 What is communication

The word communication comes from the Latin word ‘Communis’ which means
common. Generally, many of us use the word communication to talk about many
affairs like transport, connectivity, telephone system etc. But, in the study of
communication, the term communication has a specified meaning. We call it
communication when one or more than one people exchanges their ideas of mind
through talking, chatting etc. , and create an ideological commonness, which in
the words of Rabindranath Tagore is ‘connecting life to a life’.

Denis McQuail sees ‘human communication’ in linear terms as the sending of

meaningful messages from one person to another. These messages could be oral
or written, visual or olfactory. He also takes such things as laws, customs,
practices, ways of dressing, gestures, buildings, garden, military parades, and flags
to be communication.

Ashley Montagu and Floyd Matson view the communication as a clash of symbols,
and it covers a multitude of signs.

WS Cardon, a leading exponent of kinetics, in explaining communications stresses

that, interaction within a culture is governed not so much my language, but by
‘body synthesizers’ set in motion almost immediately after birth, and thereafter
conditioned by culture.

But for sociologists like Thompson, however, communication is a form of action

which takes place in a social context and is related to questions of economic,
political, coercive and symbolic power in society.

Although we do have a unified or common definition of communication, all of the

definitions have many common features. Be it the use of symbols, the
transmission of message, or the presence of a shared environment, every expert
added some unique value to the word communication.

Many of the experts see the communication as a process which leads to social or
personal interaction and contributes to a sense of community.

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  Levels of communication

The process of communication can be divided in a few levels depending on the

quantity of the participants. These are –

1) inter personal communication,

2) Intra personal communication,
3) Group communication and
4) Mass communication.
i) Intra-personal communication: If a person does not have a proper
intra- personal communication, he would not be able to do

communication in any other level. Human brain always communicates

with itself. The process of intra-personal communication is very much
dependent on the sensory organs.

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 Every time we learn something new, some types of electromagnetic
impulse are carried to the memory through nervous system. It is called
memory imprint. The circuit created by everything we learn occurs
differently depending on their physical structure, health, gender, age
etc. This process is called cognition, where multiple senses can work
together. E.g. when a child sees the steam over a glass of milk, or
touches the glass, he cognizes it as hot.

ii) Inter-personal communication: Inter-personal communication is

the communication between two persons. It is, in other words, a
dialogue or a conversation or a mechanized transmission of messages
between two persons.
A. Characteristics
1) Inter-personal communication is very simple. Generally, it doesn’t
require to be organized, it is rather spontaneous.
2) The structure of the message is very informal in nature.
3) Mechanized and natural, both kinds of channels can be used in inter-
personal communication.
4) Anyone can be a sender or receiver in inter-personal communication.
Anyone can participate, starting from a rickshaw puller to the prime
minister.

B. Factors that play

Attraction is a major factor that establishes and develops an inter-

personal communication. There are a few elements of attraction.
1) Appearance- The way of speaking, or the looks of a person etc. is
important to increase attraction.
2) Attitude similarity- Attitude similarity keeps the inter-personal
communication between the two persons, healthy. Like two
brothers who like to watch the same cartoon show.

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 3) Proximity- Proximity increases the attraction. Meeting, talking and
other activities like facebook chat are the good examples where
proximity is maintained.
4) Reciprocal liking- Reciprocal liking is the liking from both sides.
Only one sided liking will lead to an unhealthy inter-personal
communication.

5) Needs and emotions- Needs of a person changes from time to

time, depending on his age, situation etc. Need is important to
choose someone to communicate. Emotion also plays a vital role.
If a person satisfies the needs and emotions of the other person,
he will be able to make a successful inter-personal
communication. Greatest example of this is the inter-personal
communication between two of the family members.
C. Norms and roles

1) Role of a person in every inter-personal communication is different.

Every person has a unique identity in all kinds of inter-personal
communication. As good as someone adapts the specific role in an
inter-personal relationship, as good as he will be in inter-personal
communication.

