Communication Process Flashcards

Study Notes

Communication involves generating meanings using verbal and nonverbal symbols across contexts, cultures, and media; it is a dynamic process.

Sender-Receivers: Engage in sending and receiving messages simultaneously, sharing meaning continuously.
Message: Composed of ideas and feelings shared; relies on common referents for understanding and incorporates symbols.
Channel: The medium through which a message travels, primarily sound and sight in face-to-face interactions.
Feedback: Responses between sender-receivers; important for understanding and improving communication effectiveness.
Noise: Interference in communication, classified as:
- External noise: Environmental factors hindering message clarity.
- Internal noise: Distractions from sender-receivers' thoughts or feelings.
- Semantic noise: Misunderstandings due to emotional responses to words.
Setting: The communicative environment which changes how communication is perceived, including social power dynamics.

Symbol: Represents another concept; includes verbal and nonverbal forms.
Verbal Symbols: Language words representing ideas; can be concrete (object-representing) or abstract (idea-representing).
Nonverbal Symbols: Include facial expressions, gestures, and posture, with variations across cultures; often involuntary.

Computer's Role: Acts as "the great leveler," altering social cues in communication.
Synchronous Communication: Real-time interaction without delay (e.g., instant messaging).
Asynchronous Communication: Interaction that does not happen simultaneously (e.g., email).

Participation is ongoing and simultaneous; individuals are involved in both sending and receiving.
All communication occurs within a context that encompasses past, present, and future influences.
Communicators assume various roles, shaped by societal expectations and personal relationships.

Intrapersonal Communication: Internal dialogue and symbolic processing you conduct individually; examples include daydreaming, reading aloud.
Interpersonal Communication: One-on-one interactions, typically informal, providing significant feedback opportunities.
Small-Group Communication: Involves problem-solving among a few individuals; typically structured and formal.
Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC): Uses various technologies for interaction, differing significantly from traditional face-to-face communication.
Public Communication: Involves larger audiences, focusing on delivering messages to a wider public.
Intercultural Communication: Addresses interactions across diverse cultural backgrounds, highlighting differences in communication styles and interpretations.

Effective feedback enhances mutual understanding and communication efficacy.
The environment, including physical setting and arrangement, can profoundly affect interaction patterns and perceptions.