ABSTRACT
In terms of nomenclature, different terms are used synonymously to describe the skilled nature of communication. The terms ‘social skills’, ‘interpersonal skills’ and ‘communication skills’ are often used interchangeably. The last term, however, can encompass written as well as interpersonal skills, while the first term is generally used to refer to developmental or clinical applications. In this the focus will therefore be upon the ‘interpersonal’ descriptor. Thus, interpersonal skills, in a global sense, can be defined as the skills we employ when interacting with other people. This definition is not very informative, however, since it really indicates what skills are used for rather than what they are. It is rather like defining an aeroplane as something that gets you from one city to another.
