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Module 1

Communication Processes, Principles and Ethics

Objectives

 Explain the principles and process of communication and the ethical

considerations in communication.
 Elucidate how communication skills help resolve problems, better understand
new concepts and aid in your profession.
 Frame a slogan about how the knowledge of the communication process aids
people in communicating effectively.

Overview

Communication is understood as the process of meaning-making through a channel

or a medium. It comes from the Latin communicares, meaning to share or to make ideas
common. The connection that encompasses interaction among partakers is the center of
your learning of communication.

The Components of the Communication Process

1. Source
The sender carefully crafts the message. The sender may be anyone:
and author of a book, a public speaker in a special occasion or even
traffic enforcer,
2. Message
The message is the reason behind any interaction. It is the meaning
shared between the sender and the receiver. Messages take many
forms. They could mean poems, song, essays, news articles, road
sign and even symbols.
3. Channel
The channel is the means by which a message is conveyed. When we
answer a phone call, the phone is the channel. On the other hand,
when your parents receive a notification of your absences from
school, the channel is a letter. It is the responsibility of both the sender
and the receiver to choose the best channel for the interaction.
4. Receiver
The receiver is the person who receives the transmitted message. The
receiver may be a part of an audience in a public speaking event, a
reader of a letter or a driver who reads road signs. The receiver is
expected to listen or read carefully, to be aware of different kinds of
sender to jot down information when needed, to provide response and
to ask questions for clarification.
5. Feedback
In any communication scenario, a feedback is essential to confirm
recipient understanding. Feedbacks, like messages, are expressed in
varied forms. A simple nod for a question of verification is considered
a feedback. Thus, feedbacks may be written, spoken or acted out.
6. Environment

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The place, the feeling, the mood, the mindset and the condition of
both sender and receiver are called the environment. The environment
may involve the physical set-up of a location where communication
takes place, the space occupied by both the sender and the receiver,
including the objects surrounding the sender and receiver.
7. Context
Context involves the expectations of the sender and the receiver and
the common or shared understanding through the environment
signals.
8. Interference
Interference is also known as barrier or block that prevents effective
communication to take place.

Kinds of Interference
a) Psychological barriers are thoughts that hamper the message
to be interpreted correctly by the receiver.
b) Physical barriers include competing stimulus, weather and
climate, health and ignorance of the medium.
c) Linguistic and cultural barriers pertain to the language and its
cultural environment. Words may mean another in different
cultures.
d) Mechanical barriers are those raised by the channels
employed for interpersonal, group or mass communication.
These include cellphones, laptops and other gadgets used in
communication.

The Nine Principles of Effective Communication

Michael Osborn (2009) claims that communication must meet certain standards for
effective communication to take place.

1) Clarity
Clarity makes speeches understandable. Fuzzy language is absolutely
forbidden, as are jargons, cliché expressions, euphemisms and
doublespeak language.
2) Concreteness
Concreteness reduces misunderstandings. Messages must ne
supported by facts such as research data, statistics or figures. To
achieve concreteness, abstract words must be avoided.
3) Courtesy
Courtesy builds goodwill. It involves being polite in terms of approach
and manner of addressing an individual.
4) Correctness
Glaring mistakes in grammar obscures the meaning of a sentence.
Also, the misuse of language can damage your credibility.
5) Consideration
Messages must be geared towards the audience. The sender of a
message must consider the recipient’s profession, level of education,
race, ethnicity, hobbies, interests, passions, advocacies and age when
drafting or delivering a message.
6) Creativity

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Creativity in communication means having the ability to craft

interesting messages in terms of sentence structure and word choice.
7) Conscience
Simplicity and directness help you to be concise. Avoid using lengthy
expressions and words that may confuse the recipient.
8) Cultural Sensitivity
Today, with the increasing emphasis on empowering diverse cultures,
lifestyles, and races and the pursuit for gender equality, cultural
sensitivity becomes an important standard for effective
communication.
9) Captivating
You must strive to make messages interesting to command more
attention and better responses.

Ethics in Communication

The term ethics comes from the Greek word ethos, which means custom, habit,
character or outlook. Albeit peoples from different cultures vary in their moral philosophies,
people in general expect to be treated with dignity, fairness, respect or with basic courtesy in
their communication encounters.

Regardless of an individual’s moral principle (relativistic), ethics in communication

can take a universal approach, which can be displayed in several ways including but not
limited to the following:

1) Adhering to the golden rule of the platinum rule

The golden rule asserts to always treat others in the same way you want to
be treated while the platinum rules according to Bennet (1980) stresses on
treating others the way they wish to be treated. Ethical communicators
address people of other cultures with the same respect that they would like to
receive themselves (Jandt, 2013:37).
2) Considering the feeling of the receiver
Humans are not only cognitive but also emotional beings. If we are less
careful with our words, tone, and non-verbal gestures, people could be
negatively affected. To be ethical in communicating with others, it will be best
to maintain tact and diplomacy in our communications.
3) Acknowledging the source of idea and information
Sources of ideas and information should be acknowledged appropriately at all
times. It is unethical and unlawful for someone to convey other people’s
intellectual property without recognizing the author’s names or organizations.

4) Speaking the truth

This is universal rule. Unfortunately, there are also those who (for whatever
reason) seem to enjoy propagating falsehood. Take for instance the
abundance of fake news or what others call alternative facts on the Internet.
Obviously, this is a violation of communication ethics and should be stopped
by all means.

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Ethical Consideration in Communication

Ethics is a branch of philosophy that focuses on issues of right and wrong in human
affairs.

Ethical Communications:

a. Respect audience
b. Consider the result of communication
c. Value truth
d. Use information correctly
e. Do not falsify information

Check and Do

A. Check (Question for Discussion)

1. What might happen to the world if communication does not exist?

2. Why do miscommunication and misunderstandings happen?

3. In your own perspective, why is the study of communication relevant to your life
and to your future profession? Cite specific instances of its significance.

4. Why are feedbacks important?

B. Do Activities (To Do)

1. Through a slogan, state how the knowledge of the communication process aids
people in communicating effectively?

2. Research on issue in ethics in the context of cyber communication. How do you

think these issues can be resolved? Write your response to it on a one page bond paper
(font size – 12; Times New Romans font, and 1.5 spacing).

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