Communication Processes and Ethics

Communication Processes, Principles, and Ethics

• Communication is unavoidable, stemming from our need to express thoughts and feelings.
• Verbal and nonverbal communication exists.
• Communication is the process of creating meaning through a channel, originating from the Latin word communicare, meaning to share ideas.
• Understanding the communication process enhances communication skills.

Source

• The sender carefully crafts the message.
• Can be anyone, from an author to a public speaker.

Message

• The core of any interaction.
• Shared meaning between sender and receiver.
• Examples include poems, songs, essays, news, road signs, and symbols.

Channel

• Method of conveying a message.
• Examples include phone calls, letters, or notifications.
• Sender and receiver must choose the best channel.

Receiver

• The person receiving the message.
• Carefully interprets messages from different senders.
• Should take notes when needed and ask clarifying questions.

Feedback

• Crucial for understanding.
• Confirms the recipient's understanding of the message.
• Can be nods, writing, speaking, or actions.

Environment

• Includes setting, feelings, mood, and mindset of both parties.
• Physical space, surrounding objects, and emotional atmosphere influence communication.

Context

• Consists of sender and receiver expectations and shared understanding.
• Includes environmental cues influencing communication.

Interference

• Barriers that prevent effective communication.
• Types include:
  • Psychological barriers (thoughts hindering message interpretation)
  • Physical barriers (competing stimuli, climate, health)
  • Linguistic/cultural barriers (language differences)
  • Mechanical barriers (problems with communication channels)

Nine Principles of Effective Communication (Michael Osborn 2009)

• Clarity: Clear language is essential; avoid jargon, clichés, and ambiguous expressions.
• Concreteness: Messages should be supported by facts (data, statistics, figures) and avoid abstract terms.
• Courtesy: Be polite and respectful in your approach and manner of addressing others.
• Correctness: Glaring mistakes in grammar obscure the meaning of a sentence—the misuse of language can damage your credibility.
• Consideration: Messages must be geared towards the audience. The sender of a message must consider the recipient's profession, level of education, race, ethnicity, hobbies, interests, passions, advocates, and age when drafting or delivering a message.
• Creativity: Creativity in communication means having the ability to craft interesting messages in terms of sentence structure and word choice.
• Conciseness: Simplicity and directness help you to be concise. Avoid using lengthy expressions and words that may confuse the recipient.
• Cultural Sensitivity: Today, with increasing emphasis on empowering diverse cultures, lifestyles, and races, and the pursuit for gender equality, cultural sensitivity becomes an important standard for effective communication.
• Captivating: You must strive to make messages interesting to command more attention and better responses.

Ethical Considerations in Communication

• Ethics focuses on issues of right and wrong in human affairs.
• Ethical Communicators:
  • Respect audience
  • Consider the result of communication
  • Value truth
  • Use information correctly
  • Do not falsify information

Communication and Globalization

• Globalization refers to communication and assimilation among individuals, ethnicities, races, institutions, governments of various nations supported by technology and compelled by international trade.
• Due to globalization, exposure to diversity increases.
• Globalization is not new; people have been trading for years prior to technological advancement.
• Communication has become increasingly global, blurring national boundaries.
• The ability to communicate effectively in a global setting can be challenging.
• Understanding the differences in conducting communication across countries and cultures helps avoid miscommunication.
• People's backgrounds and experiences influence their view of the world and their values, beliefs, and behavior patterns.

Cultural Barriers to Effective Communication in a Global Environment

• Cultural relativism
• Lack of knowledge of others' culture
• Discrimination and harassment
• Language differences.

Local and Global Communication in Multicultural Settings

• Willingness to interact with people both like and different from yourself is key to improving intercultural communication skills.
• Sensitivity to the concerns of all minority and majority groups is essential for effective communication in a diverse society.
• Being able to sense when a person from another culture doesn't understand you is crucial for adjusting your communication style.
• Fearlessness in communicating with people from both minor and major cultural groups is a sign of intercultural communication competence.
• Acknowledging that people from other cultures may react differently to your communication style based on their cultural background is vital for navigating cross-cultural interactions.
• Avoiding the assumption that your culture is inferior to others is essential for respecting and valuing cultural diversity.
• The ability to manage your behavior when dealing with people of different cultures ensures that you can effectively communicate across cultural boundaries.

Intercultural Communication

• Refers to interactions with people from different cultures.

Forms of Intercultural Communication

• Interracial communication: Communicating with people of different races.
• Interethnic communication: Interacting with people of different ethnic origins.
• International communication: Communicating between representatives of different nations.
• Intracultural communication: Interacting with members of the same racial or ethnic group.

High-Context vs. Low-Context Communication (Gamble and Gamble, 2008)

• High-context communication: A tradition-linked system emphasizing indirect communication.
• Low-context communication: A system relying on straightforward communication.

Improving Intercultural Communication Competence

• Recognize the validity and differences of communication styles among people.
• Eliminate personal biases and prejudices.
• Develop communication skills necessary in a multicultural world.