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The Inside Out Model

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Corres, Hannah Maegan C. Section 1

The Inside Out Model is a dynamic model which suggests that the principle of

Intrapersonal communication transpires within communications wherein the sender and receiver

provide active and simultaneous feedback. According to McLean (2005), intrapersonal

communication can be defined as communicating with the self which includes self-talk, the acts

of imagination and visualizing, and even recollection.

This model comprises of eight components, which includes the basic elements of

communication including: Sender, Receiver, Message or Feedback, Channel, and Interference.

And three additional key elements that builds this model includes:

• Intrapersonal Bubble - a person's thought-process of the communication taking place

• Intrapersonal Decoding - the conscious act of processing, interpreting and understanding

the provided feedback

• Intrapersonal Encoding - the conscious act of processing, analyzing to be able to provide a

message or reply

The communication begins with the (1) sender sending its encoded message. The act of

encoding is already implied as it is the responsibility of the sender. The (2) message is now being

transmitted through the channel to the receiver and prompts them to (3) provide a careful feedback,

where the intrapersonal communication begins. If an interference occurs this can greatly affect the

(4) intrapersonal encoding (IE) and decoding (ID), which then commences and (5) generates a

direct feedback from the deduced thoughts. (6) The sender will now turn into a receiver if necessary
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feedback is prompted and repeats the cycle of IE and ID as long as feedbacks are simultaneously

and continuously provided.

This model argues that a thought-process is considered a way of communication in itself.

It also greatly suggests that both the sender and receiver actively encodes and decodes messages

once a feedback takes place.

The Model’s Strength:

• Building this concept in mind is a thought-process in itself. And through that process, I’ve

come to realize how our internal dialogues are key factors in effective communication.

With the concept of encoding as a responsibility of the sender in mind, this responsibility

covers a whole lot of factors that can make or break a conversation. Communication indeed

involves managing, processing, and analyzing thoughts which encompasses how our

intrapersonal communication works. Even with social cues absent, imagination and

visualization, which are intrapersonal, can sprout further ideas, topics and feedbacks

ranging from casual to formal communication.

The Model’s Weaknesses:

• It is also worth noting that the type of feedback that is mostly observed is a reply, which

serves as an actual response between the sender and the receiver that make the conversation
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continuous. But on a regular, day-to-day basis, this model cannot always be observed.

Replies do not necessarily mean thought-out and careful feedback. There are instances

where responses are direct and does not necessarily prompt a further reply. Which can be

observed in the Filipino saying, "isang tanong, isang sagot". Both the receiver and sender

should be engaged in the conversation taking place.

Examples of The Inside Out Model:

1. This model can be observed within a dynamic classroom setting. To be specific, an on-

going graded recitation being conducted in the class.

In this example, once student A is called by their professor and asks a question, student A

now forms an intrapersonal bubble to be able to assess (ID) and formulate (IE) a correct

response. This can be reflected through social cues such as pausing, body movement that

displays anxiousness and the likes that can signal recollection of their reviewed notes. Now

when an answer is provided, it is now the professors turn to assess (ID) the answer and

perhaps further (IE) prompt an explanation from the student for them to expound it, which

can spiral into further feedback from the professor, whether positive or negative.

2. This model can also be greatly observed during interrogations. Suspect A is being accused

of stealing something from a store. The officer as the sender is asserting their dominance

and confronts the suspect continuously and directly. Suspect A, now tense, tries to conceive
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(IE) a lie in their head and devises (IB) an excuse to cover up for their crime. This can be

reflected through kinesics, body language and obvious changes in their paralanguage. This

officer can now sense a defect in their answers, and along the interrogation his analysis

(IE) of this behavior has now come up (ID) with intense and enhanced interrogation

techniques and decides to provide more evidences that can possibly lead up to Suspect A’s

confession of deception and guilt.

Reference:

McLean, S. (2005). The basics of interpersonal communication. Pearson/A and B.