Basic Aspects of Communication

History Throughout history, human beings have tried to find good ways of communicating with each other.

Concept “ ““The main purpose of communication is persuasion, that is, the attempt of the speaker to bring others to his point of view.”Aristotle

Concept “ ” “Communication is the transmission of a message by means of a sender, conduction, and a receiver.”Aranguren

Concept “ “It is the utilization of a code for the transmission of a message about a certain experience in semiological units in order to enable human beings to relate to one another.” André Martinet

Concept “ ”. “It is the process by which a transmitter sends a message through a channel to a receiver”. David K. Berlo

Concept “ ”. “Communication is the mental process in which a transmitter and a receiver interact in order to exchange ideas, knowledge, experiences and feelings, which are transmitted by means of a code, a message, and an appropriate channel”. De la Torre Zermeño y Hernández

Intercultural communication The ability to negotiate cultural meanings and communicate effectively in keeping with the multiple idiosyncrasies of the participants

Communication Communication is not merely an exchange of messages. It is a construction of meaning. Information is part of communication, not a synonym.

Communication Process Channel Culture Receiver Sender Receiver Sender Construction of meaning

Elements of communication Target MessagesTarget Audience Target MessagesTarget Audience Culture, standards, beliefs, and valuesCulture, standards, beliefs, and values Interest in adopting new behaviorInterest in adopting new behavior Skills for adopting new behaviorSkills for adopting new behavior Educational level and languageEducational level and language Infrastructure, partners, and resourcesInfrastructure, partners, and resources Other competing messagesOther competing messages

Definition of risk communication “Risk communication is an interactive process for the exchange of information and opinions among individuals, groups, and institutions. It is a dialogue in which many messages are discussed”. National Research Council, 1989

It is important because No message is effective if the public you want to reach does not listen to it No message is effective if the public you want to reach does not listen to it Different publics can respond better to the information depending on how they receive it Different publics can respond better to the information depending on how they receive it

Channels of communication There is no single channel that will serve for all our audiences We must be specific!