Mass Communication
Semester 3
Chapter 1
Nature of Communication
Definition, elements and process of communication
The English word ‗communication‘ has been derived from the Latin word, ‗Communicare‘
which means to impart or participate or to transmit. The word ‗Communicare‘ is derived from
the root ‗Communis‘ which means to make common or to share.
Communication is 1) the activity or process of sharing or exchanging ideas, feelings,
information, experience between two or more persons; 2) an act or instance of transmitting; 3)
the information actually communicated by some means.
Definitions of communication:
1) The Oxford English Dictionary defines communication as ―the action of conveying or
exchanging information and ideas.‖
2) Peter Little defines communication as ―the process by which information is transmitted
between individuals and or organizations so that an understanding response results.‖
3) Allen Lui (Louis) defines communication as ― Communication is the sum of all the things one
person does when he wants to create understanding in the mind of another. It is a bridge of
meaning. It involves a systematic process of telling, listening, understanding and responding.‖
4) Keith Davis defines communication as ―Communication is the transfer of information and
understanding from one person to another.‖
The process of communication involves a series of stages:
1) An idea arises in the mind of the sender, which he wants to share.
2) The sender encodes the idea in the form of a ‗message‘.
3) The sender chooses some medium / channel to put across the message.
4) The receiver receives the message.
5) The receiver decodes – absorbs, understands, interprets the message.
6) The receiver sends feedback or his response.
The components or elements of the communication process are as follows:
1) The sender or the communicator
2) The message
3) Encoding : to change something into a system for sending messages secretly, or
to represent complicated information in a simple or shortway
4) The medium / channel
5) The receiver
6) Decoding
7) Feedback
8) Barrier
Importance of feedback in the process of communication-
Effective feedback, both positive and negative, is very helpful. Feedback is valuable information
that will be used to make important decisions.
After getting the meaning of the message‗, the receiver provides feedback‗ which he =encodes in
the form of a response/reaction/reply to the message. Feedback plays an important part in the
communication process, because it is desired and expected by both the sender‗ and the receiver‗.
The sender‗ wants to know whether and how his =message‗ has been received, and the
=receiver‗, either consciously or unconsciously, usually provides a sign indicating that he has
received the message.
It should be noted that feedback may be positive or negative. Positive feedback indicates to the
sender the fact that his message has been received, understood, and accepted; and that he can
,proceed to the next point. Negative feedback tells the sender that his message has not been
properly understood. It, therefore, functions as a corrective, as it makes the =sender‗ realize the
defects or flaws in his manner of encoding. He will, therefore, have to encode the same message
in a different way, so as to enable the =receiver‗ to understand it.
Feedback may be immediate or delayed. In the case of interpersonal communication it is quick,
as the sender is able to observe the response/reaction (e.g. a smile, nod, frown etc.) when he is
conveying the message. He can also guess whether the =receiver‗ agrees or disagrees with him.
However, in the case of a letter, feedback may be delayed as the =receiver‗ will take time to
reply.
Sometimes, feedback is obtained indirectly, by observing the subsequent change of behaviour on
the part of the =receiver‗.
Feedback is very important in business. It is important for the businessperson to know whether
his/her clients and customers are satisfied with the products and services, or whether s/he needs
to make changes. Feedback from employees is also necessary to improve the performance of an
organization.
The diagrammatical representation of the communication process can be shown as follows:
Sende Channel / Medium Receive
r r
Types of communication:
Interpersonal:
Interpersonal communication is the process by which people exchange information, feelings, and
meaning through verbal and non-verbal messages: it is face-to-face communication.
Interpersonal communication is not just about what is actually said - the language used - but how
it is said and the non-verbal messages sent through tone of voice, facial expressions, gestures and
body language.
When two or more people are in the same place and are aware of each other's presence, then
communication is taking place, no matter how subtle or unintentional.
