ABSTRACT
This chapter develops and extends the analogy between motor skill and social skill. In particular, it examines the central processes involved in the implementation of skilled behaviour, and evaluates the extent to which a motor skill model of performance can be operationalised in the study of interpersonal communication. Mediating factors influence the way in which people and situations are perceived, and determine the capacity of the individual to assimilate, process, and respond to the social information received during interpersonal encounters. There are two core mediating factors, cognition and emotion. An initial distinction is made between linguistic and non-linguistic behaviour. In order to respond in a skilled manner it is also necessary to be aware of available feedback during communication. Perception is the final central process involved in the model of skilled performance. Both intuition and inference play a part in person perception.
