy and student cognitive learning: Affective learning as the central causal mediator. Communication Education, 52(3–4), 234–249. https://doi.org/10.1080/0363452032000156195 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
66. Rogers, C. R. (1951). Client-centered therapy: Its current practice, implications, and theory. Houghton Mifflin. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
67. Rogers, C. R., & Farson, R. E. (1987). Active listening. In R. G. Newman, M. A. Danzinger, & M. Cohen (Eds.), Communications in business and industry (2nd ed., pp. 1–7). Heath. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
68. Schön, D. A. (1983). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. Basic Books. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
69. Schraw, G., & Dennison, R. S. (1994). Assessing metacognitive awareness. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 19(4), 460–475. https://doi.org/10.1006/ceps.1994.1033 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
70. Schunk, D. H. (2012). Learning theories: An educational perspective (6th ed.). Pearson. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
71. Spitzberg, B. H., & Cupach, W. R. (2012). Interpersonal communication competence. SAGE Publications. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
72. Sundar, S. S. (2020). Rise of machine agency: A framework for studying the psychology of human–AI interaction. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 25(1), 74–88. https://doi.org/10.1093/jcmc/zmz026 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
73. Sweller, J. (2011). Cognitive load theory. Psychology of Learning and Motivation, 55, 37–76. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-387691-1.00002-8 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
74. Tajfel, H., & Turner, J. C. (1986). The social identity theory of intergroup behavior. In S. Worchel & W. G. Austin (Eds.), Psychology of intergroup relations (pp. 7–24). Nelson-Hall. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
75. Thomas, K. W., & Kilmann, R. H. (1974). Thomas-Kilmann conflict mode instrument. Xicom. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
76. Ting-Toomey, S., & Chung, L. C. (2012). Understanding intercultural communication (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
77. Tinto, V. (2017). Through the eyes of students. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 19(3), 254–269. https://doi.org/10.1177/1521025115621917 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
78. Trice, A. G. (2003). Faculty perceptions of graduate international students: The benefits and challenges. Journal of Studies in International Education, 7(4), 379–403. https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315303257120 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
79. von Bertalanffy, L. (1968). General system theory: Foundations, development, applications. George Braziller. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
80. Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
81. Walther, J. B. (2011). Theories of computer-mediated communication and interpersonal relations. In M. L. Knapp & J. A. Daly (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of interpersonal communication (pp. 443–479). SAGE Publications. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
82. Wood, J. T. (2015). Communication mosaics: An introduction to the field of communication (8th ed.). Cengage Learning. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
Metrics
Views & Downloads
Similar Articles
- The Impact of Ownership Structure on Dividend Payout Policy of Listed Plantation Companies in Sri Lanka
- Urban Sustainability in North-East India: A Study through the lens of NER-SDG index
- Performance Assessment of Predictive Forecasting Techniques for Enhancing Hospital Supply Chain Efficiency in Healthcare Logistics
- The Fractured Self in Julian Barnes' Postmodern Fiction: Identity Crisis and Deflation in Metroland and the Sense of an Ending
- Impact of Flood on the Employment, Labour Productivity and Migration of Agricultural Labour in North Bihar