Session 2 Notes — Defining Communication, Culture, and Intrapersonal Types

Defining Communication

• Opening lines are intentionally playful but illustrate a core concept: we use words to communicate, yet miscommunication happens when the message isn’t understood as intended.

• The session begins with confused reception of the speaker’s words, highlighting the gap between saying something and the listener understanding it.

• Key definitions (with sources mentioned in the video):

  • George Gruber: describes communication as a social interaction involving the group and the message.
  • Information theory definition: communication is all the procedures by which one mind can affect another.
  • Oxford English Dictionary: numerous definitions for communication (not detailed in the excerpt).
  • James Carey (the definition highlighted and preferred in the lecture): the process of creating shared meaning. This is the central, cultural definition used in the course.

• Three essential implications of Carey’s definition (as presented):

  • $3$ key points: communication is a process, it involves creation, and it yields shared meaning or reality.
  • 1) Communication is a process: it does not automatically happen; models show how the process works.
  • 2) Communication involves creation: practitioners (PR, reporters, advertising, entertainment creators) spend extensive time crafting messages; sometimes creation occurs involuntarily through unconsciously meaningful content.
  • 3) The result is shared meaning or reality: the message helps form a common understanding that shapes our world.

• Communication as the foundation of culture:

  • What we share in this class (the how and what we say) helps create our collective reality.
  • Our individual realities may differ, but through ongoing communication we move toward a mutually shared meaning.
  • The notion that communication creates meaning and culture in which we live is underscored by the lecturer’s examples about everyday life, the class, and even references to Walmart as a metaphor for shared social reality.

• The testable claim: communication creates reality and culture; if you define it differently on a test (e.g., as something trivial like making grilled cheese sandwiches), your definition would dominate in grading—highlighting the normative power of definitions.

• Advertising and cultural messages:

  • Cultural messages about attire (shorts) are reinforced by advertising and social norms, shaping what is considered appropriate wear in different contexts.
  • Clothing becomes a cultural communication tool and is used to market new styles and products.
  • Cultural variation influences how norms are enforced: in Senegal, men typically do not wear shorts due to Islamic cultural norms, whereas in Uganda, shorter attire is more common due to different cultural influences.
  • These differences illustrate how culture is taught and reinforced through communication, and how shared meaning can differ across locales.

• The role of culture-specific phrases and symbols:

  • The Alabama campus context introduces two unifying yet divisive phrases:
  • Roll Tide (and its use as a greeting and sign of pride, as well as a marker of regional identity).
  • These phrases demonstrate how language can unite members of a community while differentiating outsiders, tying language to identity and belonging.

• Examples of cross-cultural communication and miscommunication:

  • A humorous anecdote about counting down in Runyankore (Ugandan dialect) and recognizing the speaker’s countdown while not understanding the language—illustrates how shared meaning can be fragile across cultures.
  • A contrasting rivalry example with War Eagle (Auburn) highlighting how regional sports loyalties can create belonging for some and exclusion for others.
  • A dating anecdote between Alabama and Auburn fans underscores how language, culture, and local humor can drive social boundaries.
  • These anecdotes emphasize that communication both unites and divides depending on shared cultural codes.

• The overarching claim about culture and communication:

  • Communication defines us, differentiates us, divides us, and unites us to construct shared meaning and culture.
  • The lecturer references real-world examples (universities, regional loyalties, and media messages) to illustrate how communication operates in society.

• Mass communication and the four-type framework (introduction):

  • The speaker introduces the idea of four types of communication and notes that they work together, can be independent, and are interrelated.
  • The first type to be discussed is intrapersonal communication.

• Intrapersonal communication: the internal dialogue that forms the basis of all outward messages

  • Definition offered: intrapersonal communication is you talking to yourself, your internal model of the world.
  • Almost all messages originate as intrapersonal communication; it is the internal “water pump” that powers outward expression.
  • Example and tone in the transcript suggest everyday, internal processing leading to the formation of shared meaning when communicating with others.
  • The speaker uses a vivid local example (a reference to the water pump in Tuscumbia, Alabama) to illustrate how internal ideas become external messages once articulated, and how shared meaning emerges in the interaction with others.
  • There is a moment of playful self-reporting about the pace and content of the lecture, reflecting the human element of intrapersonal thinking and how it interacts with audience perceptions.

