INTRODUCTION TO HUMAN COMMUNICATION
Challenges of Communication
Effective Communication Requires Significant Intellectual and Psychological Resources
As you interact with others, you use your intellect, emotions, and assessment of others’ needs and
motivations to create and exchange, make sense of, and respond to messages.
best package and deliver a message
developing the ability to understand and predict the needs and potential responses of others.
be aware of and responsive to the feedback
assess whether our approach is creating the meanings we intend in the minds of other
communicators.
important to pause, reflect, and evaluate both the process and outcome
Not Everyone You Encounter Will Appreciate the Value of Communication
A person’s orientation to communicating, and communicating well, influences one’s ability to collaborate
effectively, solve problems, and generally get along with others.
Digitally Mediated Communication
We May Over-Rely on Digitally Mediated Communication
the pervasiveness of communication technology may be stressing us out.
text messaging, online social networking, email, microblogs, Skype®, FaceTime, and more, is creating a
greater incidence of stress and burnout among technology users
We Live in a Diverse World Where Intercultural Understanding Can Be Difficult
To communicate effectively with a diverse group of people, you need to know about the values,
languages, and subtle communication nuances of their regions, countries, or social groups.
When communicating globally in the business context, you need to understand the economic and social
conditions of the other communicators.
Intercultural communication is communication between and among people and groups across national,
ethnic, and other cultural boundaries.
Communication Is a Process
The process of relating to others through the exchange of messages can be experimented with and
altered
Sometimes, reversing misunderstandings or others’ negative perceptions of us is very difficult, but the
competent communicator has a repertoire of strategies available for working through these challenges
,The Linear Model of Communication
Phase 1: Deciding on the message. A sender selects a message to send to a receiver (or
receivers) in order to achieve a desired outcome. The sender is also referred to as the source of
the message.
Phase 2: Encoding the message. Encoding refers to a psychological process in which the sender
of a message assigns symbols, such as words, sounds, or gestures, to his or her thoughts and
feelings. Competent communicators are able to translate their ideas into communication
symbols appropriate for the message and the receiver.
Phase 3: Transmitting the message. A message is “sent” from sender to receiver, using a
particular channel that is selected by the sender. The channel is the medium that carries the
message, such as email, telephone, face-to-face communication, or a written document. (We will
discuss how to select the most appropriate channels for communication at various points in this
course.)
Phase 4: Perceiving the message. When a receiver detects that a message has been sent, he or
she attends to it and perceives it in some fashion.
Phase 5: Decoding and assigning meaning to the message. When a receiver assigns meaning to
the message that has been communicated, he or she is engaging in a psychological process
known as decoding. Decoding is the opposite of encoding (the activity that the sender engaged
in at the beginning of the exchange). The receiver translates the symbols (words, sounds, and
gestures) perceived into thoughts and feelings.
The Transactional Model of Communication
the verbal or nonverbal message that a receiver provides to the sender as he or she perceives and
assigns meaning to the sender’s message.
consideration of the factors that make accurate decoding of messages difficult, transforms the linear
model into the transactional model.
Communicators are simultaneously encoding and decoding messages at all times during an
interaction. Using our previous experiences, knowledge, expectations, and biases, we often begin to
decode a message before a sender is through encoding and transmitting it.
Our previous interactions with one another influence our present communication
What has happened in the past, positively or negatively, significantly affects how we make sense of
present interactions.
Analysis of other communicators involved and feedback are essential to communication
we are constantly analyzing and assessing our interaction partner(s) (the other communicator or
communicators) during communication.
Context matters. Context refers to the environment and situation in which communication occurs.
Examples of communication contexts include the family, the classroom, the workplace, and intimate
,contexts such as marriage, close friendships, or significant, committed relationships. Can you think of any
others? Context matters because inherent in any setting are prescribed, or normative, roles and rules.
The channel we use affects the process and outcome of communication.
People communicate differently based on the channel being used.
The nature of the relationship between communicators should and does influence our communication
behavior.
Whether you are strangers, acquaintances, or intimates will influence how you package and deliver the
content of your message, and how it is received and transmitted.
Communication Competence
Competent Communicators Can Sense What Is Appropriate in a Given Situation
involves being alert to and aware of what behaviors are appropriate
begins with an analysis of people, your intended communication goal, the nature of the environment,
and the physical setting.
Being appropriate involves effort, awareness, and a willingness to relate to people and to learn about
them.
