The Nature of Communication Historical Situation - the background

provided by previous communication

Communication - the process through
which we express, interpret and coordinate
messages with others.
Messages - the verbal utterances, visual
images, and nonverbal behaviors used to
convey thoughts and feelings
Encoding - creating message, the process
of putting our thoughts and feelings into
words and nonverbal behaviors
between the participants
Psychological Situation - includes the
moods and feelings
Cultural Situation - beliefs, values,
orientations, underlying assumptions and
rituals
Communication Settings
Different communication environments

Decoding - the process of interpreting Intrapersonal Communication - person’s

messages mind, talking with himself or herself

Feedback - response to the message Interpersonal Communication -

Canned plan - “mental library”
- Scripts based on what worked past
Script - an actual text of what to say in a
specific situation
interaction between two people
Small-group Communication - 3-20 peops
together coming at specific purpose
Public Communication - one participant,
the speaker, delivering a message

Communication Context
This is the physical, social, historical,
psychological and cultural situations that
surround a communication event.

Physical situation - location,

environmental conditions (temperature,
lighting, noise level), distance between
communicators

*Social Presence - a sense of “being there”

Social Situation - the nature of the

relationship exists between the
communicators
The Communication Process ● Psychological noise - thoughts
a complex set of three different and and feelings that compete with the
interrelated activities intended to result in sender’s message for our attention
shared meaning

Message Production - what we do when

we encode a message (recall canned plan
scripts)

Message Interpretation - what we do when

we decode a message (prepare feedback)

Interaction coordination - consists of the

behavioral adjustments each participant
makes in an attempt to create shared
meaning (Burgoon, 1998)

Channel - the route traveled by the

message and the means of transportation

Other terms:

● Media richness refers to how much

and what kinds of information can
be trans- mitted via a particular
channel.
● Synchronicity is the extent to which
a channel allows for immediate
feedback.
● Emoticons - textual images that
symbolize the sender’s mood,
emotion, or facial expressions
● Acronyms - abbreviations that
stand in for common phrases
● Interference/Noise - any stimulus
that interferes with the process of
achieving sharing meaning
● Physical noise - any external sight
or sound that distracts us from the
message
Characteristics of Communication Apprehension
Communication fear or anxiety associated with real or
Several communication characteristics anticipated communication with others
provide a foundation for practicing and
improving our communication skills.

1. Communication has a purpose

2. Communication Is Continuous
3. Communication Is Irreversible
4. Communication Is Situated
5. Communication Is Indexical (index -
measure of the emotional temperature of
our relationship at the time)
6. Communication Messages Vary in
Conscious Thought
7. Communication Is Guided by
Cultural Norms

Communication Ethics
Ethics - a set of moral principles held by a
society, group, or individual

1. Ethical communicators are honest.

2. Ethical communicators act with
integrity.
3. Ethical communicators behave fairly.
4. Ethical communicators demonstrate
respect.
5. Ethical communicators are
responsible.

● bright side messages - both ethical

and appropriate
● dark side messages - not ethical
and/or appropriate

Communication Competence
the impression that communicative behavior
is both appropriate and effective in a given
situation