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Introduction to Communication

OBJECTIVES

By the end of this unit you should be able to:

Define the term communication

Explain the key stages in the communication cycle

Distinguish between the different levels of communication

Describe the different methods of communication

Identify and explain the various models of communication

Give examples of barriers to communication

STAGES IN THE COMMUNICATION CYCLE

(The Communication Process)

Introduction

The communication process involves a sender, a receiver and the message to be sent. Effective

communication occurs when the receiver understands/interprets the message in the way the sender

intended. However, External things might occur during this transfer, which could distort the message

and prevent the receiver from receiving the original message that was meant by the sender. In addi-

tion to these externalities, both the sender and the receiver do something interesting. The senders

do not just give a universal message that is understandable by everybody. They encode it. They add

certain things and state things in a certain way.

On the other side, the receiver of the message has to decode, to a certain extent, what the sender

meant to say. As well as the words, this includes the tones and certain gestures and indications that

are not expressed verbally. This often results in distortion of the message. Our experience is part of

this encoding-decoding process. It can affect the intention of the message sent, based on past

experiences involving similar cases. The meaning the sender intends does not necessarily match the

impact on the receiver.

Stages

Communication specialists have developed a model to explain how the communication process

works, known as the communication cycle.

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Stage 1

Information

o -The actual content to be put across to the reader or the listener.

o At this stage, the sender defines the information to be sent, by thinking of the aim of the

communication and the content to be conveyed.

o It does not have to be factual information, it could be an idea or opinion.

Stage 2

The encoding process

o This process is done by the sender. It is a process of putting information into the form which

is most suitable both to the receiver and to the aim.

o In most cases, the encoding involves putting an idea into words, but sometimes the

communication could be non-verbal.

Stage 3

Transfer of information

o This stage involves the actual transfer of information by means of the message, medium, or

channel

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Stage 4

Taking in of message

o At this point the receiver takes in the message by, for example, reading a letter, listening to

a speech or looking at an educational television programme.

Stage 5

Decoding

o This is the process by which the recipient/receiver interprets the message he/she has been

given in order to obtain his/her own idea of the information it conveys.

o This may not be the same as the information which the sender intended to convey.

o This may be a result of distortion, if the sender encodes the idea wrongly, ambiguously, or in

terms which the receiver understands according to his/her own experience rather than that

of the sender’s.

Stage 6

Feedback

o Feedback is the name given to the information the sender derives from the receiver’s first

reaction to the message.

o The sender should watch for feedback to see whether or not the message has been

understood.

o Feedback could take the form of either verbal or non-verbal responses, e.g. nodding or

smiling to show agreement, or adopting a posture which reflects active listening.

o It refers to the indirect reactions of the recipient, rather than to any message sent in return.

Motivation

o Although it is not shown in the diagram, motivation is a crucial element in communication. It

is the urge or desire to achieve a purpose, alter a given situation, or satisfy need.

o If Motivation is not present, the communication cycle is adversely affected.

Conclusion

o These are the principle elements in the cycle of communication. They are completed when

the process is reversed and the receiver/recipient communicates in response to the sender’s

original message.

o Although the cycle can be effectively accomplished by effective communicators, any system

which involves the exchange of information has to overcome many barriers.

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Methods of Communication

Verbal communication – When a message is put across through speech. The message can be

sent to an individual, a team or a group.

Non-verbal communication - is divided into six types: Body language, physical

characteristics and appearance, voice, space, environment, time

Silence can be a type of non-verbal communication.

Written communication provides a record for the future. Written communication can be

studied, reflected on, and absorbed at the receiver’s own pace.

Visual communication is the visual display of information, like, topography, photography,

signs, symbols and designs. Television and video clips are the electronic form of visual

communication

Levels of Communication

The levels of communication are the following:

1. Intrapersonal Communication

2. Interpersonal Communication

3. Group Communication

4. Public Communication

1) INTRAPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

Intrapersonal communication is language use or thought internal to the communicator.

o It is the active internal involvement of the individual in symbolic processing of messages. The

individual becomes his or her own sender and receiver, providing feedback to him or herself

in an ongoing internal process.

o Although successful communication is generally defined as being between two or more

individuals, issues concerning the useful nature of communicating with oneself have made

some argue that this definition is too narrow.

