Intro to Communication Complete PDF

The Dynamic World of Communication Lesson1 Learning Objectives At the end of the lesson, the students are expected to: ØDefine communication and come up with a working definition; ØValue the importance of communication in their lives; ØIdentify the features of communication; and ØUnderstand the im...

The Dynamic World of Communication Lesson1 Learning Objectives At the end of the lesson, the students are expected to: ØDefine communication and come up with a working definition; ØValue the importance of communication in their lives; ØIdentify the features of communication; and ØUnderstand the importance of communication. Defining Communication ¡In its simplest form, communication is the transmission of a message from a source to a receiver (Baran, 2006) ¡The sending or exchanging of thoughts, opinions or information by speech, writing or signs (Webster 1997) ¡Communication is the transfer of information and understanding from one person to another. (Newstrom, 2011) ¡Communication is a subject so frequently discussed that the term itself has become too meaningful – too many different meanings for people. Defining Communication ¡Let’s agree on our working definition ¡According to Julia Wood (Communication Mosaics, 2004)… ¡Communication is a systemic process in which people interact with and through symbols to create and interpret meanings. Features of Communication Four important facets: ¡PROCESS ¡SYSTEMIC ¡SYMBOLIC ¡MEANINGS Process ¡Communication is a process. ¡Which means that it is ongoing and always in motion ¡We cannot freeze communication at any one moment.  Systemic ¡Communication takes place within systems. ¡A system consists of interrelated parts that affect one another. ¡ In family communication, each family member is a part of the system. ¡ Physical environment and the time of the day are elements of the system that affect interaction. ¡ People interact differently in a living room than they do on a beach or a bar. ¡ A lingering kiss may be appropriate in a private setting but the same action will raise eyebrows in an office.  Symbolic ¡Communication relies on symbols, which are abstract, arbitrary, and ambiguous representations of other things. ¡We might symbolize love by giving a ring, saying “I love you,” or closely embracing the other person ¡A promotion might be symbolized by a new title or a larger office. Meanings ¡Meanings are the heart of communication. ¡These are the significance we give on phenomena or what they signify to us. We do not find meanings in experience itself. Instead, we use symbols to create meanings. ¡We ask others to clarify our thinking, figure out what things mean, enlarge our perspectives, check our perceptions and label feelings to give them reality. ¡In all these ways, we actively construct meaning by interacting with symbols. Communication Principles ¡Communication can be intentional or unintentional. ¡It’s impossible not to communicate. ¡Communication is irreversible ¡Communication is unrepeatable Meanings ¡ Communication has two levels of meaning: ¡ Content level of meaning ¡ is the literal message. ¡ Relationship level of meaning ¡ Expresses the relationship between communicators. ¡ Example: If you knock on a door and the person who opens it says, “Come in,” the content level of meaning says that you should enter. ¡ Whereas in the relationship level, if the person who opens the door is a friend who smiles warmly as she says “Come in,” you would probably conclude that the person likes you and is glad to see you. Why do we need to study Communication? We’ve been communicating all our lives. So why do I need to study this field? Importance of Communication (Wood, 2004) ¡Formal study can improve skill. ¡Even if you communicate well now, learning about communication can make you more effective. ¡Theories and principles of communication also help us make sense of what happens in our everyday lives, and they help us to have influence. ¡Personal Life, Professional Life, Civic Life. Personal Life ¡According to George Herbert Mead (1934), humans are talked into humanity. ¡We gain our personal identities by communicating with others. ¡Example: Parents: “You’re so smart.” We first see ourselves through the eyes of others, so their messages form important foundations of our self- concepts. ¡The profound connection between communication and identity is dramatically evident in children who are deprived of human contact. Personal Life ¡Communication also directly influences our physical well-being. ¡Research consistently shows that communicating with others promotes health, whereas social isolation is linked to stress, disease and early death (Crowley, 1995) ¡ People who lack close friends have greater levels of anxiety and depression than people who are close to others ¡ Heart disease ¡ Women with metastatic breast cancer Personal Relationships ¡Effective communication is the heart of personal relationships. ¡We build connections with others by revealing our private identities, asking questions and listening to answers, working out problems, remembering shared history and planning a future. ¡Everyday talk and nonverbal interaction are the essence of relationships. Civic Life ¡ Communication skills are vital to the health of our society ¡ From painting on the walls of caves to telling stories in village squares to interacting on the Internet, people have found ways to communicate with each other to build a common social world. ¡ To be effective, citizens in a democracy must be able to express ideas and evaluate ethical and logical strength of claims ¡ To make informed judgments, voters need to listen critically to candidates’ arguments and responses