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 2) Norms has a huge effect in society and social relationship. One has to
follow the norms to make a good inter-personal communication. But,
norms also change depending on the location and the context. One
has to adopt proper norms to maintain a healthy inter-personal
communication.
iii) Group Communication: When more than one people combine
together for certain purpose or various purposes to be fulfilled, then the
communication between them is called group communication. More
than one people gathering together to reach towards common goal is a
group communication. For example, a close door seminar is a group
communication.
A. Characteristics
1) Group communication must have a time, date, and venue. Group
communication requires to be organized.
2) The character of the messages used is group communication are
formal.
3) The group must have an agenda, or a set of goals. This stands as one of
the key characteristics of group communication.
4) The group must have a purpose to be formed. Without a purpose a
group communication can’t happen.
5) Group communication always takes place within the group or between
the group members.
B. Participators responsibilities
1) Every participator must have a general knowledge of the people in the
group.
2) He should have knowledge over the subject of the group.
3) The participator must be aware of the agenda.
4) He has to fulfil the pre-conditions to be a member of that group.

C. Structure of the message

1) In a group communication, the structure of a message should be
formal.

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 2) The message should be structured according to the agenda.
3) The message is generally filled with technical terms and some
knowledge over the agenda is required to understand the message.
4) It must have a logical conclusion.

iv) Mass Communication: When a large number of people of different

groups, who are geographically separated and dispersed in a vast area
are communicated using a mass media with the help of technology is
called a mass communication.

A. Mediums for mass communication

Print media (books, newspapers magazines), film, radio and
television, these four mediums are called ‘Traditional mass media’.
And Internet based mediums are called ‘New media’.
B. Characteristics of the sender
At this level of communication, the communicator must be
professional. He must have proper training and knowledge over the
process. Mass communication is not a kind of communication done

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 by one or two person; it is rather the result of a collective effort of a
team of professionals.
C. Characteristics of the receiver
1) Receivers are a very large number of people in the case of mass
communication.
2) Receivers are diverse and they are geographically separated. For
example, a football match of EPL happening in London is viewed
by the viewers of India, Bangkok and Germany at the same time.
3) Characteristics and actual numbers of listeners or viewers are
generally and apparently unknown to the communicator. For
example, when someone reads the news in a news channel, he
holds no idea about how many people are listening to it.
4) Receivers know only about the public life of the mass
communicator.
5) Feedback in mass communication is delayed and limited.
6) The diversity of feedback is also an important character of the
receivers of the mass communication. For example, different
people give different rating to a cinema.
D. Characteristics of the message
The message should be lucid, simple in nature. The message must be
easily understandable by all classes and professions of people.

 Groups
In the modern society a person has to participate in various groups in his long
lifetime. Some groups disband, some group generates while some remains united
since the birth until death. Groups can be divided into two types: i) Primary group,
ii) Secondary group.

i) Primary group: A primary group is the group which remains valid for
a very long term, and a person stays in that group even if the members

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 change. In this type of group, the members are well linked. Example -
Family.

ii) Secondary group: One gets indulged in various secondary groups in

his various phrases of life. In case of these groups the term is short, and
the nature of the group is temporary. Example – group of college.

 Formation
An individual has to stay in a
group, because a person
cannot sustain individually.
One has to participate in
certain groups. A person has
certain purposes to fulfil which
encourages him to join a
group. The purposes of a man
and a group meet in a
platform. The moment, when
some people set some
common goal, they form a
group. A group goal is an
assembly of individual members of that group.

i) Purpose: A group must have a purpose or the group will not get
formed successfully. Every group round us is purpose driven. Example-
Some young people form a committee for Kali Puja in their locality.
Here, the principal purpose of the group is arranging a Kali Puja.
i) Group goals: Without group goals a group is nothing. Group goals are
one of the key points of forming a successful group. Without a group
goal the group communication cannot happen at all. Example- Some

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 young people form a committee for Kali Puja in their locality. Their
group goals should be raise subscriptions, ordering the clay idol etc.

 Functioning

Functioning of a group depends on the character of the group and the quality and
quantity of the participators in that group. To make a group work successfully, the
dexterity of the leader will matter very much. Maturity of a group also defines
how the group will function.

i) Relationship with outsiders: The best way to appear to the

outsiders is to appear as a united face. There might be difference of
opinions within the group, but it should not come out in presence of any
outsider of the group. That portrays a better image of the group to the
outsider, and that is healthy for the group.

ii) Cohesiveness: The group functions better if the cohesiveness in a

group is enhanced. If there is lack of cohesiveness in a group, the group
will not function smoothly, and the process of communication will get
affected.

iii) Attraction and satisfaction: A leader should play vital roles to make
satisfaction of the group members. If the members are not attached to
the group because of dissatisfaction, the group would not function well.
Elements of common interest of the group members should be present
in a group.

