Intrapersonal communication

Intrapersonal communication is communication that aperson has with him or herself.

Although some might take the position that no communication is needed if only one party is involved, we communicate withourselves all the time.

Intrapersonal communication can encompass:

• Sense-making (see Karl Weick ) e.g. interpreting maps, texts, signs , and symbols
• Interpreting non-verbal communication (see Albert Mehrabian ) e.g. gestures, eye contact
• Communication between body parts; e.g. "My stomach is telling me it's time for lunch."
• Speaking aloud ("talking to oneself"), reading aloud, repeating what one hears; the additional activities of speaking and hearing (in the third case of hearing again) what one thinks , reads or hears may increase concentration andretention.
• Writing (by hand, or with a wordprocessor , etc.) one's thoughts or observations: the additional activities, on top of thinking, ofwriting and reading back may again increase self-understanding ("How do I know what I mean until I see what I say?")andconcentration. It aids ordering one's thoughts; in addition it produces a record that can be used later again. Copying text toaid memorizing also falls in this category.
• Making gestures while thinking: the additional activity, on top of thinking, of body motions, may again increaseconcentration, assist in problem solving, and assist memory.
• Day-dreaming
• Nocturnal dreaming

Also see

• Semiotics
• Dreams
• Autosuggestion