Without speech, an observer may be using cues of posture, facial expression, and dress to form
an impression of the other's role, emotional state, personality and/or intentions. Although no
communication may be intended, people receive messages through such forms of non-verbal
behaviour.
Elements of Interpersonal Communication:
The Communicators
For any communication to occur there must be at least two people involved. It is easy to think
about communication involving a sender and a receiver of a message. However, the problem
with this way of seeing a relationship is that it presents communication as a one-way process
where one person sends the message and the other receives it. While one person is talking and
another is listening, for example.
In fact communications are almost always complex, two-way processes, with people sending and
receiving messages to and from each other simultaneously. In other words, communication is an
interactive process. While one person is talking the other is listening - but while listening they
are also sending feedback in the form of smiles, head nods etc.
The Message
Message not only means the speech used or information conveyed, but also the non-verbal
messages exchanged such as facial expressions, tone of voice, gestures and body language. Non-
verbal behaviour can convey additional information about the spoken message. In particular, it
can reveal more about emotional attitudes which may underlie the content of speech.
Noise
,Noise has a special meaning in communication theory. It refers to anything that distorts the
message, so that what is received is different from what is intended by the speaker. Whilst
physical 'noise' (for example, background sounds or a low-flying jet plane) can interfere with
communication, other factors are considered to be ‗noise‘. The use of complicated jargon,
inappropriate body language, inattention, disinterest, and cultural differences can be considered
'noise' in the context of interpersonal communication. In other words, any distortions or
inconsistencies that occur during an attempt to communicate can be seen as noise.
Feedback
Feedback consists of messages the receiver returns, which allows the sender to know how
accurately the message has been received, as well as the receiver's reaction. The receiver may
also respond to the unintentional message as well as the intentional message. Types of feedback
range from direct verbal statements, for example "Say that again, I don't understand", to subtle
facial expressions or changes in posture that might indicate to the sender that the receiver feels
uncomfortable with the message. Feedback allows the sender to regulate, adapt or repeat the
message in order to improve communication.
Context
All communication is influenced by the context in which it takes place. However, apart from
looking at the situational context of where the interaction takes place, for example in a room,
office, or perhaps outdoors, the social context also needs to be considered, for example the roles,
responsibilities and relative status of the participants. The emotional climate and participants'
expectations of the interaction will also affect the communication.
Channel
The channel refers to the physical means by which the message is transferred from one person to
another. In a face-to-face context the channels which are used are speech and vision, however
during a telephone conversation the channel is limited to speech alone.
Uses of Interpersonal Communication
Most of us engage in some form of interpersonal communication on a regular basis, often many
times a day, how well we communicate with others is a measure of our interpersonal skills.
Interpersonal communication is a key life skill and can be used to:
• Give and collect information.
• Influence the attitudes and behaviour of others.
• Form contacts and maintain relationships.
• Make sense of the world and our experiences in it.
• Express personal needs and understand the needs of others.
• Give and receive emotional support.
• Make decisions and solve problems.
• Anticipate and predict behaviour.
• Regulate power.
Group Communication
Definition: The interaction of three or more interdependent members working to achieve a
common goal.
Components of Group Communication
, Group Communication Process
Advantages of Working in Groups
Group Performance
Member Satisfaction
Learning
Cultural Understanding
Creativity
Civic Engagement
Disadvantages of Working in Groups:
Time, Energy, and Resources
Conflict
People Problems
Mass Communication:
Mass communication is a process of transmitting message to a large number of scattered
audiences. Through mass communication, information can be transmitted quickly to a large
number of people who generally stay far away from the sources of information. Mass
communication is done through radio, television, newspaper, magazine, leaflets etc. some
definitions of mass communication are as follows:
According to Metha, ―Mass communication is concerned with transmitting information,
thoughts and opinions, entertainments etc. at a time to a large number of heterogeneous
audiences.
