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 ofcommunication
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 addi­tion 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.

I
Stage 1
Information
 The actual content to be put across to the
reader or the listener.
 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.
 It does not have to be factual
information, it could be an idea or
opinion.
Stage 2
The encoding process

 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.
 In most cases, the encoding involves
putting an idea into words, but
sometimes the communication could be
non-verbal.
i.e. Encoding refers to the
translation of the message into a
language or codes that the sender
thinks will transmit the message
effectively.
• Encoding calls on the sender to
choose the most appropriate
symbols given the channel
available to him/her and the
nature of the audience.
Stage 3
Transfer of information

This stage involves the

actual transfer of information
by means of the message,
medium, or channel.
Stage 4
Taking in of message

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

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.
This may not be the same as the
information which the sender intended
to convey.
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.
i.e. Decoding is the concept that is on
the reverse side of encoding. It refers
to the ability of the audience/receiver
to interpret and understand the
message that has been sent to
him/her.
Stage 6
Feedback

Feedback is the name given to

the information the sender
derives from the receiver’s first
reaction to the message.
 The sender should watch for
feedback to see whether or not
the message has been
understood.
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.
It refers to the indirect reactions of
the recipient, rather than to any
message sent in return.
Motivation

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

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.
Although the cycle can be
effectively accomplished by
effective communicators, any
system which involves the
exchange of information has
to overcome many barriers.
Types 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.
Group Activity

Identifysome of the
advantages and
disadvantage of written
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.
 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.
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:
 Day-dreaming
 Nocturnal dreaming
 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.
 Writing one's thoughts or observations
Making gestures while thinking
Sense-making e.g. interpreting maps,
texts, signs, and symbols
Interpreting non-verbal
communication e.g. gestures, eye
contact
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.
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
Interpersonal communication
is inescapable
We cannot not communicate. The very
attempt not to communicate
communicates something.
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.
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.
Interpersonal communication
is irreversible

You cannot really take back

something once it has been said.
The effect must inevitably remain.
. A Russian proverb says, "Once a
word goes out of your mouth, you
can never swallow it again."
Interpersonal communication
is complicated

No form of communication is

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