• Meta-notes on exam preparation:

  • Key terms to remember: communication as the process of creating shared meaning; the three main propositions; culture as produced through communication; the role of language and symbols in uniting and dividing groups; intrapersonal as the foundation for all other communication types.
  • Be prepared to discuss how cultural norms and advertising shape shared meanings across different societies, and how miscommunication can occur when there is a mismatch in cultural codes or language.
  • Understand that examples (sports rivalries, regional dress norms, and local phrases) are used to illustrate how everyday communications construct culture.

• Connections to foundational principles and real-world relevance:

  • This session anchors the study of communication in the idea that meaning is co-created, not simply transmitted.
  • It links to foundational concepts in cultural studies about how media and messaging build social reality.
  • It emphasizes critical thinking about how messages can unify or exclude, guiding ethical considerations for PR, advertising, journalism, and public communication.

• Ethical, philosophical, and practical implications:

  • Ethically, communicating shared meaning carries responsibility for accuracy, inclusivity, and avoiding manipulation.
  • Philosophically, it raises questions about who defines reality and how power, culture, and language shape perception.
  • Practically, it guides how professionals craft messages that align with or transform cultural norms, while being mindful of cross-cultural differences and potential misinterpretations.

• Summary takeaways for the exam:

  • Communication is best understood as the process of creating shared meaning, not merely sending information.
  • It is foundational to culture and society; our realities are shaped through ongoing communicative acts.
  • Messages can unite communities (e.g., shared phrases, sports culture) or divide them (e.g., opposing factions, cultural norms).
  • Intrapersonal communication is the starting point for all subsequent communication, serving as the internal mechanism that generates outward messages.
  • Expect conceptual questions on the three core propositions, the cultural implications, and the role of intrapersonal communication as a precursor to other forms.

• Notable numerical references in the transcript (formatted for study):

  • The three core propositions: $3$ key points.
  • The four types of communication: $4$ types (with intrapersonal discussed first).
  • The countdown moment: $3, 2, 1$ as described in the Uganda dialect anecdote.

• Final remark:

  • The content underscores that communication is not a neutral process but a cultural practice that fashions our collective reality, identities, and communities through shared meaning and ongoing negotiation of interpretation.

The Four Types of Communication (Introduction)

• The lecturer introduces that there are four types of communication, which can work together or independently.
• The four types are not all fully described in the excerpt; the session begins with the first type, intrapersonal communication.
• Emphasis on the relationship between the four types and the way they build and modify shared meaning over time.

Intrapersonal Communication

• Definition: intrapersonal communication is you talking to yourself, your internal model of the world.
• Almost every message begins as intrapersonal communication; it provides the internal processing that precedes outward communication.
• An illustrative, local example used: the water pump in Tuscumbia, Alabama, as a metaphor for internal processing that leads to outward expression.
• The transcript includes moments of self-commentary about the pace of the lecture, illustrating the human element of internal processing and its effect on delivery and comprehension.

Connections to Previous Lectures and Real-World Relevance

• The session ties to foundational ideas about communication as a process and culture-building mechanism.
• It emphasizes that shared meaning is the means by which society organizes itself and creates social reality.
• Real-world relevance: advertising, fashion, regional norms, and language all shape what counts as shared meaning in different communities, which has implications for public relations, marketing, and cross-cultural communication.

Practical Implications for Exam and Practice

• Be prepared to articulate the three core propositions about communication:
  • $1.$ It is a process.
  • $2.$ It involves creation of meaning.
  • $3.$ It yields shared meaning or reality.
• Be ready to discuss how communication can unite or divide people through shared symbols, language, and cultural norms.
• Understand the centrality of intrapersonal communication as the origin of all other forms and how it connects to the construction of social reality.
• Use examples from the transcript (advertising, regional phrases, cross-cultural attire norms, sports rivalries) to illustrate the concepts.

Ethical and Philosophical Reflections

• The power of defining communication on tests and in culture demonstrates how language shapes perception and legitimacy.
• The interplay between culture and communication raises questions about inclusivity, representation, and the ethics of messaging in media, apparel, and public discourse.

Key Takeaways for Quick Review

• Communication is the process of creating shared meaning, not merely transferring information.
• It is foundational to culture and society; our reality is co-constructed through communication.
• Messages have the power to unite or divide communities through language, symbols, and cultural norms.
• Intrapersonal communication is the starting point for all other communication and fuels the entire process of meaning-making.