Communication Overview and Shannon-Weaver Model

Communication Overview

• Communication is more than just language; it goes beyond verbal language.
• Communication is a process where information is exchanged between individuals using common symbols, signs, or behaviours, and personal rapport.
• The term "communicare" has Latin origins, meaning "to share" or "to make common".

The Shannon-Weaver Model (1949)

• This model portrays communication as a linear, one-way process.

• Key elements include:

  • Information source
  • Transmitter (encoder)
  • Channel
  • Receiver (decoder)
  • Destination
  • Noise (interference)

• The source initiates the message, which the transmitter encodes into a signal.

• The channel delivers the signal to the receiver, where it is decoded into a message.

• The destination receives and interprets the message.

• Noise can disrupt the clarity or quality of the signal or message.

• There are different kinds of noise: physical, semantic, psychological, and cultural.

• The model lacks consideration of feedback.

Feedback in Communication

• A feedback loop is an important addition to the Shannon-Weaver model.
• feedback is crucial, enabling a two-way exchange of information.

Speech Acts Theory (Austin, 1962 & Searle, 1969)

• Speech acts theory is part of pragmatics, focused on how words carry out actions, not just information.
• A speech act is an action performed through the expression of words.
• Locutionary act: the act of saying something, the utterance with verbal, social, and rhetorical meanings.
• Illocutionary act: the intended effect or action the speaker wants to achieve by saying something (e.g., requesting, promising).
• Perlocutionary act: the actual effect on the audience, which might differ from the speaker's intended effect (e.g., persuading, scaring).

The Speaker's Meaning (Grice, 1989)

• Implicature refers to the implied meaning communicated by a speaker beyond the literal words.
• Context, circumstances, and inferred meanings are critical for true understanding.

The Cooperative Principle (Grice, 1975, 1989)

• Grice's principle emphasizes cooperative communication, aimed at mutual understanding.
• Participants are expected to communicate in a way that is easy for the other to comprehend.
• The principle has four conversational maxims:
  • Maxim of quantity (providing enough, but not excessive information)
  • Maxim of quality (being truthful and using evidence)
  • Maxim of relevance (making contributions pertinent to the topic)
  • Maxim of manner (being clear, concise, and avoiding ambiguity)

Communication at a Glance

• Communication has evolved from a linear process to a complex, meaning-making exchange rooted in intent and inference.

Different Languages (Codes)

• Communication encompasses verbal and non-verbal language.
• Non-verbal communication includes various forms like:
  • Haptics (touch)
  • Proxemics (personal space)
  • Vocal non-verbal (paralinguistics)
  • Facial expressions
  • Gestures
  • Posture
  • Eye-gazing

The Global Act Theory (Anolli & Ciceri, 1990)

• Meaning arises from a combination of signs and integrated actions across different codes (syncoding).
• Communication involves both local (individual signs) and global (overall pattern) levels.

Vocal Nonverbal Behavior

• Vocal nonverbal behavior includes vocalizations that aren't words, but can convey meanings (sighs, sobs, uh...).
• These are described by parameters like frequency, intensity, rhythm.

Functions of Vocal Nonverbal Behavior

• Vocalizations can express and appeal to others, relaying information and influencing the receiver.