Unit 1: An Introduction to Communication

Key vocabulary terms, definitions, elements of communication, and ethical standards covered in Unit 1: An Introduction to Communication.

Communication

A dynamic and interactive process of sharing meaning through messages.

Sender

The participant in the communication process who initiates communication and encodes thoughts and feelings into messages.

Receiver

The recipient of a message who is responsible for decoding and interpreting its meaning.

Encoding

The process of putting thoughts and feelings into words, gestures, and nonverbal cues that others can understand.

Decoding

The process of interpreting another person's message.

Channel / Medium of Transmission

The sensory route or vehicle (such as visual, audio-visual, or face-to-face verbal) through which a message travels between sender and receiver.

Feedback

The receiver's response that indicates understanding or misunderstanding of the message and stimulates further communication and discussion.

Context

The situation, circumstances, or setting within which communication takes place, which directly affects the expectations of the communicators.

Psychological Context

The element of setting that includes the internal moods and feelings each person brings to a communicative encounter.

Noise (Interference)

Any stimulus that interferes with the process of sharing meaning between communicators.

External Noise

Environmental interference that disrupts the transmission or reception of a message, which does not necessarily have to be a sound.

Emotional Noise

Internal psychological interference, such as embarrassment, fear of judgment, or hesitation to open up, that hinders effective communication.

Perception Check

A message that reflects our understanding of the meaning of another person's nonverbal behavior.

Spontaneous Messages

Messages that are spoken without much conscious thought, as opposed to scripted messages.

Truthfulness and Honesty

An ethical standard in communication characterized by refraining from lying, cheating, stealing, or deception.

Integrity

An ethical standard defined as maintaining a consistency of belief and action.

Fairness

An ethical standard defined as achieving the right balance of interests without regard to one's own feelings and without showing favour to any side in a conflict.

Responsibility

An ethical standard demonstrated when a communicator acts reliably, such as by choosing not to spread false rumors about another friend.