Key Theories in Communication for Exams 1 & 2

Human Communication

The process of using signs, symbols, and behaviors to exchange information and create meaning.

Source

Originator of the thought or idea.

Message

The element of communication that people interpret. Messages can be verbal or nonverbal, intentional or unintentional.

Channel

Pathway through which the message is sent (e.g., text, email).

Noise

Interference that hinders message reception. This can include physical noise, semantic interference (misunderstanding words), and psychological factors.

Receiver

The person who receives and decodes the message.

Feedback

The receiver's response to the message.

Context

The situation in which communication takes place.

Interactive/Transactional Model

Recognizes simultaneous message sending and feedback.

Effective Communication

Entails adaptability, empathy, self-awareness, ethical behavior, and skill across contexts.

Humanistic Approach

Rhetoric (persuasion through language), interpretive (understanding unique events), and critical (analyzing power dynamics).

Social Scientific Approach

Qualitative (detailed, in-depth observations) and quantitative (numerical patterns).

Scientific Method

Asking questions, forming hypotheses, refining them, designing/conducting observations, analyzing/interpreting data.

Perception

Making meaning from sensory experiences. It's an active process involving selection, organization, and interpretation, often subject to biases.

Attribution

Explaining observed behavior along dimensions of locus, stability, and controllability.

Impression Formation

Influenced by factors like first/last impressions, physical attractiveness, and stereotypes.

Verbal Communication

Using symbols and codes to convey messages.

Symbol

The word itself.

Referent

The object the word represents.

Denotative Meaning

Dictionary definition.

Connotative Meaning

Interpretive meaning.

Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis

Language influences how we see the world.

Listening

Actively making meaning from another's message.

Nonverbal Communication

Conveying meaning through objects, actions, sounds, time, and space.

Visual Communication

Delivering information visually using principles like contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity.

Emotional Communication

Signals of affect, attention, and dominance/submission that shape social order.

Interpersonal Communication

Communication between interdependent parties.

Social Penetration Theory

Building intimacy through increasing breadth, depth, and frequency of disclosure.

Uncertainty Reduction Theory

Reducing uncertainty through questioning in initial interactions.

Attachment Theory

Early caregiver interactions shape relationship expectations, leading to secure, avoidant, or anxious-ambivalent attachment styles.

Dialectical Tensions

Balancing opposing needs (autonomy/connection, expressiveness/privacy, change/predictability).

Social Exchange Theory

Maintaining relationships where benefits outweigh costs.

Conflict

An expressed struggle between interdependent parties.

Kilmann-Thomas Conflict Model

Five conflict styles (avoiding, competing, accommodating, collaborating, compromising).

Four Horsemen

Criticism, defensiveness, contempt, and stonewalling.