Competent Communicators Build and Develop Their Communication Skills
competent communicators have a wide range of communication skills available, and they use them all at
various times, based on what the situation demands
skills take time to build and develop and frequently require fine-tuning.
look for ways to strengthen and improve their skills across the lifespan by taking courses like this one,
reading books on the subject, participating in training and development workshops and seminars,
communicating with a wide range of people and in many situations, and reflecting on the feedback they
receive and the outcomes of their communication.
Competent Communication Requires Motivation
motivation to communicate may vary according to the situation
actors can influence our level of motivation to communicate, including our perception of the importance
of the issue, our overall attitudes about the situation, our feelings of similarity to our interaction
partners or audience, social anxieties, and our expectations or predictions about the values and benefits
of communicating.
Our mood, energy level, and state of self-confidence all play a role too. In other words, something as
simple as a bad hair day can discourage us from interacting with others
, Stages of Perception
Selection
Four principles
First, the principle of selective exposure states that we will attend to information that reinforces
existing beliefs and disregard information that is at odds with our current position.
Next, the principle of selective attention illustrates how, once we are engaged in a particular
interaction, we focus on certain information and ignore other information.
As an ongoing way of selecting and filtering messages further, we begin to apply our own unique
experiences to the message in an element of selection known as selective perception—our
inclination to see, hear, and believe what we want to see, hear, and believe.
Finally, we engage in selective recall of information; that is, we remember things that we agree
with rather than things that are contrary to our beliefs.
Organization
Organization refers to a communicator’s efforts to group information into meaningful units to make
further sense out of the information. How do we organize communication stimuli?
One way is by distinguishing between figure and ground. Figure refers to the foreground or point
of emphasis for your attention. Ground represents the background of the particular stimuli that
capture your focused attention.
Another mental tool for organizing stimuli is closure. Closure is our ability to fill in missing
information to complete a perception.
Another way to organize information is based on its proximity, or physical closeness, in relation
to other information.
A final tool for organizing stimuli is similarity, or the degree to which something shares attributes
with other stimuli.
Interpretation
assign meaning to stimuli
relies on both our internal states and the characteristics of the stimuli themselves.
What Factors Influence How People Perceive Their World?
Biological Factors
different sensory perceptions may have very different responses to stimuli
Challenges of Communication
Effective Communication Requires Significant Intellectual and Psychological Resources
As you interact with others, you use your intellect, emotions, and assessment of others’ needs and
motivations to create and exchange, make sense of, and respond to messages.
best package and deliver a message
developing the ability to understand and predict the needs and potential responses of others.
be aware of and responsive to the feedback
assess whether our approach is creating the meanings we intend in the minds of other
communicators.
important to pause, reflect, and evaluate both the process and outcome
Not Everyone You Encounter Will Appreciate the Value of Communication
A person’s orientation to communicating, and communicating well, influences one’s ability to collaborate
effectively, solve problems, and generally get along with others.
Digitally Mediated Communication
We May Over-Rely on Digitally Mediated Communication
the pervasiveness of communication technology may be stressing us out.
text messaging, online social networking, email, microblogs, Skype®, FaceTime, and more, is creating a
greater incidence of stress and burnout among technology users
We Live in a Diverse World Where Intercultural Understanding Can Be Difficult
To communicate effectively with a diverse group of people, you need to know about the values,
languages, and subtle communication nuances of their regions, countries, or social groups.
When communicating globally in the business context, you need to understand the economic and social
conditions of the other communicators.
Intercultural communication is communication between and among people and groups across national,
ethnic, and other cultural boundaries.
Communication Is a Process
The process of relating to others through the exchange of messages can be experimented with and
altered
Sometimes, reversing misunderstandings or others’ negative perceptions of us is very difficult, but the
competent communicator has a repertoire of strategies available for working through these challenges
,The Linear Model of Communication
Phase 1: Deciding on the message. A sender selects a message to send to a receiver (or
receivers) in order to achieve a desired outcome. The sender is also referred to as the source of
the message.
Phase 2: Encoding the message. Encoding refers to a psychological process in which the sender
of a message assigns symbols, such as words, sounds, or gestures, to his or her thoughts and
feelings. Competent communicators are able to translate their ideas into communication
symbols appropriate for the message and the receiver.
Phase 3: Transmitting the message. A message is “sent” from sender to receiver, using a
particular channel that is selected by the sender. The channel is the medium that carries the
message, such as email, telephone, face-to-face communication, or a written document. (We will
discuss how to select the most appropriate channels for communication at various points in this
course.)
