Communication: An Introduction PDF

# Communication: An Introduction ## "You cannot NOT communicate" ### Introduction - Every behavior is a kind of communication. - There is no anti-behavior, therefore it is not possible not to communicate. ### The Importance of Communication - The old adage "No man is an island" is true in tod...

# Communication: An Introduction ## "You cannot NOT communicate" ### Introduction - Every behavior is a kind of communication. - There is no anti-behavior, therefore it is not possible not to communicate. ### The Importance of Communication - The old adage "No man is an island" is true in today's society. - Different forms of media help us relate with people all over the world. - Communication is necessary to share feelings, needs, and information. - Communication is essential for relationships, communities, schools, and workplaces. - Without effective communication, relationships break, communities become chaotic, workplaces may suffer from low productivity. ### Context in Communication: - The context of communication includes the physical setting, the values of the speaker/listener, and the relevance/appropriateness of the message. - Different contexts impact communication. For example, different communication types can influence how someone communicates in a workplace versus at home. ### The Communication Model - **Communication** means encoding and transmitting information to others through sounds, symbols, and actions. - **Decoding** means understanding and interpreting the information. - **Schramm's Model** shows that communication is cyclical, with both the sender and the receiver encoding and decoding messages. ### The Importance of the Communication Process - Communication influences our relationships. - Communication affects a leader's effectiveness. - Ethical Communication is being respectful and considerate of all involved. - True communication means accepting other's freedoms of choice. - Our attitudes toward others have a greater impact on communication than the actual message. - Choice-making is an important part of the communication process. ### Key Communication Terms: - **Messages** are words, sounds, actions, and gestures that people use when they interact. - **Symbols** are words, sounds, actions, or gestures that refer to something else (examples: words, gestures, sounds, actions, and emojis). - **Referent** is the thing that the symbol refers to. - **Language** is the verbal system that allows us to translate words into meaning. - **Non-verbal symbols** are sounds, actions, or gestures that have a common understanding (examples: facial expressions, body language, and gestures). - **Media (Channel)** are any means of communication through which symbols are transmitted and meanings are represented (examples: voice, gestures, and technology). - **Natural Media** includes our own voice, gestures, and bodies. - **Technological Media** includes electronic devices: cellphones, computers, internet, email, videos, and more. - **Meaning** refers to the interpretation that people assign to a message. - **Managing** refers to handling or supervising people, processes, or materials. ### Assumptions About Communication - **Communication is a Process:** As information flows back and forth, communication evolves. The same words and symbols can mean different things in different situations. - **Communication Creates Our Social World:** Our communication creates and changes our understanding of the world around us. - **Communication is Functional:** Communication has a purpose, helps explain things, negotiate, brainstorm, direct, and make decisions. - **Communication is Limiting and Liberating:** While cultural norms impact our communication, being willing to break those norms and use creative types of communication can be liberating and can change existing norms. - **Communication is Adaptive:** We must adjust our communication to align with the time, place, and audience. ### Communication is Holistic - Communication is complex, multifaceted, and involves the speaker, the audience, and the interaction between them. **Key considerations to holistically understand communication:** * What the communicators are doing together. * What they are doing at a specific time. * What they are doing in a specific place. * What led up to the specific interaction. * What their hopes are for the future. - **Focusing on the complete communication process is important** because limiting attention to only the speaker's intent or the audience's perception of the message hinders a complete understanding of communication. ### Communication is Ambiguous - We often may not understand one another completely, even when we think we do. - This clarity can cause conflict or even war. **Benefits of Ambiguity:** * It can help people with diverse opinions work together. * It can promote even greater creativity. ### Communication is Crucial to Quality Life - We are always communicating, even when we are silent. - The way that we communicate impacts our lives and creates