ABSTRACT
The foundation of this chapter is in dialogical ethics. This approach reflects the belief that it is in dialogue with others that people shape ethical beliefs about interpersonal communication. As the lessons learned in childhood begin to clash with our adult perspectives, interpersonal relationships highlight the ethical concepts of character and relationships. The chapter turns first to an explanation of the concept of interpersonal communication and then further explores its nature. Next, the chapter examines the central importance of relational communication before exploring the ethics of dialogic communication. Typically, interpersonal communication refers to interactions that are face to face, involving just two people (dyadic), and within an ongoing relationship. The widespread reliance on social media, however, modifies this view. Many people who grew up with the many forms of mediated communication have difficulty seeing face-to-face communication as any different from mediated communication on social media platforms.
