ABSTRACT
Interpersonal communication is simply another name for interaction, and by definition, communication is, of course, a component of all interpersonal relations. Differences in the degree of mutual attraction among individuals, differences in the degree of their interdependence, differences in status, and, of course, mere differences in such things as propinquity or group size will make for significant differences in the rate of contact and communication and often, too, in the content of what is communicated. These are some of the elements of group structure, and there are a variety of studies to show how they are related to interpersonal communication. The sociometric method permits the study of communications flow in terms of an objectively delineable pattern of individual relationships. The chapter provides a few brief illustrations of the ways in which different structural “arrangements” affect the patterns of interpersonal communication.
