Metacommunication

Metacommunication is a type of communication other than primary verbal communication. As a secondary form of communication, metacommunication encompasses the subtleties and nuances involved in the act of communicating without the use of direct verbal interactions. Human communication is of great interest to marriage and family therapists and behavioral researchers alike. How people convey their thoughts, feelings, and ideas to others can be complex. Yet one’s ability to communicate clearly and accurately is also the cornerstone to building healthy sustainable relationships.

[Page 1061]There are a number of strategies and rules that govern how people are expected to communicate, as well as direct and indirect ways of doing so that may vary across the life span. Variances in communication are also evident across different cultures and subcultures, ...