Introduction to Effective Communication Flashcards

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering the fundamental concepts, models, and barriers of human communication as discussed in Chapter 1.

Latin root 'communicare'

Means to impart, share; make common.

Communication (Keyton, 2011)

A process of transmitting information and common understanding from one person to another.

Participants

The individuals who assume the roles of senders and receivers during an interaction.

Message

The verbal utterance, visual image, and non-verbal behaviours to which meaning are attributed during communication.

Channels

The route travelled by a message and the means of transportation through sensory channels.

Interference / Noise

A stimulus that interferes with the process of sharing meaning.

Physical noise

Any external sight or sound that distracts us from a message, such as someone entering a room or a fire engine’s siren.

Psychological noise

The thoughts or feelings you experience that compete with the sender’s message for your attention.

Feedback

The reactions and response to a message that indicate to the sender whether and how a message was heard, seen and interpreted.

Intrapersonal communication

Also known as self-talk, it is communicating with yourself by thinking through choices, strategies and consequences.

Interpersonal communication

Communication between two people, such as a heart-to-heart talk with a close friend.

Small group communication

Communication that occurs among approximately three to ten people.

Public communication

Communication that occurs among more than ten people where one message is presented to participants who function as receivers.

Mass communication

Communication produced and transmitted via media like newspapers, blogs, and social media to massive audiences.

Model

A diagram or pictorial representation used to depict an idea, thought or a concept in a simpler way.

Aristotle Model of Communication

A speaker-centered model where the sender prepares content to influence listeners to respond in the sender’s desired way.

Lasswell Communication Model

A model featuring five levels known as the five Ws: Who, Says what, In Which Channel, To whom, and To What effect.

Berlo’s Model of Communication

An SMCR model (Source, Message, Channel, Receiver) that takes into account the emotional aspect of the message.

Encoding

The process of converting thoughts into words to create a message.

Treatment (of Message)

The way one treats and conveys their message, such as being authoritative when firing an employee.

Code

The body movements, language, expressions, and gestures used in communication that must be accurate to prevent distortion.

Decoding

The process where the receiver tries to understand what the sender actually wants to convey.

Shannon and Weaver Model

A widely accepted model proposing that a message originates from an information source, becomes a signal, and reaches the recipient after joining with noise.

Barriers of communication

Factors like status, culture, disability, or noise that disrupt the two-way process and affect understanding.

Audience-centred

A principle of effective public speaking where the speaker recognizes that audiences measure the value of communication effectiveness.