What is the Interpersonal Domain?

Introduction - What is the Interpersonal Domain? The Interpersonal Domain has to do with people interacting with each other. The word “interpersonal” has to do with relationships between people.

This domain is particularly broad in scope. There are many different ways that people relate to each other, that can be explored through training, lessons, courses or classes about the Interpersonal Domain. Much of the emphasis of the interpersonal domain is on social behavior.

To understand what it means to design instruction (courses, workshops, training, etc.) within the  “interpersonal domain” (or to affect interpersonal behavior), let’s first define “interpersonal”.

Definitions of Interpersonal

As an adjective, one definition of “Interpersonal” is “of relationships between people”, “concerning or involving relationships between people” (Encarta® World English Dictionary, North American Edition).

It is defined as an adjective “relating to relationships or communication between people” by the Compact Oxford English Dictionary.

According to the Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, “Interpersonal” means “connected with relationships between people.

To continue to explore definitions of the word “interpersonal” click on the external link here: http://onelook.com/?w=interpersonal&ls=a

Skills that are Relevant to the Interpersonal Domain

Specific information on each of the Learning Domains can be found at "Learning Domains and Delivery of Instruction" (Cindy Vinson) here:

http://pixel.fhda.edu/id/learning_domain.html

According to Vinson, just some skills within the Interpersonal Domain include:

Seeking/giving information (asking for and offering information)

Proposing (putting forward an idea)

Building and supporting (helping another person’s idea move forward)

Shutting out/bringing in (excluding or involving another)

Disagreeing (appropriately offering a difference of opinion)

Summarizing (Restating in a compact form a discussion or collection of ideas)

Negotiating

Compromising

Facilitating

Leading