ethnographic approaches to communication - models of communication 29 april 2002prof. dr. j. beneke,...

29 April 2002 Prof. Dr. J. Beneke, SS 2002Antje Lorenz, Björn Bauer, Ines Gläser

Ethnographic Approaches to Communication - Models of Communication

• Introduction to Communication

• The Basic model of Communication

• Encoding and Decoding

• Verbal and Nonverbal Communication

• Factors of Verbal Communication by Jacobson

• Model of Speech Circuit by de Saussure

• Bühler`s Organon Model

• ``The Four Sides Model`` by Schulz von Thun

• Behavioristic Model by Bloomfield

• Shannon & Weaver`s Transmission Model

• Conclusion



Definition of communication:

The process of creating and sharing meaning through the transmission and exchange of signs. This process requires interaction within oneself, between people, or between people and machines.

Definiton of model of communication:

A model of communication is a consciously simplified description of a communication process which is usually expressed in graphic form as a diagramm showing the elements of the process and how they relate to each other.

Introduction to Communication



The Basic Model of Communication

messagesender receiver



Encoding and Decoding

experience,

feelings,history,

expectations, fears

sender receiver sends information

feelings,

experience,

history,

fearsexpectations,

of individual inner life of individual inner life



In our society nonverbal communication takes place in different situations:

• Expressing emotion• Expression of interpersonal attitude• Zeremonies or rite• Compensation for language• Component of commercials and politics

Watzlawick`s first theorem: ``You cannot not communicate``

Verbal and Nonverbal Communication



Congruent or incongruent communication



• Language should not be discussed without having a look on it`s functions

• Structuralism: language as a system

• Sender/ receiver model by Roman Jacobson

Factors of verbal communication by Jacobson



• referential function (denotative)

refers to the context of the message




• Expressive function (emotive)

refers to the sender




• Conative function (appelative)

refers to the receiver




• Phatic function

Refers to the channel




• Metalinguistic function

refers to the used code




• Poetic function

refers to the aethetic part of the message




de Saussure‘s Model of Speech Circuit



• Ferdinand de Saussure: linguist from Geneva• Communication as simultaneous process• 2 elements: Phonation and Audition• PHONATION: Concept Acoustic image• AUDITION: Acoustic image Concept

de Saussure`s Model of Speech Circuit



• can be split into five steps (psychic, psycho-physical or physical)

• step three can be seen as a symmetry axis where the process of communication is mirrored

de Saussure‘ s Model of Speech Circuit



• „Language is a tool one uses to tell the other about something“

• In a model of signs, every part gets its meaning from the relation to other signs of the system

Bühler`s Organon model



• factual side• appeal side• relation side• self revelation side

``The four sides model`` by Friedemann Schulz von Thun

Watzlawick`s second theorem says that every communication has an aspect of content and relation, as such as relation determines the content and is therefore metacommunication.



• Human actions (language as well) are caused by outer influences

• Stimulus -------------- response

• The verbal act of communication connects two nonverbal events

The behavioristic model by Bloomfield



• Shannon&Weaver: engineers working for an American phone company

• Goal: ensure maximum efficiency of phone cables and radio waves

• very popular model

Shannon&Weaver‘s TransmissionModel



Shannon&Weaver‘s Transmission Model

The original model consists of 5 elements:



Also: input intended message

output received message

Noise: “Any inference with the message travelling along the channel which may lead to the signal received being different from that sent.“




Moles: Communication can only take place succesfully if sender and receiver share a common code.

Shannon&Weaver‘s Tranmission Model



Advantages: -simplicity

-generality

-quantifiabiltiy




Do you think that transmission models are appropriate to represent natural human communication?




Transmission Models tend to neglect many aspects of human communication




Transport metaphor

Communication consists of a sender sending a package of information to a receiver

“conveying meaning“, “getting the idea across“, “transferring information“

But isn‘t communication a bit more than transferring information?

Ref. Jacobson




No opportunity for interaction between sender and receiver

Both are fixed on their roles

Ref.: de Saussure who considers communication as a simultaneous process




Transmission models assume that meaning automatically is contained in the message

Ref.: Four Sides Model




No allowance for social, situational, cultural etc context

But: communication appears to be impossible without context

Relationship: different communication with a friend or a superior




Different medium can imply different purposes

letters, text messages, e-mail, phone call, spoken communication




Transmission Model fails to cover all aspect of human communication

But: the other models as well can only represent fragments

Any model achieves to represent these complex correlation in a whole

Conclusion



• Burton, G., Dimbleby, R. (1992), More Than Words: An introduction to communication. Routledge: London, New York

• Herkner, Werner (1991), Sozialpsychologie. Hans Huber: Bern, Stuttgart, Toronto

• Pelz, H. (2000), Linguistik: eine Einführung. campe paperback: Hamburg

• Chandler, D. , http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/short/trans.html#A , 21.04.02

• Gibbon, D. , http://coral.lili.uni-bielefeld.de/classes/summer96/Textdesc/funslides/node2.html , 24.02.02

• http://www.uni-kassel.de/fb8/misc/1fb/html/text/6-2.html , 16.04.02

• http://www.uni-kassel.de/fb8/misc/1fb/html/text/6-1.html , 16.04.02

• http://www.stangl-taller.at/ARBEITSBLAETTER/KOMMUNIKATION/default.html , 21.04.02

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