Communication and

the Communicative
Process
Objectives:

Define communication
Identify and explain the characteristics of communication.
Describe the communicative process
Have a clear understanding of the features of the communicative
process.

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Communication Studies aims at creating an
awareness of the complexity of the process of
human communication. It is written for the post
secondary and tertiary student who must develop a
thorough understanding of how language, the
central aspect of communication, can be managed
and manipulated for personal and national
development.

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What is
communication?

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 Communication
● The word communication is derived from the Latin word
‘communicare’, which means to share, impart, participate, exchange,
transmit or to make common.

● Communication can broadly be defined as exchange of ideas,

messages and information between two or more persons, through a
medium, in a manner that the sender and the receiver understand the
message in the common sense, that is, they develop common
understanding of the message.

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Communication is:

- Human
- Contextual
- Inevitable
- Dynamic
- Continuous
- Irreversible
Complicated

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Characteristics
Dynamic in Nature: Communication is never static. It is dynamic. There is
an exchange of information between sender and receiver. The process
further elaborates when there is a feedback. The receiver after decoding
the message gives a feedback, in this process, the receiver now becomes
a sender and vice versa.
Purposeful- Communication has a purpose. The purpose could vary from
sender to sender. But there is always a purpose.
Contextual- Communication always happens in a context. The sender and
the receiver communicate in a context. Each of them will be influenced by
the context that surrounds them.
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Human- complex, reflective Inevitable and irreversible-
and descriptive . Animals it is Messages are continually
instinctive. They don't need to being sent, they cannot be
be taught. uncommunicated, and they are
Communication is at the heart always one-off occurrences
of who we are as human (because the second or
beings. We connect and subsequent times you may
interact, exchange information make an utterance, other
and ideas, all of which is made things have changed).
possible through
communication.
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Models of Communication
- Linear Communication models refer
- Interactive to the conceptual frameworks
or theories that explain the
- Transactional way of human
communication.

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Activity
Think about a time you had to
tell someone something and
did not know how to say it.
What was the purpose of your
communication? How did you
decide to pass on the
information?

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Activity
Cindy is ill and has to be away from
school for two weeks. Her mother
sends a letter to the school principal
via email.
● Who is sending the message?
● Who would be receiving the
information?
● Which of the following did the
mother use? Speech or writing
● By what means was the
information sent?
 Time to
think!
Based on the two
previous activities,
what is the
communicative
process?

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 The Communication Process
● Communication is a process. In order for it to happen,
there is a procedure that needs to be followed. To
describe the process you need to always remember
the elements involved in the process and role that
each plays.
●
● Senders/Sources/Encoders
● * Receivers/ Decoders
● * Messages
● * Channels and Mediums
● * Feedback
Conceptualises
Steps in the Process of
Communication
(Describing the Process)
● Conceptualisation: Communication begins with someone-
the sender – thinking about what to include in the message.
● Encoding and transmission: The message is then put in a
particular form ( written or oral) and transmitted to the
receiver through a particular medium or channel.
● Reception and decoding: The audience receives the
message and decodes (interprets) it.
● Giving Feedback: The receiver responds to the sender of the
message by sending feedback. This feedback serves as
evidence that the message was communicated, be it
effectively or ineffectively. Once the original sender receives
the feedback, the process can be considered complete.
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Encoding
● The purpose of your communication would largely
determine how you encode it.

● The tools selected to encode the message are key to its

success.
● The way in which you encode your message also
depends on the audience (receiver)

● In this case, the circumstances or the context within

which the communication takes place would influence
how you decide to encode your message
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What to consider when encoding?

Context
Audience(age, profession, race, culture)
Environment.
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Importance of feedback
Effective communication: Two-way
communication gets confirmed that the
message is rightly sent and can understand the
success or failure of communication.
it gives the sender the opportunity to analyze
the effect of the message.
It helps the sender ensure that the recipient has
interpreted the message correctly.
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Channel
● Media: What we use to capture the message/A means of
verbal or non-verbal communication. Examples include,
quizzes, speeches, lectures, text messages, dramatic
presentations, advertisements, songs or jingles etc.