According to Emery and others, ―Mass communication is a process of sending a message,
thought and attitude through some media at a time to a large number of heterogeneous
audiences.‖
Semester 3
Chapter 1
Nature of Communication
Definition, elements and process of communication
The English word ‗communication‘ has been derived from the Latin word, ‗Communicare‘
which means to impart or participate or to transmit. The word ‗Communicare‘ is derived from
the root ‗Communis‘ which means to make common or to share.
Communication is 1) the activity or process of sharing or exchanging ideas, feelings,
information, experience between two or more persons; 2) an act or instance of transmitting; 3)
the information actually communicated by some means.
Definitions of communication:
1) The Oxford English Dictionary defines communication as ―the action of conveying or
exchanging information and ideas.‖
2) Peter Little defines communication as ―the process by which information is transmitted
between individuals and or organizations so that an understanding response results.‖
3) Allen Lui (Louis) defines communication as ― Communication is the sum of all the things one
person does when he wants to create understanding in the mind of another. It is a bridge of
meaning. It involves a systematic process of telling, listening, understanding and responding.‖
4) Keith Davis defines communication as ―Communication is the transfer of information and
understanding from one person to another.‖
The process of communication involves a series of stages:
1) An idea arises in the mind of the sender, which he wants to share.
2) The sender encodes the idea in the form of a ‗message‘.
3) The sender chooses some medium / channel to put across the message.
4) The receiver receives the message.
5) The receiver decodes – absorbs, understands, interprets the message.
6) The receiver sends feedback or his response.
The components or elements of the communication process are as follows:
1) The sender or the communicator
2) The message
3) Encoding : to change something into a system for sending messages secretly, or
to represent complicated information in a simple or shortway
4) The medium / channel
5) The receiver
6) Decoding
7) Feedback
8) Barrier
Importance of feedback in the process of communication-
Effective feedback, both positive and negative, is very helpful. Feedback is valuable information
that will be used to make important decisions.
After getting the meaning of the message‗, the receiver provides feedback‗ which he =encodes in
the form of a response/reaction/reply to the message. Feedback plays an important part in the
communication process, because it is desired and expected by both the sender‗ and the receiver‗.
The sender‗ wants to know whether and how his =message‗ has been received, and the
=receiver‗, either consciously or unconsciously, usually provides a sign indicating that he has
received the message.
It should be noted that feedback may be positive or negative. Positive feedback indicates to the
sender the fact that his message has been received, understood, and accepted; and that he can
,proceed to the next point. Negative feedback tells the sender that his message has not been
properly understood. It, therefore, functions as a corrective, as it makes the =sender‗ realize the
defects or flaws in his manner of encoding. He will, therefore, have to encode the same message
in a different way, so as to enable the =receiver‗ to understand it.
Feedback may be immediate or delayed. In the case of interpersonal communication it is quick,
as the sender is able to observe the response/reaction (e.g. a smile, nod, frown etc.) when he is
conveying the message. He can also guess whether the =receiver‗ agrees or disagrees with him.
However, in the case of a letter, feedback may be delayed as the =receiver‗ will take time to
reply.
Sometimes, feedback is obtained indirectly, by observing the subsequent change of behaviour on
the part of the =receiver‗.
Feedback is very important in business. It is important for the businessperson to know whether
his/her clients and customers are satisfied with the products and services, or whether s/he needs
to make changes. Feedback from employees is also necessary to improve the performance of an
organization.
The diagrammatical representation of the communication process can be shown as follows:
Sende Channel / Medium Receive
r r
Types of communication:
Interpersonal:
Interpersonal communication is the process by which people exchange information, feelings, and
meaning through verbal and non-verbal messages: it is face-to-face communication.
Interpersonal communication is not just about what is actually said - the language used - but how
it is said and the non-verbal messages sent through tone of voice, facial expressions, gestures and
body language.
When two or more people are in the same place and are aware of each other's presence, then
communication is taking place, no matter how subtle or unintentional.
