Essential Human Behavior

Chapter 1
Communication:
Essential Human
Behavior
Real Communication, Second Edition
by Dan O’Hair and Mary Wiemann
Why Study
Communication?
 Formal study can
− Improve our skills
− Help us make sense of what
happens in our lives
− Increase our personal impact
− Enhance our relationships
with others
Communication
Enables Us to…
Express Affiliation
 Affiliation is the affect, or feelings,
you have for others; emotion.
 It can be expressed in many ways;

both verbal and non verbal
Achieve Goals
 We need communication to
accomplish particular objectives
 Goal or task oriented

communication can be both direct
and indirect
Influence Others
 Control; ability of one
person, group, or
organization to influence
others.
Describing
Communication
 Communication
is the process
by which
individuals use
symbols, signs,
and behaviors
to exchange
information.
Characteristics of
Communication
 Symbolic
− Symbols are arbitrary
constructions that refer to
people, things, and concepts
− Symbols stand for things,
but they are not the “thing.”
There is no relationship
between symbols and the
“thing” they stand for.
Symbols
Tree
Features (cont’d)
Meaning
− the significance we bestow
on phenomena—what they
signify to us
− We negotiate the meaning of

symbols with others through
communication
Characteristics of
Communication
 Requires a shared code
− A code is a set of symbols joined
together to create meaning
− Involves encoding and
decoding
Characteristics of
Communication
Need not be
intentional
−Giving
information
vs. giving off
information
Characteristics of
Communication
 Occurs through various channels
− A channel is a method through
which communication occurs
Modeling
Communication
http://youtu.be/Btj94IHVc6I?t=22s
Components of
Communication (cont’d)
 Feedback is the verbal or nonverbal response to
communication. +/-
 The Channel is the medium by which the message

travels; “the medium is the message”
 Context or a specific environment that involves

several situational factors; Culture
− People simultaneously send and receive messages
− Changes over time
− Occurs within systems

Components of
Communication (cont’d)
 Noise is any interference that
occurs as we communicate.
Internal or External.
Chapter 3
Communication and
Culture
Real Communication, Second Edition

by Dan O’Hair and Mary Wiemann
Copyright ©2012, 2009, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Culture Described
Culture is a…
learned system of thought and behavior
that belongs to and typifies a relatively
large group of people; it is the composite of
their shared beliefs, values, and practices.
How do we learn
culture?
 listening and observing others'
communication
 worldview—the framework through
which we interpret the world
Learn Culture through

communication
Express Culture through

communication
Intercultural Communication
Communication between people from

different cultures who have different
worldviews.
Why does it matter?
We live in a diverse society.

The world is mobile.
Computer mediated communication
Global market place
Cultural Variation
1. High Context vs. Low-Context
2. Collectivist vs. Individualist
3. Uncertainty Tolerance
4. Masculine vs. Feminine
5. Power Distance
6. Time Orientation
7. Emotional Expression
High-Context vs Low-Context
 High-context cultures use contextual
cues (such as time, place,
relationship, and situation) to
interpret meaning and send subtle
messages.
 Low-context cultures use very direct

language and rely less on situational
factors to communicate.
Collectivist vs Individualist
 Collectivists
tend to perceive
themselves as members of larger
groups first and communicate
from that perspective.
 People from individualist cultures

value individuality, autonomy,
and privacy.
Power Distances
Way in which a culture accepts
and expects the division of
power among individuals
Masculine vs Feminine
 Masculine cultures  Feminine cultures

place value on place value on
assertiveness, nurturance,
achievement, relationships, and
ambition, and quality of life
competitiveness.
Comfort with uncertainty
 Cultures differ in the degree of anxiety that
members feel about the unknown. The
ability to adapt behaviors in order to reduce
uncertainty and risk, is referred to as
uncertainty avoidance.
Time Orientation
The way that cultures communicate with
and about time
 Monochronic cultures treat time as a
limited resource that can be saved or
wasted.
 Polychronic cultures are less concerned
with making every moment count and time
is a much more fluid concept.
Value of Emotional Expression
Hyperbole, vivid language with great
emotional intensity, is often used by
collectivist cultures.
Individualist cultures tend to use more

understatement, language that
downplays the emotional intensity or
importance of events.
What Co-Cultures do you
belong to?
 Groupings with unique
characteristics; race, sex, gender
religion, common interests,
activities.
 Generational cultures
Barriers to Competent
 Anxiety
 Ethnocentrism
 Discrimination
Combat with…
 Intercultural sensitivity
 Intergroup contact
 Accommodation

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Chapter 1

 It can be expressed in many ways;

 Goal or task oriented

− We negotiate the meaning of

 The Channel is the medium by which the message

 Context or a specific environment that involves

− People simultaneously send and receive messages

− Changes over time

− Occurs within systems

Real Communication, Second Edition

Learn Culture through

Express Culture through

Communication between people from

Why does it matter?

We live in a diverse society.

Global market place

 Low-context cultures use very direct

 People from individualist cultures

 Masculine cultures  Feminine cultures

Individualist cultures tend to use more

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