● Channels: Channel refers to the sensory pathway along

which a message travels to get from sender to receiver.
Verbal messages are transmitted through the aural
channel. Written messages are often received through the
visual channel. Basically it is the means of transmission
or distribution. Examples include radio, television,
newspapers, PA systems, billboards, noticeboards, the
Internet etc.

● NB: These words are often used interchangeably.

Channels and mediums
Magazines Texts
Yellow pages Songs
TV Jingles
Radio
Advertisements
billboards, transit signs,
Presentations
Murals
News broadcast
Press conference
Charts
Notice boards
PowerPoint slides
Social media
Mood boards
Whatsapp
Pictures/photos
Email
Puppet show
Town criers

blog
Movie clips

Bumper sticker Audio clips

Banners

Posters 21
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How would you encode the message ( what

form/ which strategies would you use to deliver
the message to each target group)?

The media/channels to be used to reach EACH of

the TWO target groups?
 Barriers
of
Communi
cation

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Barriers to communication-Noise
Whatever affects the Physical/ external noise is
understanding of the message interference that is external to
is known as a barrier to both speaker and listener.
communication. ● the screeching of passing
Noise is a type of barrier. It is cars
is anything that interferes with ● Consider factors such as
you receiving a message and actual noise in the
prevents effective environment as well as
communication. weather conditions.
●

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 Noise continue
● Physiological noise is created by barriers within the sender or receiver and would include
visual impairments, hearing loss, articulation problems, and memory loss.

● Psychological noise refers to mental interference in the speaker or listener and includes
preconceived ideas, wandering thoughts, biases and prejudices, close-mindedness, and
extreme emotionalism. You’re likely to run into psychological noise when you talk with
someone who is close-minded or who refuses to listen to anything he or she doesn’t already
believe.

● Semantic noise is interference that occurs when the speaker and listener have different
meaning systems; it would include language or dialectical differences, the use of jargon or
overly complex terms, and ambiguous or overly abstract terms whose meanings can be
easily misinterpreted. You see this type of noise regularly in the medical doctor who uses
“medicalese” without explanation or in the insurance salesperson who speaks in the jargon
of the insurance industry 26
Communication apprehension
communication apprehension
is the broad term that refers to
an individual’s “fear or anxiety
associated with either real or
anticipated communication
with another person or
persons”

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What are some
other things that
might hinder
communication?

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Cultural Differences: Variations in customs,
beliefs, and communication styles can lead to
misinterpretations.

Emotional Barriers: Strong emotions like

anger or anxiety can make it difficult to
communicate clearly and listen effectively.

Personal biases or stereotypes may

distort how a message is sent, received, or
understood.

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Facilitators of communication
What do you think can Shantel is the student council
facilitate effective president. She wants to send a
communication? message to the parents asking
them to sponsor an upcoming
event. What are some things
she could do to facilitate
communication?

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Facilitators of the Communication
Process
● A facilitator of the communication
process is anything that helps the
communication process. The aim of
communication is for the message
to be received and understood.
● When talking about how facilitators
contribute to effective
communication, you need to identify
the facilitator and explain how it
helps in the process.
● Appropriate message format: The format of the message will aid
the communication process if it is suitable for the message and
the audience.
● Example: if the prime minister of a country wants to address the
nation on a current state of emergency, a suitable format would
be a speech.
● Appropriate language: The language of the message must be
one that is known to the audience.
● Example: The sender must consider the audience’s knowledge
and ability to decode the text of the message and this should
influence
● Accessible channel: For communication to be
effective, reaching the target audience is key. When
choosing a channel, the sender must ensure that
the channel is available to the audience and that a
message sent by that channel will reach all of the
target audience.
● Aids that enhance the encoding of the message:
Audio, visual and audio-visual aids may help to
make the message more audience-friendly and
easier to understand.
● Examples: microphones, projectors, ICT.
● Active Listening: Paying full attention to the speaker, acknowledging their
message, and providing feedback promotes clarity and understanding.