the kinds of communities and societies in which we live. ### Communication and Competence - To be a competent communicator, we need to: * Be motivated to communicate competently. * Be knowledgeable about the communication situation. * Possess the relevant skills (communication skills). - Competence: appropriate and effective communication in a given situation. - Communication competence requires: * Choice for clarity or ambiguity * Choice for persuasion or not ### Communication Principles 1. To write or not to write (when is it appropriate, when is it not?) 2. To specify is to exclude (the specifics of the message) 3. Positive or negative (the overall tone of the message) 4. Writing is script-writing (think about what you are communicating before you communicate) 5. Know your intent (understand your objective) 6. Say what you mean, mean what you say (be clear and consistent) 7. Beware of the inadvertent message (convey the right message) 8. Communication is linked to social process (the context influences the message) 9. Restricted or elaborated (how formal or informal should the message be?) 10. Focus on the practicable response (consider reactions of the audience) ### Guidelines for Effective Communication * **Clarity of Purpose:** Clearly define the purpose of your message or speech. * **Support with Facts:** Provide specific and accurate information. * **Be Concise:** Avoid unnecessary details. * **Provide Specific Feedback:** Feedback should be constructive, specific, and relevant to the topic of the conversation. * **Adjust to the needs of the audience:** Consider the audience's beliefs, values, and perspectives. ## Types of Communication * **Verbal/Non-verbal Communication:** This is combined for effectiveness; it includes words and more (tone of voice, body language, facial expressions). * **Visual Communication:** Using images, symbols, and digital media to transmit information (examples: charts, maps, diagrams, icons, emojis, videos). * **Meaning:** The interpretation people assign to a message. * **Managing:** Overseeing the communicating process. * **Assumptions about Communication:** The general assumptions that shape the way we understand communication. ## Assumptions about Communication - **Communication is Process:** Information changes and evolves over time. - **Communication Creates Our Social World:** Communication shapes the world around us. - **Communication is Functional:** Communication has a purpose, helps us achieve goals. - **Communication is Limiting and Liberating:** We operate within cultural norms but can sometimes break those norms and experiment with new forms of communication. - **Communication is Adaptive:** We should adjust our communication to align with the time, the place, and the audience. ## Types of Communication According to Mode: **Verbal/Non-verbal:** Using a combination of these two. * **Verbal:** Using words or sounds. * **Non-verbal:** Using symbols, gestures, and facial expressions. **Visual:** Using images, symbols, and digital media. **Types of Communication According to Purpose and Style:** * **Formal:** Written communication (lectures, speeches, presentations). * **Informal:** Casual conversation (between friends, family, and peers). ## Communication Modes * **Face-to-Face:** Face-to-face conversation allows for immediate exchange of ideas, expressions, and feedback. * **Video:** Web cameras, apps, and other tools allow for long-distance interaction with visual and auditory cues. * **Audio:** This means using only the voice (phone calls, voice messages). ## Communication Models * **One-Way Communication:** This model is unidirectional; the source transmits the message to the receiver, and feedback is not a main part of communication. * **Two-Way Communication:** This model involves interaction, but the source still takes the lead. * **Transactional Communication:** This model recognizes that communication is a process and that people are simultaneously senders and receivers. ## Elements of Transactional Communication * **Source:** Originator of the message * **Receiver:** Recipient of the message * **Message:** The information being shared * **Feedback:** Response to the message * **Environment:** The context in which communication takes place * **Situation:** The specific circumstance of the communication ## Key Points about Transactional Communication: * **Communication is a Process:** It is continuous and evolves. * **Communication is a Gestalt/Totality:** Communication is a dynamic, complex, and interrelated process that draws on our different systems. * **Communication is Perceptual and Creative:** Individuals perceive the same event differently, influenced by unique experiences and frames of reference. * **Communication is Uncertain:** We cannot predict exactly how any communication will unfold. ## Communication Models: Information Age Responsive - **Information Transfer Model:** This one-way model emphasizes the source of the message and how it is transmitted. - **Communication as Sharing Meaning:** This