Chapter 1: Introduction to human communication (Revision)

What is communication?

The process of using messages to generate meaning.

It occurs between humans.
It is the process of using messages to generate meaning.
Messages are symbolic-- symbols are used to represent things, processes,
ideas etc.

Communication is essential

Central to your life.

Help you solve problems.
Improve relationships.
Consequential.
Ubiquitous.
Enhance and enrich your life.

7 Advantages of communication

Improve the way you see yourself.

Improve the way others see you.
Increase what you know about human relationship.
Teach you important life skills.
Help you exercise your constitutionally guaranteed freedom of speech.
Help you succeed professionally.
Help you navigate an increasingly diverse world.

How it works
Sender person sending the message
Receiver person receiving the message
Sender encodes a message, chooses a channel by which to send the message,
and then sends the message to a receiver who then decodes the message.
Channel the way the message is conveyed (face- to-face, telephone, e-mail,
etc.) depends on the situation
Encode when the sender consciously attaches meanings to symbols from
feelings and ideas, creating the message sent
Decode when the receiver interprets and creates an understanding of what the
message sent means

Noise
affects the message sent by the sender
may prevent the message from reaching the receiver accurately

 may affect the way the receiver interprets the message.

May take place before, during and after message is sent

Types of noise
1. Physical noise factors that take place outside the receiver
2. Physiological noise-- biological, personal factors that prevent the receiver from
accurately interpreting and decoding the message
3. Psychological noise-- when forces within a person prevent he/she from having
the ability to send or receive a message effectively
4. Semantic noise - speaker and listener have different meaning systems
(languages, jargon, ambiguous or abstract terms)

Communication principles
1. Communication begin with self.
How you see yourself can make a great difference in how you
communicate.

2. Communication involves others.

Communication involves others basically means in the sense that a
competent communicator considers the other persons needs and
expectations when selecting messages to share.

3. Communication has both a content and a relational dimension

The content of the message describes the behaviour that is expected,
while the relational message suggests how it should be interpreted.

4. Communication involves choices

Involves choices about multiple aspects of the message the verbal,
nonverbal, and behavioural aspect; the choices surrounding the
transmission channels used; the characteristics of the speakers; the
relationship between the speaker and the audience; the characteristics
of the audience; and the situation in which the communication occurs.

5. Communication quantity does not increase communication quality

Excessive Communication can become unproductive.
Greater amounts of communication do not necessarily lead to more
harmony or more accurate/ shared meaning.
Sometimes the more people talk, the more they will be in conflict.

6. Communication is pervasive
Communication spreads to all aspects of your life. If you are not
communicating with yourself (thinking, planning, reacting to the world
around you), you are observing other and drawing inferences from their
behaviour.
7. Communication cannot be reversed
You cannot go back in time and erase your messages to other.
8. No one single event or person leads to anothers reaction
9. Meanings rest in people, not words

Communication context
1. Intrapersonal communication
The process of using messages to generate meaning within self
The little voice in our mind

2. Interpersonal communication
The process of using messages to generate meaning between at least two
people
Equal opportunities for both speaking and listening
Dyadic communication (the most common type)

3. Public communication
The process of using messages to generate meanings in which a single
source transmits a message to a number of receivers
Unequal amount of speaking
Limited verbal feedback
Recognised by its formality, structure and planning

4.

Mass communication
The process of using messages to generate meaning in a mediated system
Aimed at a large audience (usually unseen)
No personal contact between senders and receivers

5. Digitally mediated communication

Any form of communication that is conducted through new communication
technology.
Asynchronous and synchronous communication

6. Communication myths, metaphors, and misunderstandings

 Metaphors a means to understanding and experiencing one thing in

terms of another.
We talk, think, and act in ways that structure our worldview in
metaphorical ways.
Metaphors can take on mythic, larger than life qualities and can lead to
misunderstandings.

Goals of communication study

To be able to communicate effectively

To become a competent communicator being able to effectively exchange

meaning through a common system of symbols, signs or behaviour

Communicative Competence Defined

There is no ideal way to communicate.

Competence is situational.

Competence is relational.

Competence can be learned.

Characteristics of Competent Communicators

Have a wide range of behaviours

Are able to choose the most appropriate behaviour

Are skilful at performing behaviours

Have empathy

Are able to construct a variety of frameworks for viewing an issue

(cognitive complexity)

Are self-monitors

Empathy
Ability to put yourself in anothers shoes
Understanding anothers perspective

Cognitive complexity
The ability to analyze the behavior of others in a variety of ways
Looking at the situation from a variety of angles (rather than just your
perspective)

Self-Monitoring
Observing your own behaviors as if you are outside yourself
Imagining how others are interpreting your behaviors
Being aware of how your behaviors affect others