● Nonverbal Cues: Positive body language, eye contact, and gestures reinforce
spoken messages and convey interest and engagement.

● Cultural Awareness: Being sensitive to cultural differences and adapting

communication style accordingly helps avoid misinterpretations and fosters
inclusivity.
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Deliberate
Influences in
Communication
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Activity: Examine the information below and explain how each
impacted people.

COVID-19 Origins (2020):

Description: Numerous false claims emerged that COVID-19 was deliberately created in a lab in China to cause a
global pandemic.

9/11 Inside Job (2001-Present):

● Description: The theory asserts that the September 11 attacks were orchestrated or allowed to happen by
elements within the U.S. government to justify wars in the Middle East.

"Vaccines Causing Government Surveillance" (2021):

● Description: During the COVID-19 pandemic, some conspiracy theories suggested that vaccines were being
used as a means of government surveillance or tracking.
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What do you know about the following:

Misinformation
Disinformation
Propaganda
Fake News
Fallacies of Reasoning
Conspiracy Theories
False Flag Operations
Deepfake Technology
Big Lie
Gaslighting
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Misinformation vs Disinformation

1. Misinformation

● Explanation: Incorrect or misleading information shared without the intent to deceive. It can be a
mistake, such as a misunderstood fact or outdated data.
● Example: A person shares an old weather report thinking it’s current, causing others to think a storm is
coming when it has already passed.

2. Disinformation

● Explanation: Deliberately false or misleading information shared with the intention of deceiving people.
● Example: During elections, false reports are spread about a candidate's involvement in a crime to harm
their reputation.
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Propaganda

● Explanation: Information, especially biased or misleading, used to promote a political cause,

ideology, or agenda.
● Example: In World War II, governments used posters showing the enemy as inhuman to rally
public support for the war.

4. Fake News

● Explanation: Fabricated or distorted news stories designed to mislead and manipulate public
opinion, often for political or financial gain.
● Example: A website publishes a false story claiming a celebrity has died, which spreads quickly
on social media, only to be proven untrue later.
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Conspiracy Theories

● Explanation: Beliefs that certain events or situations are secretly controlled or orchestrated by powerful,
often sinister, groups.
● Example: The theory that the moon landing was faked by the U.S. government to win the space race.

7. False Flag Operations

● Explanation: Deceptive actions or events designed to make it appear as though they were carried out by
a different group or country.
● Example: The Reichstag fire in 1933, where some historians believe the Nazis may have set fire to the
German parliament building to blame communists and justify their rise to power.
8. Deepfake Technology

● Explanation: AI-based technology used to create hyper-realistic but fake images, videos, or 44
audio recordings that manipulate a person’s likeness.
● Example: A deepfake video of a political leader making inflammatory remarks they never actually
said, used to stir unrest.

9. Big Lie

● Explanation: A propaganda technique where a falsehood is repeated so often that people start
believing it as truth.
● Example: The claim by Nazi Germany that Jews were responsible for the nation’s economic
problems, which was repeated so frequently that it became a core belief for many.

10. Gaslighting

● Explanation: A form of psychological manipulation where someone is made to question their

memory, perception, or reality by presenting false information.
● Example: In an abusive relationship, one partner repeatedly denies saying hurtful things, making
the other person doubt their memory of the event.
 Fallacies of Reasoning
Explanation: Logical errors that weaken arguments by distorting reasoning or creating false
conclusions. 45
Example: Hasty generalization—claiming that all politicians are corrupt based on one case of
corruption.

Hasty Generalization
Straw Man
False Cause (Post Hoc)
Ad Hominem
False Dilemma (Either/Or)
Slippery Slope
Circular Reasoning (Begging the Question)
Bandwagon Appeal (Ad Populum)
Appeal to Authority
Red Herring
Appeal to Emotion
False Analogy

HW: Research them!

Sources

McDermott, H. CAPE
Communication Studies:
Trinidad and Tobago, Caribbean
Education Publishers, 2013

Lunenburg. Fred.
Communication: The Process,
Barriers, And Improving
Effectiveness: Schooling Vol 1
2010.