to questions. Professional Life ¡ Communication skills are critical for success in professional life. ¡ Professions such as teaching, law, sales and counseling, where talking and listening are central to effectiveness ¡ One survey found that 79% of New York City corporate executives ranked the ability to express ideas verbally as the most important qualification in hiring and evaluating employees. ¡ In a 1998 poll, people who feel they are effective communicators are more successful in a variety of careers Communication is the cornerstone of human experience. Your decision to study it will serve you well. (Wood, 2004) Activity Answer the questions in a short essay and make a catchy title for your essay. Do you believe that communication is the cornerstone of human experience? Why? How do you apply it in the development of your personality? Levels and Components of Communication Communication Contexts (Levels) § Intrapersonal Communication § Interpersonal Communication § Small Group Communication § Organizational Communication § Mass Communication § Public Communication § Intercultural Communication § Extra-personal Communication Communication Contexts ¡Intrapersonal Communication ¡ Communication within the self ¡ It includes imagining, perceiving, or solving problems in your head ¡ is undertaken in order to reflect upon or appreciate something. ¡ Levels of communication activity: ¡ Internal discourse ¡ Solo vocal communication ¡ Solo written communication Communication Contexts ¡Interpersonal Communication ¡The process of message transaction between people (usually two) who work toward creating and sustaining shared meaning. ¡Direct interpersonal communication ¡Mediated interpersonal communication Communication Contexts ¡Small Group Communication ¡Communication between and among members of a task group who meet for a common purpose or goal. ¡Interaction of people in small groups usually in decision-making settings ¡ Occurs in classrooms, the workplace, and in more social environments (sports teams or book clubs) Communication Contexts ¡Organizational Communication ¡ Communication with and among large, extended environments with a defined hierarchy. ¡ This context also includes communication among members within those environments ¡ Org. Comm. may involve other communication types: ¡ Interpersonal (Supervisor/ subordinate relationship) ¡ Small Group (task group preparing a report) ¡ Intrapersonal (daydreaming at work) Communication Contexts ¡Mass Communication ¡Communication to a large audience via some mediated channel such as television, radio, the Internet, or newspapers. Communication Contexts ¡ Public Communication ¡ Communication in which one person gives a speech to a large audience in person. ¡ Public communication is often called public speaking ¡ Public speakers have predetermined goals in mind, such as informing, persuading, or entertaining. Communication Contexts ¡ Intercultural Communication ¡ Extrapersonal Communication ¡ Communication that aims to ¡ Communication between humans share information across and non-human entities or different cultures and social machines groups The Components of the Communication Process Let’s discuss the components of the said process. The Components of the Communication Process ¡Sender ¡ Source of a message (West, 2009) ¡ encodes a message intended to produce the desired response ¡ The person who initiates the communication process ¡ The sender may be the writer of a letter, the first speaker in a conversation or the person who initiates the process through a gesture (Pathak, 2005) The Components of the Communication Process ¡Message ¡ the physical product of the source ¡ spoken, written, or unspoken information sent from a sender to a receiver (West, 2009) ¡ Thoughts, ideas, and concepts that the sender wishes to communicate to the reader; since thoughts or ideas do not have physical form, they cannot be directly transmitted to the receiver. ¡ The sender therefore “encodes” the message using an appropriate code. (Language is also a type of code.) The Components of the Communication Process ¡Receiver ¡ recipient of the message; if the receiver fails to respond right to the message then, communication is not effective (Manalo, 2006) ¡ The intended target of a message (West, 2009) ¡ He or she might be the listener, the reader, or observer ¡ He or she usually responds to the sender by: ¡ Listening or reading or observing carefully ¡ Interpreting the message ¡ Responding to the message The Components of the Communication Process ¡Channel ¡ message vehicle and message carrier ¡ Pathway to communication (West, 2009) ¡ It represents our senses (visual/ sight, tactile/touch, olfactory/smell, and auditory/hearing) ¡ Channels can be classified as follows: ¡ Verbal and non-verbal ¡ Written and oral ¡ Electronic (telephone, fax, internet etc.) ¡ Choosing the right channel is dependent on who your receiver is. The Components of the Communication Process ¡Feedback/ Effect ¡ A verbal (respond in words) or non-verbal (facial expressions, body posture, and so forth) response to a message. ¡ Two types: ¡ Internal feedback occurs when you assess your own communication ¡ External feedback is the response you receive from other people The Components of the Communication Process ¡Noise (Interference) ¡Also referred to as communication barriers ¡Anything that interferes with the message ¡According to West, there are four types of noise: 1. Physical noise (external noise) – involves any stimuli outside of the receiver that makes the message difficult to hear 2. Physiological noise – biological influences on a sender or receiver that interfere with the transmission or reception of a message. The Components of the Communication Process ¡Noise (Interference) 3. Psychological noise (internal noise) – biases, prejudices, and feelings that interfere with the accurate transmission or reception of a message. 