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 iv) Involvement of members: Involvement of the members in a group is
considered a vital tool for a group to function smoothly. As much as the
members are involved in group affairs, the communication will improve.
Each member’s involvement lies in performing his or her duties
respectively.

 Choosing the leader of a group

A group can never exist without a leader. To form a group or to run a group
properly there must be a leader, be it chosen naturally or imposed from upwards.
Leader of a group can be chosen in the following ways:

i) Natural choice: In this process of choosing the leader, some unsaid

rules are followed according to the traditions, and the leader is
followed by all members of the group.
ii) Unanimous choice: In this method, a leader is chosen unanimously
and consensually by the group members.
iii) Election: In this process consensus comes from within the members
of the group. This process is considered to be a better option
compared to the imposition of a leader from upward.

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 iv) Compromise: In this method someone is chosen to be the leader by
compromise. Although this is an accepted process, members’
knowledge and trust on the leader does matter.

 Job of the leader

The leader of a group has many jobs to be done. The followings are some very
important tasks of them-

v) Setting up an agenda.
vi) Clarify and explain the agenda.
vii) Listen to every opinion, and ensure the democratic participation of the
members.
viii) Avoiding differences and debates.
ix) Avoiding hasty decisions.
x) Job distribution among members.

 Leadership Functions
There are two different approaches of leading a group.

i) Functional approach:
1) To set up a goal as a leader of the group.
2) The selected goal requires being realistic.
3) To set up a plan to fulfil these goals.
4) To understand the strength and weakness of the group.
5) Execute the job, and judge as per the situation and change the plan
when needed.
6) It is an important job of a group leader to seek Information and to
disseminate.
7) Analyse the whole thing( needs experience to do so)
8) To synthesize and publish the report.
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 ii) Task and climate approach:
1) To understand the climate and do accordingly.
2) Encourage group members.
3) To mediate the internal and external people or mediation within the
group members.
4) The job of the leader is to open communication, and to decide that
where, when, and how to get the members communicated
regardless of what happens in between.
5) To direct and redirect is a continuous process.
6) To direct and redirect is a continuous process.
7) Situational approach- To build up confidence, and to take measures
to grow the confidence among the members, to establish free and
frank communication and to develop a co-operative mentality.

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  Comparison of elements in different communication levels

Communi-
cation
Sender Message Channel Receiver Feedback

The
Intra- The person Practically nervous
person Instant
personal himself anything system
himself

Inter- Informal and Natural or Any Instant and

Any person
personal confidential mechanised person rich

Delayed,
Formal, inversely
Leader or the Members
Structural, Natural or proporti-
Group members of
technical mechanised
of the
onal to the
the group group
and logical size of the
group
Large
number of
A team of and Delayed
Professional Simple and diverse of
Mass lucid
Mass media
people,
and
communicator
s separated limited
Geogra-
phically

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  Conclusion
Group communication is undoubtedly a quick and very practical manner of
conveying information or messages. But as the group size increases, the
relationship between sender and receiver becomes less and less intimate. The
main difficulty of group communication is the feedback. In an inter-personal
communication, feedback is instantaneous, whereas in a group communication
the quantity of feedback is difficult to measure and to reply to those. It takes time
before the meanings are clarified and responses are assessed. That is why the art
of effective public speaking is more necessary at the group level rather than the
inter-personal level. Face to face communication, on the other hand, is more
persuasive and influential, particularly in an unequal communication situation. It
involves the interplay of words and gestures and above all, the warmth of human
closeness. In group communication, particularly, where the group is large,
deception and pretence cannot be detected immediately. That must be the
reason why ‘acting’ is associated with group communication. The theatre,
religious services, dance performances, carnivals are also examples of group
communication. Village markets, bazars are too informal instances of group
communication. There are also gossip groups, tea-shop groups, and other
informal traditional groups that come together regularly or occasionally for
exchange of information.

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