Notes on Communication: Process and Principles

What is Communication?

  • Derived from the Latin word communicare which means to share or to make common.
  • Defined as the process of transmitting information and common understanding from one person to another (Keyton, 2011).

Core Definitions and Concepts

  • Communication is defined as the process of understanding and sharing meaning (Pearson & Nelson, 2000).
  • KEYWORDS:
    • A process is a dynamic activity that is hard to describe because it changes (Pearson & Nelson, 2000).
    • Understanding: “To understand is to perceive, to interpret, and to relate our perception and interpretation to what we already know.”
  • Additional interpretation:
    • Sharing means doing something together with one or more people.
    • You may share a joint activity, as when you share in compiling a report; or you may benefit jointly from a resource.
    • In communication, sharing occurs when you convey thoughts, feelings, ideas, or insights to others.
    • Meaning is what we share through communication.

Essential Components of Communication

  • Source
    • The source imagines, creates, and sends the message.
    • In a public speaking situation, the source is the person giving the speech.
    • The speaker conveys the message by sharing new information with the audience.
    • The speaker also conveys a message through tone of voice, body language, and choice of clothing.
    • The speaker begins by first determining the message—what to say and how to say it.
  • Message
    • The message is the stimulus or meaning produced by the source for the receiver or audience (McLean, 2005).
    • When you plan to give a speech or write a report, your message may seem to be only the words you choose that will convey your meaning.
    • But that is just the beginning. The words are brought together with grammar and organization.
  • Channel
    • The channel is the way in which a message or messages travel between source and receiver.
    • Spoken channels include face-to-face conversations, speeches, telephone conversations and voicemail messages, radio, public address systems, and voice over Internet protocol (VoIP).
    • Written channels include letters, memorandums, purchase orders, invoices, newspapers and magazine articles, blogs, e-mail, text messages, tweets, and so forth.
  • Receiver
    • The receiver receives the message from the source, analyzing and interpreting the message in ways both intended and unintended by the source.
    • As a receiver you listen, see, touch, smell, and/or taste to receive a message.
  • Feedback
    • When you respond to the source, intentionally or unintentionally, you are giving feedback.
    • Feedback is composed of messages the receiver sends back to the source.
    • Verbal or nonverbal, these feedback signals allow the source to see how well, how accurately (or how poorly and inaccurately) the message was received.
    • Feedback also provides an opportunity for the receiver or audience to ask for clarification, to agree or disagree, or to indicate that the source could make the message more interesting (Leavitt & Mueller, 1951).
  • Environment
    • The environment is the atmosphere, physical and psychological, where you send and receive messages (McLean, 2005).
    • The environment can include the tables, chairs, lighting, and sound equipment that are in the room.
    • The room itself is an example of the environment.
    • The environment can also include factors like formal dress, that may indicate whether a discussion is open and caring or more professional and formal.
  • Context
    • The context of the communication interaction involves the setting, scene, and expectations of the individuals involved (McLean, 2005).
    • A professional communication context may involve business suits (environmental cues) that directly or indirectly influence expectations of language and behavior among the participants.

Interference (Noise)

  • Interference, also called noise, can come from any source.
  • Interference is anything that blocks or changes the source’s intended meaning of the message (McLean, 2005).
  • Psychological noise is what happens when your thoughts occupy your attention while you are hearing or reading a message.

Uses and Purposes of Communication

  • Initiating, maintaining and terminating relationships.
  • Influencing and persuading others.
  • Airing concerns, fears, desires, questions and answers.
  • Managing and resolving personal, national and international issues.

Nature of Communication

  • Communication starts from the person we know.
  • Communication varies from different person.
  • Communication is a two-way and continuing process.
  • Communication may be formal or informal.
  • Communication can be personal or impersonal.

Communication as an Interaction

  • Communication is an interaction situation wherein the participants are affected by each one’s behavior.
  • One does communicate.
  • The message received is not necessarily the message sent.
  • Communication occurs simultaneously at more than one level.

Factors Involved in Communication

  • Content to be covered.
  • Communication climate.
  • Learning how to tune in.
  • Non-verbal communication.

Four Principles of Interpersonal Communication

  1. Interpersonal communication is inescapable.
  2. Interpersonal communication is irreversible.
  3. Interpersonal communication is complicated.
  4. Interpersonal communication is contextual.

Things to Consider

  • Psychological context: who you are and what you bring to the interaction (needs, desires, values, personality, etc.). Both participants are included here.
  • Relational context: concerns your reactions to the other person—the "mix".

Contextual Contexts: Situational, Environmental, Cultural

  • Situational context deals with the psycho-social "where" you are communicating. Example: an interaction in a classroom vs. a bar.
  • Environmental context deals with the physical "where" you are communicating. Examples: furniture, location, noise level, temperature, season, time of day.
  • Cultural context includes all the learned behaviors and rules that affect the interaction. If you come from a culture (foreign or within your own country) where it is considered rude to make long, direct eye contact, you will avoid eye contact out of politeness.

Cultural Context: Eye Contact Example

  • If a culture considers long, direct eye contact rude, you will avoid eye contact to be polite.

Connections to Real-World Practice

  • Understanding the components helps in effective public speaking, teaching, or day-to-day conversations.
  • Recognizing context and environment guides appropriate behavior, dress, and channel choice.
  • Awareness of noise and psychological distractions improves listening and interpretation.
  • Ethical implications: respecting cultural cues (e.g., eye contact), avoiding misrepresentation of messages, and adapting to audience needs and expectations.

Practical Implications

  • Adapt messages to audience and setting.
  • Use appropriate channels for the message type (e.g., written vs spoken vs digital).
  • Seek and interpret feedback to adjust communication strategies.
  • Be mindful of environmental and situational constraints to maximize clarity and understanding.

Foundational Takeaways

  • Communication is a dynamic, two-way process of understanding and sharing meaning.
  • It is shaped by the source, message, channel, receiver, feedback, environment, and context.
  • Interference (noise) and psychological factors can distort meaning.
  • Effective communication requires awareness of context, nonverbal cues, and cultural norms.