MODULE # 1

Course Code : GEC5

Course Title : Purposive Communication
Place of the Course in the Program : General Education

COMMUNICATION PROCESSES, PRINCIPLES, AND ETHICS

Introduction

Communication is an essential part of our lives. From the time we wake up ‘til the time we go to
bed, we can’t neglect to use communication for various purposes. As we believe that man cannot
exist alone or with this popular adage, “No man is an island”, we need to express ourselves so
that we can relate with others to achieve our goals and to create a peaceful community to live in.
Effective communication follows basic principles. Participants in the communication process are
expected to exhibit these principles whatever the context maybe. Communication ethics is
following and maintaining the moral standards in any form of communication, be it
interpersonal, mass media, digital communication and social media.

Intended Learning Outcomes

1. Explain how communication takes place

2. Differentiate the types of communication
3. Point out how one will achieve the communication process
4. Discuss the credo for ethical communication

Discussion

COMMUNICATION

- It was derived from the Latin words con with munus which means “a business,”
communis which means “common,” and communico which means “to confer” or “to
relate with one another” (Igoy et al., 2014).
- It is, therefore, defined as the process of accomplishing a goal, “with a business to
confer or relate with one another.” Thus, in business and workplace situations, an
effective communication is vital to a company’s overall success.
- Communication is a two-way process by which information is exchanged between o
among individuals through a common system of symbols, signs and behaviour
(Martinez 1).
- According to De Santis, the communication is made between two sides, the source
and the receiver. For him the source, which is the creator of the message, performs
four roles: determining the meaning of what is to be communicated, encoding the
meaning into the message, sending the message, and perceiving and reacting to a
listener's response to the message. However, the receiver decodes the messages by
analysing and interpreting them. Then, the receiver has to store and recall the
message, and finally, to respond to the source, message, channel, environment, and
noise.

ASPECTS OF COMMUNICATION

1. Communication is integrated in all parts of our lives.

Communication is valued in the real world. At any given moment, we
explore how communication is integrated into all episodes of our lives. Our lives
consist of four domains: academic, professional, personal, and civic.
• ACADEMICS. Communication skills are tied to academic success.
Students who are good at writing and speaking perform better not only in
the English classroom but also in the content areas and all other areas of
learning.
• PROFESSIONAL. Desired communication skills vary from one career to
another. However, English courses provided important skills essential for
functioning in entry-level jobs. In such a competitive job market, being
able to demonstrate that you have received communication instruction and
training from communication professionals can give you the edge needed
to stand out from other applicants or employees.
• PERSONAL. Having a vocabulary to name the communication phenomena
in our lives increases our ability to alter consciously our communication.
This is activated in order to achieve our goals, avoid miscommunication,
and analyze and learn from our inevitable mistakes. Communication is
crucial for a person’s success.
• CIVIC. There is a connection between communication and a person’s civic
engagement. We are engaged with the world around us, participate in our
society, and become a virtuous citizen. Civic engagement refers to
working to make a difference in our communities by improving the quality
of life of community members; raising awareness about social, cultural, or
political issues; or participating in a wide variety of political and non-
political process (Ehrlich, 2000).
2. Communication meets needs.
The exchange of messages and information is important for many reasons,
but it is not enough to meet the various needs we have as human beings. While
the content of our communication may help us achieve certain physical and
instrumental needs, it also feeds into our identities and relationships in ways that
far exceed the content of what we say.

• Physical needs. The need to communicate keep our bodies and minds
functioning. Communication, which we most often associate with our
brain, mouth, eyes, and ears, actually has many more connections to and
effects on our physical body and well-being.
• Instrumental needs. Communicating for instrumental needs helps us get
things done in our day-to-day lives and achieve short- and long-term goals.
• Relational needs. Communicating for relational needs helps us maintain
social bonds and interpersonal relationships. Communication meets our
relational needs by giving us a tool through which to develop, maintain,
and end relationships.
• Identity needs. Communication allows us to present ourselves in a distinct
manner. Identity needs include the need to present ourselves to others and
be thought of in particular and desired ways. Our identity changes as we
progress through life, but communication is the primary means of
establishing our identity and fulfilling our identity needs.