Intrapersonal communication can encompass:

o Day-dreaming

o Nocturnal dreaming

o Speaking aloud (talking to oneself), reading aloud, repeating what one hears. This is

considered normal, and the extent to which it occurs varies from person to person. The time

when there should be concern is when talking to oneself occurs outside of socially

acceptable situations.

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o Writing one's thoughts or observations

o Making gestures while thinking

o Sense-making e.g. interpreting maps, texts, signs, and symbols

o Interpreting non-verbal communication e.g. gestures, eye contact

o Communication between body parts; e.g. "My stomach is telling me it's time for lunch."

2.) INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

Interpersonal communication is defined by communication scholars in numerous ways,

though most definitions involve participants who are interdependent on one another, or

who have a shared history.

Communication channels are the medium chosen to convey the message from sender to

receiver. Communication channels can be categorized into two main categories: Direct and

Indirect channels of communication.

Direct channels are those that are obvious and can be easily recognized by the receiver.

They are also under direct control of the sender. In this category are the verbal and non-

verbal channels of communication.

Indirect channels are those channels that are usually recognized subconsciously by the

receiver, and not under direct control of the sender. This includes kinesics or body language,

that reflects the inner emotions and motivations rather than the actual delivered message.

GROUP COMMUNICATION

Group communication refers to the nature of communication that occurs in groups that are

between 3 and 12 individuals.

Small group communication generally takes place in a context that mixes interpersonal

communication interactions with social clustering.

4.) PUBLIC COMMUNICATION

Public communication is at the heart of our economy, society, and politics.

Studios use it to promote their films. Politicians use it to get elected. Businesses use it to

burnish their image. Advocates use it to promote social causes.

It is a field built on ideas and images, persuasion and information, strategy and tactics.

No policy or product can succeed without a smart message targeted to the right audience in

creative and innovative ways.

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Four Principles of Interpersonal Communication

These principles underlie the workings in real life of interpersonal communication. They are basic to

communication. We cannot ignore them.

1. Interpersonal communication is inescapable

o We cannot not communicate. The very attempt not to communicate communicates

something.

o Through not only words, but through tone of voice and through gesture, posture, facial

expression, etc., we constantly communicate to those around us. Through these channels,

we constantly receive communication from others.

o Remember a basic principle of communication in general: people are not mind readers.

Another way to put this is: people judge you by your behavior, not your intent.

2. Interpersonal communication is irreversible

o You cannot really take back something once it has been said. The effect must inevitably

remain.

o . A Russian proverb says, "Once a word goes out of your mouth, you can never swallow it

again."

3. Interpersonal communication is complicated

o No form of communication is simple.

o Because of the number of variables involved, even simple requests are extremely complex.

4. Interpersonal communication is contextual

In other words, communication does not happen in isolation. There is:

Psychological context, which is who you are and what you bring to the interaction. Your

needs, desires, values, personality, etc., all form the psychological context. ("You" here

refers to both participants in the interaction.)

Relational context, which concerns your reactions to the other person - the "mix."

Situational context deals with the psycho-social "where" you are communicating. An

interaction that takes place in a classroom will be very different from one that takes place in

a bar.

Environmental context deals with the physical "where" you are communicating. Furniture,

location, noise level, temperature, season, time of day, all are examples of factors in the

environmental context.

Cultural context includes all the learned behaviors and rules that affect the interaction.

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e.g. If you come from a culture (foreign or within your own country) where it is considered

rude to make long, direct eye contact, you will out of politeness avoid eye contact. If the

other person comes from a culture where long, direct eye contact signals trustworthiness,

then we have in the cultural context a basis for misunderstanding.