Interpersonelle

Interpersonelle is an adjective used in German to denote things relating to or occurring between persons. It is a loanword from the English "interpersonal" and is used primarily in psychology, sociology, communication studies, and organizational behavior. The term describes processes, skills, and phenomena that involve interactions among individuals rather than within a single person or within a group as a whole.

Common usages include interpersonelle Kommunikation (interpersonal communication), interpersonelle Fähigkeiten (interpersonal skills), and interpersonelle Beziehungen (interpersonal relationships). The concept covers areas such as nonverbal communication, empathy, listening, conflict resolution, trust, and rapport. In research, interpersonelle variables are studied to understand how people perceive and respond to one another, how relationships form and dissolve, and how social dynamics affect outcomes in workplaces, education, therapy, and everyday life.

In German-language texts, zwischenmenschlich is more common in everyday language, while interpersonell is more often found in academic, clinical, or professional contexts. The concept overlaps with related notions such as intrapersonal (within a person) and social or group processes, but remains distinct in focusing on dyadic or small-group interactions.