3. Communication is guided by culture and context.

O’Neil (2006) defines culture as the full range of learned human behaviour
patterns. It includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, custom, and any other
capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society. Conversely,
context is the circumstances that form the setting for an event, statement, or idea,
and in terms of which it can be fully understood (Oxford Dictionary, 2018).
Culture and context also influence how we perceive and define communication.

4. Communication is learned.
We are born with the capacity to learn a language and the ability to
communicate. However, our manner of communication varies from one person to
another based on culture and context. This is because communication is learned
rather than innate. It is learned through human contact.

5. Communication has ethical implications.

Communication ethics deals with the process of negotiating and reflecting
on our actions and communication regarding what we believe to be right or
 wrong. In communication ethics, we are more concerned with the decisions
people make about what is right and wrong.

Types of Communication: Verbal and Nonverbal

 Verbal Communication

Verbal communication refers to the form of communication in which message is

transmitted verbally; communication is done by word of mouth and a piece of writing.

Objective of every communication is to have people understand what we are trying

to convey. In verbal communication remember the acronym KISS which means “keep it
short and simple.

When we talk to others, we assume that others understand what we are saying
because we know what we are saying. But this is not the case. Usually people bring their
own attitude, perception, emotions and thoughts about the topic and hence creates barrier
in delivering the right meaning.

Verbal Communication is further divided into:

 Oral Communication
In oral communication, spoken words are used. It includes face-to-face
conversations, speech, telephonic conversation, video, radio, television, voice
over internet. In oral communication, communication is influence by pitch,
volume, speed and clarity of speaking.

 Written Communication
In written communication, written signs or symbols are used to
communicate. A written message may be printed or hand written. In written
communication message can be transmitted via email, letter, report, memo etc.
Message, in written communication, is influenced by the vocabulary &
grammar used, writing style, precision and clarity of the language used.

 Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal communication is the sending or receiving of wordless messages. We

can say that communication other than oral and written, such as gesture, body language,
posture, tone of voice or facial expressions, is called nonverbal communication.
Nonverbal communication is all about the body language of speaker. Nonverbal
communication helps receiver in interpreting the message received.

Nonverbal communication cues can play five roles:

  Repetition: they can repeat the message the person is making verbally.
 Contradiction: they can contradict a message the individual is trying to convey.

 Substitution: they can substitute for a verbal message. For example, a person's
eyes can often convey a far more vivid message than words.

 Complementing: they may add to or complement a verbal message. A boss who

pats a person on the back in addition to giving praise can increase the impact of
the message.
 Accenting: they may accent or underline a verbal message. Pounding the table,
for example, can underline a message.

The many different types of nonverbal communication include:

 Facial expressions
 Body movements and
posture
 Gestures
 Eye contact
 Touch
 Space

Two Types of Settings where we Communicate:

 Informal Settings: chats and conversations
-We certainly engage in chats and conversations daily in informal settings. These
daily occurrences rarely merit our attention yet these are important parts of our lives.
 Formal Settings: interviews, debates, public speaking, group discussions and
parliamentary procedures
-It is the communication that takes place along the “official” lines of communication
within an organization.

ELEMENTS OF THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS

1. SENDER/ENCODER

2. The sender also known as the encoder decides on the message to be sent, the
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receiver in mind. In a word, it is his/her job to conceptualize. The sender may
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ask him/herselfinquestions
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What words will Iof an email
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Do I need to
signs
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or pictures? The sender is expected to have the ability to use language that the
receiver understands.

in the form of a speech. The context must be considered in deciding the best
way of communicating the message. When done orally or written, the sender
again, must have the ability to use correct tone, mood and choice of words
depending on the context of the communication.
3. CHANNEL

The channel is that which is responsible for the delivery of the chosen
message
form. For example post office, internet, and
radio.

4. RECEIVER

The receiver or the decoder is responsible for extracting/decoding meaning

from
the message. The receiver is also responsible for providing feedback to the
sender.

In a word, it is his/her job to interpret. He must then possess good listening and
comprehension skills. He need to focus and overcome interruptions in the
communication process.