4. Semantic noise – occurs when senders and receivers apply different meanings to the same message; it may take the form of jargon, technical language, and other words and phrases that are familiar to the sender but that are not understood by the receiver. Activity ¡ Prepare and present a 15-minute group skit about the level of communication that will be assigned to your group (5-6 members). ¡ Apply the concepts and principles of communication in your presentation. Criteria for Grading: Message/Story - 40% Creativity and Originality: 30% Performance: 20% Audience Impact: 10% The Communication Process Let’s examine the process through various communication models.  Linear Model of Communication A characterization of communication as a one-way process that transmits a message from a sender to a receiver. (West, 2009) Linear Model: Berlo’s S-M-C-R Model ¡ David K. Berlo ¡ Ph.D. in Communications, University of Illinois, Charles Osgood was his faculty adviser ¡ A “disciple” of Wilbur Schramm ¡ Previously served as Director of Department of Communications, Michigan State University ¡ Joined Illinois State as President of the university (1970-1973)  Linear Model: Berlo’s S-M-C-R Model SOURCE MESSAGE CHANNEL RECEIVER Comm. Skills Encodes Decodes Comm. Skills Content Hearing Attitudes Attitudes Elements Seeing Knowledge Knowledge Treatment Touching Social Social System Structure Smelling System Culture Code Tasting Culture ¡A source encodes a message for a channel to a receiver who decodes the message.  "In fact, it is misleading to think of the communication process as starting somewhere and ending somewhere. It is really endless. We are little switchboard centers handling and rerouting the great endless current of information.... " (Schramm W.1954) quoted in McQuail&Windahl (1981) Interactional Model: Osgood-Schramm’s Model ¡ Wilbur Schramm emphasized the importance of the study of communication as a discipline of study. He founded the Institute of Communications Research at the University of Illinois in 1947. ¡ In 1954, with fellow theorist Charles E. Osgood, he created a circular model of communication that focused not only on the components of communication, but also on the behaviors of senders and receivers. Interactional Model: Osgood-Schramm’s Model Encoder Decoder Interpret Interpreter er Decoder Encoder Interactional Model: Osgood-Schramm’s Model ¡Wilbur Schramm (1954) developed a graphic way to represent the reciprocal nature of communication. (Baran, 2010) ¡This model shows that communication goes in two directions: sender to receiver and from receiver to sender. ¡This circular process suggests that communication is ongoing rather than linear. ¡The interactional approach is characterized primarily by feedback, which can be defined as responses to people, their messages or both. Shared Meaning and the Transactional Model(West, 2009) A characterization of communication as the reciprocal sending and receiving of messages. In a transactional encounter, the sender and receiver do not simply send meaning from one to the other and then back again; rather, they build shared meaning through simultaneous sending and receiving. Transactional Model (West, 2009) NOISE (Receiver/ Sender) Message (Receiver/ Sender) Field of Experience Field of Experience Shared field of experience Shared Meaning and the Transactional Model (West, 2009) ¡Giving and receiving of messages is simultaneous and mutual ¡Transactional indicates that the communication process is cooperative ¡The transactional process requires ongoing negotiation of meaning ¡It is characterized by a common “field of experience” ¡ Refers to the influence of a person’s culture, past experiences, personal history and heredity on the communication process ¡ When two people’s fields of experience overlap, they can communicate effectively.  In Summary Early models showed that communication is linear and that senders and receivers have separate roles and functions. The interactional approach expanded that thinking and considered communication as a + circular process where feedback is involved between communicators. The transactional approach refined our understanding by stressing the importance of the communicator’s field of experience, by showing the simultaneous sending and receiving of messages and by focusing on the mutual involvement of the communicators to create meaning. Model of Mass Communication ¡Wilbur Schramm (1954) mass audience Organization Many receivers, each decoding, interpreting, encoding Encoder Each connected with a group in which the message is Many reinterpreted and often Decoder identical acted upon messages Delayed inferential feedback Input from news sources, art sources, etc. Resources ¡ Wood, Julia T., Communication Mosaics An Introduction to the Field of Communication. 3rdEdition. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/ Thomson Learning, 2004. ¡ West, Richard; Turner, Lynn H., Understanding Interpersonal Communication. International 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2009. ¡ Tubbs, Stewart; Moss, Sylvia, Human Communication Principles and Contexts. 11th Edition. NY: McGraw-Hill, 2008. ¡ Morreale, Sherwyn P.; Spitzberg, Brian H., Human Communication Motivation, Knowledge, & Skills.Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/ Thomson Learning, 2001. ¡ Manalo, Paterna E. and Fermin, Virginia E., Fundamental Speech Communication for Filipinos. Mandaluyong City: National Bookstore, 2006. Thank you very much!