Without speech, an observer may be using cues of posture, facial expression, and dress to form
an impression of the other's role, emotional state, personality and/or intentions. Although no
communication may be intended, people receive messages through such forms of non-verbal
behaviour.
Elements of Interpersonal Communication:
The Communicators
For any communication to occur there must be at least two people involved. It is easy to think
about communication involving a sender and a receiver of a message. However, the problem
with this way of seeing a relationship is that it presents communication as a one-way process
where one person sends the message and the other receives it. While one person is talking and
another is listening, for example.
In fact communications are almost always complex, two-way processes, with people sending and
receiving messages to and from each other simultaneously. In other words, communication is an
interactive process. While one person is talking the other is listening - but while listening they
are also sending feedback in the form of smiles, head nods etc.
The Message
Message not only means the speech used or information conveyed, but also the non-verbal
messages exchanged such as facial expressions, tone of voice, gestures and body language. Non-
verbal behaviour can convey additional information about the spoken message. In particular, it
can reveal more about emotional attitudes which may underlie the content of speech.
Noise
,Noise has a special meaning in communication theory. It refers to anything that distorts the
message, so that what is received is different from what is intended by the speaker. Whilst
physical 'noise' (for example, background sounds or a low-flying jet plane) can interfere with
communication, other factors are considered to be ‗noise‘. The use of complicated jargon,
inappropriate body language, inattention, disinterest, and cultural differences can be considered
'noise' in the context of interpersonal communication. In other words, any distortions or
inconsistencies that occur during an attempt to communicate can be seen as noise.
Feedback
Feedback consists of messages the receiver returns, which allows the sender to know how
accurately the message has been received, as well as the receiver's reaction. The receiver may
also respond to the unintentional message as well as the intentional message. Types of feedback
range from direct verbal statements, for example "Say that again, I don't understand", to subtle
facial expressions or changes in posture that might indicate to the sender that the receiver feels
uncomfortable with the message. Feedback allows the sender to regulate, adapt or repeat the
message in order to improve communication.
Context
All communication is influenced by the context in which it takes place. However, apart from
looking at the situational context of where the interaction takes place, for example in a room,
office, or perhaps outdoors, the social context also needs to be considered, for example the roles,
responsibilities and relative status of the participants. The emotional climate and participants'
expectations of the interaction will also affect the communication.
Channel
The channel refers to the physical means by which the message is transferred from one person to
another. In a face-to-face context the channels which are used are speech and vision, however
during a telephone conversation the channel is limited to speech alone.
Uses of Interpersonal Communication
Most of us engage in some form of interpersonal communication on a regular basis, often many
times a day, how well we communicate with others is a measure of our interpersonal skills.
Interpersonal communication is a key life skill and can be used to:
• Give and collect information.
• Influence the attitudes and behaviour of others.
• Form contacts and maintain relationships.
• Make sense of the world and our experiences in it.
• Express personal needs and understand the needs of others.
• Give and receive emotional support.
• Make decisions and solve problems.
• Anticipate and predict behaviour.
• Regulate power.
Group Communication
Definition: The interaction of three or more interdependent members working to achieve a
common goal.
Components of Group Communication
, Group Communication Process
Advantages of Working in Groups
Group Performance
Member Satisfaction
Learning
Cultural Understanding
Creativity
Civic Engagement
Disadvantages of Working in Groups:
Time, Energy, and Resources
Conflict
People Problems
Mass Communication:
Mass communication is a process of transmitting message to a large number of scattered
audiences. Through mass communication, information can be transmitted quickly to a large
number of people who generally stay far away from the sources of information. Mass
communication is done through radio, television, newspaper, magazine, leaflets etc. some
definitions of mass communication are as follows:
According to Metha, ―Mass communication is concerned with transmitting information,
thoughts and opinions, entertainments etc. at a time to a large number of heterogeneous
audiences.
According to Emery and others, ―Mass communication is a process of sending a message,
thought and attitude through some media at a time to a large number of heterogeneous
audiences.‖