model emphasizes the importance of shared understanding between communicators (interactive, transactional). * **Interactive Model** (communication is circular). * **Transactional Model** (communication is dynamic and interdependent). ## Communication as Persuasion - **Persuasion** aims to influence the beliefs, actions, or values of others. - **Key considerations:** * Who is the audience? * What are the audience's existing values and beliefs? * What arguments will have the most impact? * What evidence is needed to support the claims? * How will the desired impact be achieved? ## Communication as Community - **Communication shapes our sense of community:** The way we interact, our shared values, and the common goals we pursue bring us together. ### Types of Communication: * **Formal:** Communication between individuals in a formal setting (speeches, presentations, reports, etc.). * **Informal:** Casual conversation between friends, family members, or peers. * **Intercultural:** Communication across different cultures. * **Intrapersonal:** Communication with ourselves. * **Interpersonal:** Communication between two or more people - a two-way communication. * **Mass Communication:** Communication with larger audiences through media channels (broadcasting, online, public speaking, etc.). ### Communication Ethics: * **Integrity:** Be honest, truthful, and accurate in communication. * **Respect:** Recognize and respect the diversity of others. * **Mutuality:** Consider the needs of others. * **Individual Dignity:** Communicate in a way that does not cause embarrassment or loss of dignity. * **Accuracy:** Ensure that information is correct. * **Access to Information:** Ensure that individuals have access to essential information in the context of communication. * **Accountability:** Take ownership of one's actions and words. ### Unethical Communication * Threats the quality of communication and the well-being of individuals and the society. ### Ethics of Communication * **Communication Ethics:** A framework for understanding morals and the impact of communication. * **Key Ethical Considerations:** * **Integrity:** Being honest and truthful. * **Respect:** Being considerate of diversity. * **Mutuality:** Being aware of the needs of others. * **Individual Dignity:** Communicating in a way that preserves dignity. * **Accuracy:** Providing accurate information. * **Access to Information:** Ensuring that people have access to necessary information. * **Accountability:** Taking ownership of actions. ## Ethical Communication: - **Ten Ethical Principles:** * **Mutuality**: Consider the needs of others in addition to your own. * **Individual Dignity:** Communicate in a way that preserves the dignity of the individual. * **Accuracy:** Communicate factual information as best as possible. * **Access to Information:** Ensure that others have access to information. * **Honesty:** Be truthful and transparent. * **Fairness:** Communicate in a way that is just. * **Respect for Diversity:** Show respect for different cultures, perspectives, and beliefs. * **Responsibility:** Think critically about the impact of communication. * **Empathy:** Consider the feelings and perspectives of others. * **Sensitivity:** Use a tactful and respectful tone. ## Communication as Community - **Communication creates communities:** The way we interact with others, the shared values we embrace, and the goals we pursue develop into something bigger than ourselves. - **Community:** A group of people in a shared physical, mental, or virtual space; bonded by shared goals, values, or experiences. ## The Importance of Communication: * Communication is essential to our relationships and social worlds. * Communication can build trust and maintain healthy communities. * Communication is vital in the workplace for effective collaboration and team-building. * Communication can help us understand and navigate the world around us with greater understanding and empathy. ## Unspoken Communication - Non-verbal Communication - **Non-verbal communication:** Is often unintentional; it can include body language, space, time, and artifacts. * **Body Language:** Includes facial expressions, gestures, posture, and touch. * **Space:** The way we use space can communicate social distance and closeness. * **Time:** The way we perceive and use time. * **Artifacts:** Our belongings, clothing, and possessions. ## The Importance of Non-verbal Communication: * Non-verbal communication can impact our message in different ways: * **Augment:** It complements the verbal message. * **Replace:** We use it when words are not possible. * **Contradict:** It may conflict with the verbal message. ## Conclusion: Communication is a powerful tool that shapes our lives, our relationships, and the world around us. It is a dynamic and ever-evolving process that is essential for building strong connections, creating shared meaning, and achieving our goals. Mastering communication effectively is a key skill for success in both our personal and professional lives.