5. FEEDBACK

This is important as it determines whether or not the decoder grasped the

intended
meaning in communication. It triggers continuous communication between the
sender and the receiver.

6. NOISE (was also called Interference)

This is any factor that inhibits the conveyance of a message. That is, anything
that
gets in the way of the message being accurately received, interpreted and
responded
to. Noise may be internal or external. A student worrying about an incomplete
assignment may not be attentive in class (internal noise) or the sound of heavy
rain on a galvanized roof may inhibit the reading of a storybook to second
graders (external noise).

7. ADJUSTMENT

This is the action which the sender or the receiver does when the message is not
understood due to a barrier. The sender and the receiver must choose a language
they both understand to avoid language barrier. They should also be acquainted
with each other’s culture to erase misconceptions of ideas. They should focus on
 the information they give to each other and not on the biases they have for one
another.

8. CONTEXT

According to Magan et. al (2018) context includes settings or environment,

social
relationships, scenes which include place, time, occasion and
culture.

Five Steps to the Communication Process in the Workplace

• Creation. Creating the message is the first step of the process. It is the forming
the communicative intent where the sender generates an idea. This requires the
individual who is sending the message to decide what he wants to say and select a
medium through which to communicate this information.

• Transmission. After a message is created, it must be transmitted. This

transmission may be as simple as meeting with the intended recipient of the
message and orally sharing the message, or calling the individual to communicate
orally over the phone.

• Reception. After transmitting the message, the communication duties change

hands and fall upon the receiver of the message. This individual must obtain the
message either from the written format the sender selected or by listening
carefully as the message is delivered orally.

• Translation. Once receiving the message, the recipient must translate the
messages into terms that s/he can easily understand.

• Response. Communication is a two-way street and response is often necessary.

Message recipients take the lead in concluding the communication process by
crafting a response to the message. This response may be verbal or written.

Issues in Communication
Essential issues to be aware of in any communication situation are:

 Content refers to the information and experiences that are provided to the
receiver of the communication process. It is what the receiver derives value from.
Thus, content must be presented in a language that makes a grammatical sense.
Words have different meanings and may be used or interpreted differently. So
even simple words and messages can be misunderstood.
  Process refers to the way the message is presented or delivered-- the nonverbal
elements in speech such as the tone of voice, the look in the sender’s eyes, body
language, hand gestures, and state of emotions such as anger, fear, uncertainty,
and confidence that can be detected.

 Context refers to the situation or environment in which your message is

delivered. Important contextual factors that can subtly influence the effectiveness
of a message include the physical environment.

Communication Ethics in the Academic Context

Communication ethics deals with the behaviour of an individual or a group which

is governed by their morals and in turn affects communication.

 Writing should be done carefully.

 Uphold research ethical standards.
 When dealing with the faculty and staff, students should show their respect toward
them by showing politeness, humility, honesty, and sincerity.
 Transactions or communication plans should follow a protocol for their acceptance or
approval.
 Never tell a lie or misinterpret facts to your teachers, classmates, or to any people.
 Strive to understand and respect other communication before evaluating and
responding to their messages.
 Condemn communication that degrades individuals and humanity through distortion,
coercion, violence and hatred.
 Commit to the courageous expression of personal convictions in pursuit of fairness
and justice.
 Advocate sharing information, opinions and feelings while also respecting privacy
and confidentiality.
Suggested References

Bosworth, P. (2019, The power of communication in the workplace. Retrieved March 8,

2019 from https:// leadershipchoice.com/power-good-communication-workplace
Montano Harmon, M. R. Developing Skills for Academic Purposes, California State
University, Fullerton
Badua, Fredis Winda F., Biscocho, Alma l. et al, (2019) Purposive Communication in the
21st Century, St. Andrews Publishing, Plaridel Bulacan
Barut, Jessie S. (2011) “Speak Successfully, A Guide for Effective Speaking for College
Students, Rex Bookstore Sampaloc Manila
Flores, Carmelita S., Lopez, Evelyn B. (2008) Effective Speech Communication,
National Book Store, Manila