Fundamentals of Communication
Process of Using Messages to Exchange Meaning Define Communication
Self Image Relationships Life Skills Civil Obligation Professional Success Why Study Communication?
Intrapersonal Communication process individually Depends on perceptions Interpersonal Exchange of information between 2 or more people Message being sent and message being received Public Communication between equals Receive and send messages, ideas, and opinions Mass Broadcast of information through an unanswerable voice to a large audience Computer Mediated (CMC) Human communication that occurs through use of 2 or more electronic devices 5 Types
communication-definition-types-advantages.html communication-definition-types-advantages.html Oral Communication
Similarities- Symbolic Rule guided Be intentional or unintentional Culture-bound (i.e. restricted in character/outlook by belonging/referring to particular culture) Differences Nonverbal is perceived as more believable Nonverbal can be multi-channeled (i.e. through multiple channels both direct and indirect) Nonverbal is continuous Nonverbal vs. Verbal
(P)ostures & Gestures How do you use hand gestures? Stance? (E)ye Contact How’s your “Lighthouse?” (O)rientation How do you position yourself? (P)resentation How do you deliver your message? (L)ooks Are your looks, appearance, dress important? (E)xpressions of Emotion Are you using facial expressions to express emotion? P.E.O.P.L.E
Hearing Definition Listening 53% of communication is devoted to listening Have to compete with 32% of listening to mass media vs. 21% face-to-face listening Barriers Noise Perception of Others Yourself Listening
Active Empathetic paying attention to another person with empathy [emotional identification, compassion, feeling, insight]. One basic principle is to "seek to understand, before being understood Critical Goal is to evaluate or scrutinize what is being said Involves problem solving/decision making Enjoyment Simply for fun/entertainment Types of Listening
Noise- Physical External or environmental sounds that distract from receiving or delivering message Examples: Others talking in background, background music, etc. Mental Inner conversation/monologue Factual Objective retelling of information/event by someone not personally involved Semantic Several different meanings One can be someone speaking in different language that you do not understand. Different dialect Use of words that mean one thing normally, but have different meaning based on context. Example use of ‘bad’ for cool Breaking Down the Barriers
Status Stereotypes Sights and Sounds Breaking Down Perceptions
Egocentrism the natural restriction on our perception caused by the simple fact that we can only see the world from our perspective “Put yourself in his/her shoes” Defensiveness Fight – yelling, arguing and aggressive behavior Flight – running away physically or emotionally Freeze – looks like a deer in the headlights Faint – person actually falls asleep or starts to Experiential superiority “I know more than you due to experience” Personal Bias Obstacle in making decisions Introducing external facts/concepts that do not have to do with the decision Pseudolistening To pretend to be listening Yourself
Listen and think critically Use verbal communication effectively Use nonverbal communication effectively Based on what you have learned so far, how would you use verbal and nonverbal effectively? How to Be a Better Listener
Workplace Be Self-Aware Monitor your nonverbal behaviors (example: have arms crossed across body=cutting off) Minimize interruptions Ask nonaggressive questions (Not saying “You’re wrong” Summarize what the other says to assure you understand Listening in Workplace Vs. Classroom
Use lecture Listening Find areas of interest Remain open Work at listening Avoid distractions Listen for and note main ideas Take Effective notes Listen for lecture cues Classroom Listening
Culture Perceptions Barriers Influences on Communication
Become a critical consumer of media information Develop information literacy Recognize when you need information Know where to find the information you need Check your perceptions of electronic messages Media
Recognize the sources of your own conversational style habits Monitor your communication Apply general ethical principles to your responses Adapt to others Ethical Listener