Elements of Communication Chapter 2 – pages 24-49 http://www.chsrf.ca/other_documents/cartoons/Communication.jpg

Essential Elements of Communication Verbal messages Nonverbal messages Perception Channel Feedback Context

Verbal messages Messages that use words Spoken or written Includes choice of words and order of words “Can you tell me how to get to the movie theater?” “The AMC, where do I find it?”

Verbal Messages (cont) To communicate effectively, a person must select the most precise words to get his or her ideas across. What mostly happens when people DON’T think about what they are saying before they say it?

Verbal Messages (cont) When choosing which words to use, a speaker must consider the denotative meaning and connotative meaning. Denotative = dictionary definition Connotative = emotional response to words (usually positive or negative)

Connotative Meanings Some connotative meanings are shared by a culture or society Capitalism and democracy from American perspective Capitalism and democracy from Chinese perspective

Connotative Meanings (cont) Some connotative meanings vary by individuals What do you think of when you hear the word rose?

Connotative Meanings (cont) How do the connotative meanings of the word rose vary in these examples? When Marissa was young, her father worked nights and rarely could make it to her dance recitals. When he could attend, he always bought her a bouquet of roses and took her to dinner to celebrate. These are some of her favorite childhood memories of her father.

Connotative Meanings (cont) When Arianna was 8, she was in the hospital because of a head concussion. The doctors gave her many shots, and put her in many terrifying machines during the three days she was there. Many of her family members sent her roses and get-well cards. Now, when she sees a rose, she thinks about the shots and the machines in the hospital.

Language Evolves Language changes over time Score – twenty Slang is informal language unique to a group Slang changes frequently Most difficult for non-members to understand

Language Evolves (cont) New speakers bring elements of old language and add to the new (Semi-) common words added to American English- also called loanwords Zombie (African) Tsunami (Japanese) Attorney (French) Literature (French) Ghetto (Italian) Information from http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~kemmer/Words/loanwords.html

Nonverbal messages Messages without words How do you create messages without words? Appearance Facial expressions Eye contact, posture Gestures Voice

Individual Perceptions Perception – process of giving meaning to information you learn through your five senses 2 steps Something affects your senses You interpret and explain sensation

Individual Perceptions You hear a friend say, “It’s about time you showed up.” He sounds like he is growling You interpret – he’s angry He smiles as he says it You interpret – he’s teasing you, and glad that you came

Individual Perceptions Each person perceives differently Person A hears a joke Person B hears an insult Three major factors influence perception Physical differences Past Experiences Present situation

Individual Perceptions Physical differences People’s senses differ Near-sighted/far-sighted, difficulty hearing Past experiences Cultural knowledge, things that you have done or experienced in your life, interests Present situation How you feel mentally and physically at the time of the communication

More Perception Definitions Stereotyping- labeling people as part of a group and treating them as if they possessed only the characteristics of that group Sexism- behavior, conditions, or attitudes that foster stereotypes of social roles based on sex Ageism- prejudice or discrimination against a particular age- group and especially the elderly Racism- prejudice or discrimination against a particular race Ethnocentrism- characterized by or based on the attitude that one's own group is superior

Channels of Communication Channel – the way that a message is communicated You say something (sound) Your facial expressions (sight) Your smell (smell) {Did you remember your deodorant today? People receive messages from this} Giving someone a hug (touch) We rarely use taste to communicate – so don’t go licking strangers!

Channels of Communication People often place greater emphasis on one channel over another When we have trouble understanding a message, the difficulty is the result of noise Noise – anything that interferes with a listener’s ability to receive a message

Channels of Communication Examples of noise Daydreaming Actual noise from TV, radio, etc Reading/writing a text while someone is speaking A headache Boredom Uncomfortable environment

Feedback Feedback = the messages that a listener sends a speaker about how the communication is being perceived Feedback can be verbal and nonverbal Feedback can be positive or negative

Feedback Positive feedback Negative feedback Tells the speaker that the message is being communicated clearly Smile, nodding head, laugh, “Yeah!,” “That makes sense” Negative feedback Tells speaker that the message is unclear Frown, raised eyebrow, questioning look, “What?,” “I don’t get it”

Feedback Effective communicators respond and adapt to the feedback they receive Positive feedback -> explain less, move through material more quickly Negative feedback -> explain more, slow down, find different ways to say/explain things Feedback differs by culture Some cultures find it rude to make eye contact, for example

Feedback Self-Feedback Being aware of your behavior, and adjusting your actions and communication accordingly Examples: Feel like you’re talking too much, or not enough; feel like you’re getting silly/angry/etc and monitoring yourself

Context The setting and people that surround a message Helps reveal message’s real meaning Setting – how does the time, location, and occasion affect the message? Dad has been working late this week, and not getting enough sleep. He comes home really late one night and yells at your younger brother for not tying his shoes, even though your brother doesn’t know how to tie his shoes. The time and the occasion help you to understand that Dad is upset because it’s late and he’s tired, not because he’s really mad at your brother.

Context People are part of context Who you are talking to, and who is around when you are talking, will influence what you say and how you say it