Introduction to Communications

• Communications: Cultural and Community, MCP16, Week 1 – Introduction to Communications
• Lecturer: Dr. Anthony Friel
• Date: 05-09/01/2025

Learning Outcomes

• Define communications
• Distinguish communication categories
• Distinguish communication types

Defining Communication

• Etymology is the study of word origins.
• "Communication" originates from the Latin word "communis", which means common.
• Communication involves two or more people exchanging ideas, facts, feelings, or impressions.
• Successful communication results in a shared understanding of the message's meaning, intent, and use.
• According to DeVoe (2004), communication is exchanging information.
• Successful communication requires transmission of meaning, understanding, and acceptance.
• Misunderstandings are common in communication.
• Shannon and Weaver defined communication as transmitting information from a sender to a receiver through a medium or channel
• This definition includes the possibility of noise interfering with transmission, (1946).
• Communication involves exchanging thoughts, messages, or information through speech, signals, writing, or behavior
• Communication also involves interpersonal rapport.

Basic Communication Model

• Sender encodes a message through a channel
• Message is subject to noise
• Receiver decodes message, giving feedback to sender

Types of Communication

• Intrapersonal
• Interpersonal
• Group
• Mass
• Extrapersonal

Communication Types Explained

• Intrapersonal communication is communicating within oneself, acting as both sender and receiver, and using unspoken words to consciously engage in self-talk and inner speech.
• Interpersonal communication is an exchange of information between two or more people.
• Group communication is sending and receiving messages to multiple group members.
• It extends interpersonal communication to involve more than two individuals exchanging ideas, skills, and interests.
• Group communication provides direct interaction among group members, considered effective, but can be time-consuming and inefficient, especially in emergencies, as limitations.
• Mass communication is imparting or exchanging information on a large scale to a wide range of people.
• Mass communication is creating, sending, receiving, and analyzing messages to large audiences via verbal and written media
• The field considers message creation, purpose, and medium, including print, digital media, the Internet, social media, radio, and television.
• Extrapersonal Communication is the way a human interacts with other species or non-human entities.

Activity

• Groups of 4 required to work out film names from emojis using teamwork and communication skills
• Task link: https://www.liveworksheets.com/worksheets/en/English_as_a_Second_Language_(ESL)/Films_-_movies/Guess_the_movie_emoticon_dr1400366uj
• One person completes task with group direction.
• Click "Finish", then "Check My Answer".
• Screenshot score, paste with group name at https://padlet.com/anthony_friel/mn9bmohu7mm4c2te
• Teams get 5 minutes to place movie names beside emojis and complete tasks
• Award goes to the first team scoring 10/10 and correctly posting

Drawing Game Activity

• In groups of two, participants play the Drawing Game
• Player one decides on object, keeping it secret.
• Player two gets paper/pen.
• Player one describes object, giving instructions (e.g., start in the middle, draw a line),
• Player two draws as described.
• Player one reveals the object, player two reveals their drawing
• The classes decides the best effort/image
• Object should not be too simple and creative license is encouraged
• Time limit 10 min

Communication Categories

• Verbal vs. Non-Verbal
• Formal vs. Informal
• Personal vs. Impersonal
• Instrumental vs. Expressive
• Intentional vs. Unintentional

Verbal vs. Non-Verbal

• Verbal communication uses words to convey a message: it can be written or oral.
  • Written: Letters, texting, emailing
  • Oral: Face-to-face conversations, speech, Instagram video post
• Nonverbal communication uses body language to convey a message.
  • Body Language: covering mouth, head nod, finger tapping, arms crossed.
• Non-verbal behavior helps to share emotions and communicate intensions with verbal language.
• Developing language skills without accompanying non-verbal behaviors hinders communication
• Non-verbal communication can cause intercultural tensions but isn't constrained by fluency

Chart of verbal and non-verbal

Formal vs. Informal

• Formal communication follows official routes/channels, such as business communication
• Informal communication takes place between two or more parties without official channels.
  • Formal communication: Deliberately structured, well-planned, prescribed chain of command, rigid.
  • Informal communication: Spontaneous, unplanned, flexible.

Personal vs. Impersonal

• Personal conversations are with those you know intimately and have deeper context.
• Impersonal conversations are with those you've just met and are superficial.
• Personal: A type of interaction that includes a connection between two or more people.
• Impersonal: A type of interaction that is based on superficial roles with conversations based on informal and superficial topics.

Expressive vs. Instrumental Communication

• Expressive communication uses verbal and non-verbal cues like gestures and facial expressions.
• Expressive talk establishes closeness.
• Instrumental communication transmits intended meaning (*informational and/or persuasive) accurately and effectively, where communication is merely a means to an end.
• Instrumental talk solves problems
• Expressive vs. Instrumental: Medical staff focuses on keeping patient alive, however patient may feel staff absence of expressive behavior, feeling uncaring.

Intentional vs. Unintentional Communication

• Intentional communication is the deliberate words, actions, and visual support consciously chosen.
• Unintentional communication includes everything else like carelessly chosen words or location transmitted.
• During a lecture, a student yawning can be interpreted for disinterest by the professor but could be fatigue, etc.
• The intentional message can affect change in lecturing style
• A gap between what was intended and what was actually received is the ‘communication gap’ that’s referred to as "noise".