Phase 4: Perceiving the message. When a receiver detects that a message has been sent, he or
she attends to it and perceives it in some fashion.
Phase 5: Decoding and assigning meaning to the message. When a receiver assigns meaning to
the message that has been communicated, he or she is engaging in a psychological process
known as decoding. Decoding is the opposite of encoding (the activity that the sender engaged
in at the beginning of the exchange). The receiver translates the symbols (words, sounds, and
gestures) perceived into thoughts and feelings.
The Transactional Model of Communication
the verbal or nonverbal message that a receiver provides to the sender as he or she perceives and
assigns meaning to the sender’s message.
consideration of the factors that make accurate decoding of messages difficult, transforms the linear
model into the transactional model.
Communicators are simultaneously encoding and decoding messages at all times during an
interaction. Using our previous experiences, knowledge, expectations, and biases, we often begin to
decode a message before a sender is through encoding and transmitting it.
Our previous interactions with one another influence our present communication
What has happened in the past, positively or negatively, significantly affects how we make sense of
present interactions.
Analysis of other communicators involved and feedback are essential to communication
we are constantly analyzing and assessing our interaction partner(s) (the other communicator or
communicators) during communication.
Context matters. Context refers to the environment and situation in which communication occurs.
Examples of communication contexts include the family, the classroom, the workplace, and intimate
,contexts such as marriage, close friendships, or significant, committed relationships. Can you think of any
others? Context matters because inherent in any setting are prescribed, or normative, roles and rules.
The channel we use affects the process and outcome of communication.
People communicate differently based on the channel being used.
The nature of the relationship between communicators should and does influence our communication
behavior.
Whether you are strangers, acquaintances, or intimates will influence how you package and deliver the
content of your message, and how it is received and transmitted.
Communication Competence
Competent Communicators Can Sense What Is Appropriate in a Given Situation
involves being alert to and aware of what behaviors are appropriate
begins with an analysis of people, your intended communication goal, the nature of the environment,
and the physical setting.
Being appropriate involves effort, awareness, and a willingness to relate to people and to learn about
them.
Competent Communicators Build and Develop Their Communication Skills
competent communicators have a wide range of communication skills available, and they use them all at
various times, based on what the situation demands
skills take time to build and develop and frequently require fine-tuning.
look for ways to strengthen and improve their skills across the lifespan by taking courses like this one,
reading books on the subject, participating in training and development workshops and seminars,
communicating with a wide range of people and in many situations, and reflecting on the feedback they
receive and the outcomes of their communication.
Competent Communication Requires Motivation
motivation to communicate may vary according to the situation
actors can influence our level of motivation to communicate, including our perception of the importance
of the issue, our overall attitudes about the situation, our feelings of similarity to our interaction
partners or audience, social anxieties, and our expectations or predictions about the values and benefits
of communicating.
Our mood, energy level, and state of self-confidence all play a role too. In other words, something as
simple as a bad hair day can discourage us from interacting with others
, Stages of Perception
Selection
Four principles
First, the principle of selective exposure states that we will attend to information that reinforces
existing beliefs and disregard information that is at odds with our current position.
Next, the principle of selective attention illustrates how, once we are engaged in a particular
interaction, we focus on certain information and ignore other information.
As an ongoing way of selecting and filtering messages further, we begin to apply our own unique
experiences to the message in an element of selection known as selective perception—our
inclination to see, hear, and believe what we want to see, hear, and believe.
Finally, we engage in selective recall of information; that is, we remember things that we agree
with rather than things that are contrary to our beliefs.
Organization
Organization refers to a communicator’s efforts to group information into meaningful units to make
further sense out of the information. How do we organize communication stimuli?
One way is by distinguishing between figure and ground. Figure refers to the foreground or point
of emphasis for your attention. Ground represents the background of the particular stimuli that
capture your focused attention.
Another mental tool for organizing stimuli is closure. Closure is our ability to fill in missing
information to complete a perception.
Another way to organize information is based on its proximity, or physical closeness, in relation
to other information.
A final tool for organizing stimuli is similarity, or the degree to which something shares attributes
with other stimuli.
Interpretation
assign meaning to stimuli
relies on both our internal states and the characteristics of the stimuli themselves.
What Factors Influence How People Perceive Their World?
Biological Factors
different sensory perceptions may have very different responses to stimuli
