Unit 1: Communication Skills-II

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering Unit 1: Communication Skills-II, including methods of communication, parts and elements of the communication cycle, types of feedback, barriers to communication, and the principles and 7 Cs of effective communication.

Communication

A process that involves sharing of information, opinions, ideas, and beliefs between two or more persons through continuous activities of speaking, listening, and understanding.

Transmitting

The part of communication where the sender conveys or transmits a message to another person or a group of persons through a medium of communication.

Listening

The part of communication where the receiver receives the message through a medium of communication and understands the message.

Feedback

The response or reaction of the receiver to the sender after perceiving or understanding the message, which completes the communication cycle.

Pitch

The loudness or softness of a speaker's voice.

Rhythm

The intonation, or variation in the pitch level of the voice, maintained to express attitude and a diverse array of emotions.

Tone

The way words are spoken that derives their power, creates an impact on listeners, and reflects the attitude and emotions of the speaker.

Non-verbal Communication

Communication that occurs in the absence of any oral or composed words, relying on body movements, gestures, facial expressions, symbols, images, signals, and charts to convey sentiments or information.

Paralanguage

Non-verbal speech elements such as tone, pitch, volume, modulation, rhythm, and rate that provide subtle but powerful clues to a speaker's true feelings and meaning.

Gestures

Movements of the hands, arms, or head used to express ideas or meaning without words.

Posture

How we position our bodies while standing, sitting, and walking, which can convey confidence, attentiveness, and openness, or indicate fatigue, disinterest, or low self-esteem.

Space

The physical distance maintained between two people during an interaction, which is adjusted depending on whether the relationship is formal or informal.

Visual Communication

The conveyance of ideas and information in forms that can be seen through the eye, such as signs, graphic designs, graphs, maps, charts, and films.

Face-to-face Communication

A communication method where two people interact in person by looking directly at each other's faces, allowing both to see facial expressions and hear vocal tone.

Communication Cycle

A cyclic process describing how an idea, impression, or feeling is made known to others, wherein a sender conveys a message to a receiver who acknowledges it and returns a response.

Encoding

The element of the communication cycle that refers to how the sender chooses to communicate the message, such as using spoken or written language, signs, or body language.

Channel

The medium through which a message is carried and transmitted from the sender to others.

Decoding

The element of the communication cycle that refers to how the receiver interprets the message and translates it into thoughts based on their circumstances and understanding.

Descriptive Feedback

Feedback that includes specific information in the form of written comments or verbal conversations to help learners understand what they need to do to improve, without using grades, marks, or coded symbols.

Specific Feedback

Feedback that provides detailed information about something particular relating to a task or an individual's performance, giving the receiver substantial direction on areas to improve.

Non-specific Feedback

A vague response (such as "Great job!") that does not explain what went right or provide details on how to replicate success in future tasks.

Communication Barrier

An obstacle that prevents the receiver from receiving and understanding the message sent by a sender, leading to communication gaps, confusion, and misunderstanding.

Physical Barriers

Barriers caused by environmental and natural factors, such as noise, distance, differing time zones, faulty equipment, and physical disabilities.

Linguistic Barriers

Barriers, also known as semantic issues, that occur due to accents, language inabilities, speech disorders, complicated vocabulary, or words and symbols carrying multiple meanings.

Interpersonal Barriers

Barriers arising from internal traits or communicators' frames of mind, such as intense emotions, poor listening skills, prejudice, bias, and differing viewpoints.

Organisational Barriers

Barriers stemming from hierarchical structures, superior-subordinate relationships, rigid rules and policies, improper communication channels, or a lack of feedback mechanisms.

Cultural Barriers

Barriers that arise when differing cultural norms, customs, dialects, gestures, communication styles, and beliefs lead to false assumptions, bias, or misinterpretation.

Effective Communication

Communication where the transmitted content has been received and understood by the receiver in the exact manner that was intended by the sender.

Noise

Anything that interferes with communication and makes it ineffective.

Content

A key factor of effective communication referring to the specific language, words, and sentence construction used in the message.

Process

A key factor of effective communication referring to how a message is delivered via non-verbal cues and speech elements, where $7\%$ of interpretation comes from words, $38\%$ from intonation, and $55\%$ from body language.

Context

A key factor of effective communication referring to the situation or environment in which the message is delivered, including physical, cultural, and developmental factors.

Clear (7 Cs)

A principle of effective communication requiring the message to be transparent, free of complex words, and centered on a single clear goal.

Concise (7 Cs)

A principle of effective communication that emphasizes explaining concepts in a brief yet comprehensive manner while avoiding fillers like 'sort of', 'like', and 'basically'.

Concrete (7 Cs)

A principle of effective communication ensuring that the message is believable, credible, specific, and supported by factual figures and source citations.

Coherent (7 Cs)

A principle of effective communication requiring the message to be logical, well-sequenced, and relevant to the main topic without straying or covering excessive points.

Courteous (7 Cs)

A principle of effective communication that shows respect, politeness, and sensitivity toward the receiver's feelings, background, culture, age, and viewpoints.