Understanding the Process of Communication 1 Understanding the Process of Communication

Chapter Summary Why Study Communication? Defining Communication Communication as a Discipline Basic Elements in the Communication Process Dynamic Characteristics of the Communication Process Communicating Responsibly: Guiding Principles for Communicators

Why Study Communication? Communication has the potential to shape identities, relationships, environments, and cultures

Why Study Communication? Communication in Relationships Humans rely on communication as the basis of relationships Satisfaction with relationships, living arrangements, classroom performance, and working environments hinge on ability to communicate Use to learn about people we interact with Utilize as a tool to express ourselves and instruct, inspire, and motivate others

Why Study Communication? Communication and Society Key to establishing identities, communities, and systems of shared governance Communicate sense of self through clothing, possessions, and style of speech Necessary for a healthy democracy

Why Study Communication? Communication and Changing Technology New technologies and the demands of global markets create the expectation that everyone has good interpersonal and presentational skills Communication in a Diverse Workplace Working with diverse groups of people requires skills in collaboration and relationship building

Defining Communication Communication the process of creating and sharing meaning through the use of symbols Partly an art, and a form of expression Also a science, open for study and rigorous examination

Defining Communication Four facets of Communication 1. Communication Is a Process We are always engaged in some form of communication Communication continues even as we stop to think about what might be happening

Defining Communication 2. We Create and Share Meaning through Communication Create meaning whenever we think about our actions, interact with others, or even engage in an internal dialog with ourselves Assume that if we say something clearly enough, we have conveyed or shared meaning with others Our attempts at sharing meaning can fall short of creating mutual understanding

Defining Communication 3. Communication Is Largely Intentional Creating and sharing meaning places particular importance on those behaviors that are intentional Although intent can be difficult to determine, we make assumptions about it all the time We can make conscious choices about intentional communication and work to improve our skills as communicators

Defining Communication 4. Communication Is Symbolic Communication depends on the use of symbols, which includes all the words, images, gestures, and expressions that we use to represent out thoughts, ideas, beliefs

Communication as a Discipline Understanding how people communicate can be traced back to the ancient Greek study of rhetoric (Brummet 1991) Rhetorical tradition has been complemented by social scientific approaches to studying communications (Griffin 1991) More recent approaches to communication and influence focus on understanding how communication contributes to social change

Communication as a Discipline Communication as a Discipline (continued) From its inception, the study of communication has included A focus on the initiation and interpretation of messages A concern about: How people see the world How they should behave The role of interaction in making the world a better place

Basic Elements in the Communication Process Activity

Basic Elements in the Communication Process Every communication situation contains: Two or more communicators One or more messages One or more communication channels A certain amount of noise or interference Feedback exchange between communicators A communication setting or context (NCA 1998)

Basic Elements in the Communication Process Figure 1-1. A Contemporary Model of the Communication Process

Basic Elements in the Communication Process Communicators Initiators and Interpreters Initiator starts or advances the communication process by generating a message Interpreter perceives and attempts to understand a message

Basic Elements in the Communication Process Communicators (continued) Encoding and Decoding Encoding occurs as a communicator translates ideas, thoughts, and feelings into symbols Decoding occurs as a communicator interprets a message by deciphering the symbols into understandable and meaningful ideas, thoughts, and feelings The Self is the total composite of a person’s personality, experiences, and identity Messages in the communication process must pass through the “self”

Basic Elements in the Communication Process Messages—symbolic expressions of ideas, thoughts, and feelings Verbal or nonverbal or both Verbal messages are expressed through a formal language suing oral, written, or signed words Nonverbal messages use symbols other than words Written or oral Oral communication usually less formal and more personal, more interactive, and more transient than writing

Basic Elements in the Communication Process Figure 1-2. Messages and Shared Meaning

Basic Elements in the Communication Process Channels Mediums used to carry messages between communicators are called channels Influence the message and alters the intent, substance, or result of the message Three dimensions of mediation [that]can alter message: Specificity—ability of a channel to focus or customize the message for particular individuals Richness—the number of verbal and nonverbal clues or modes of communication that a channel carries Interactivity—the interactive quality of the channel

Basic Elements in the Communication Process Noise Anything that interferes with the creation of shared meaning between or among communicators Internal Noise—occurs when physiological or psychological characteristics interfere in the communication process External Noise—created by interference in the environment, such as sounds that compete for attention

Basic Elements in the Communication Process Feedback Feedback is a response or reaction to a message Tells if messages are being interpreted as intended Used to adjust and clarify messages

Basic Elements in the Communication Process Context The environment surrounding the communication process Physical Setting—includes time of day, proximity of communicators, and occasion

Basic Elements in the Communication Process Context (continued) Communicative Settings refers to the number of communicators, the type of relationship, and the nature of the interaction. Includes: Intrapersonal communication—communication within oneself, self-talk Interpersonal communication—interaction among a small number of people Small group communication—takes place among 3 to 7 people Public communication—interaction with large numbers of people Mediated communication—uses some form of technology and includes communication by means of television, radio, film, printed books, newspapers, and the Internet

Basic Elements in the Communication Process “Not a sentence or a word is independent of the circumstances under which it is uttered.” —Alfred North Whitehead, English philosopher

Basic Elements in the Communication Process Figure 1-3. Communicative Settings Concept Map

Basic Elements in the Communication Process Exploring Communication Concepts Self-Talk When are you most likely to engage in self-talk? How might self-talk help you prepare for future interactions with others?

Basic Elements in the Communication Process Culture Culture is everything that makes up one’s way of life, including: Shared values Knowledge Behaviors Symbolic expression Co-cultures—cultures within a culture

Dynamic Characteristics of the Communication Process Communication is Transactional Activity Communication is Irreversible

Dynamic Characteristics of the Communication Process “Every once and awhile, you let a word or phrase out and you want to catch it and bring it back. You can’t do that. It’s gone, gone forever.” —Dan Quayle, former Vice President of the United States

Communicating Responsibly: Guiding Principles for Communicators Communicating with Civility Accepting others as equal partners in reaching common goals Calls for communicating clearly, effectively, and appropriately Valuing Diversity Understanding the process by which difference becomes meaningful and developing the ability to live, learn, and work within many cultures

Communicating Responsibly: Guiding Principles for Communicators Communicating Ethically Principles that guide our decisions about what is good or bad, right or wrong Appropriateness—responding in ways that fit the communications context Perspective Taking—ability to consider behavior from someone else’s point of view Self-monitoring—ability to see, think about, and act based on the consequences of your behavior.

Communicating Responsibly: Guiding Principles for Communicators “To the extent that we protect other people’s religion, speech, freedom to learn and participate in the political process, we preserve our own.” —John Frohnmayer, Chair, National Endowment for the Arts

Summary Communication is the process of creating and sharing meaning through the use of symbols. Communication is a diverse field focused on the the initiation and interpretation of messages in a variety of contexts. The basic elements of the communication process are initiators and interpreters, messages, noise, channels, feedback, context, and culture.

Summary Verbal communication uses formal languages. Nonverbal communication uses extralinguistic symbols. Communication process is transactional, irreversible, and multidimensional. The civil communicator cares about and participates in the world. Attention to diversity aids the communicator. Ethical guidelines help practice civility and diversity.