Communication Process and Its Elements

To communicate
-transmit, share, convey or exchange information or ideas deliberately or accidentally
- verbally or non-verbally to anyone consciously or unconsciously
-a continuous and dynamic process
What is communication?
 Communication is the process of transmitting information and common understanding from one
person to another (Keyton, 2011);
 an interdependent process of sending, receiving, and understanding messages (Dunn & Goodnight,
2011).
 It pertains to the exchange of information between two or more people, and it happens when one
encounters or observes a behavior (verbal or nonverbal) and gives meaning to it—a meaning ideally
similar to what is intended.

Process of communication
As an interdependent process of sending, receiving, and understanding messages (Dunn & Goodnight,
2011), the steps are interlinked, continuous, and dynamic, involving the following elements:
Elements
1. Sender – encoder, source of information, transmits towards the receiver
2.Receiver – decoder, recipient of the message
3. Message – what connects the two parties (idea or feeling encoded), it may be in verbal form (words) or
nonverbal symbols (paralanguage, including pitch, tone, and volume; body language, including gestures and
facial expressions, posture, and eye movement; physical distance to the receiver, and appearance/clothing).
4. Channel – the medium or vehicle by which the message is sent; based on the form of delivery (verbal or
nonverbal) and the means used in delivering (face-to-face or technology-mediated).
5. Feedback -positive or negative reaction to what has been send, pertains to the verbal or nonverbal
responses to the sender’s encoded signals. It gives information on how the message is interpreted.
6. Context – physical aspect such as classroom, social aspect, and cultural aspect refers from their beliefs;
both the sender and receiver must be in the same context to achieve a harmonious communication
7. Noise/ interference – barrier, it hinders us to deliver the message well, it is an interference
external – relating to physical environment (e.g., a loud party)
internal – pertaining to psychological (e.g., biases and wandering thoughts), physiological (e.g.,
articulation problem), semantic aspect- use of technical terms (e.g., jargon and abstract ideas)
8. Context - situation and environment in which the communication occurs. Its dimensions are physical
(place, e.g., classroom), social (pertaining to the occasion and the people involved, e.g., students in a class),
and cultural (attitudes, beliefs, and the practices of the senders and receivers).
VERBAL AND NON-VERBAL
Verbal – use of sounds and words to impart one’s thoughts or feelings; vocal (spoken words)
Verbal: Functions
Regulation (Control) - The spoken language is used to control one’s or other people’s behavior or activities.
For example, a teacher who gives students instructions on what to do says, “Raise your hand if you have any
questions.”
Social Interaction - A person speaks to create relationships, form associations, develop intimacy, and
maintain bonds and connections with other people. A colleague encouraging a fellow employee by saying,
“Don’t worry. You can do this,” can be a case of starting a friendlier camaraderie.
Motivation - This function concerns expressing one’s desires, goals, inclinations, choices, preferences, likes
and dislikes, and needs and wants. Stating “I’d like to become a teacher” manifests an aspiration.
Information - Verbal communication plays a major role in disseminating information whether by asking for
or giving directions, instruction, or ideas.
Emotional expression - One communicates orally to show one’s feelings and emotions. A person saying
“I’m hurt” is voicing out what he or she feels.
Nonverbal - as important as verbal; conveyance of meaning by means of body language (e.g., gestures,
facial expression, eye contact, posture) or paralanguage (e.g., pitch, volume, speaking rate)
Specific classifications of nonverbals include: proxemics (space), chronemics (time), oculesics (eye
movement), haptics (touch), kinesics (body movements, gestures, facial expressions), objectics (clothing,
ornaments, jewelry, other artifacts), vocalics (voice), olfactorics (smell), colorics (colors), pictics (pictures),
iconics (signs/symbols).
Non-Verbal: Functions
To replace (Replacement) - Actions can replace or substitute speech. For instance, one can shrug shoulders
instead of saying “I don’t know” and wave hands instead of saying goodbye. It is foremost then that one
employs nonverbal forms of communication with recognizable and nearly universal meanings to avoid
confusion.
To repeat (Repetition) - Gestures duplicate and reinforce one’s message. The nonverbal communication can
either occur simultaneously with the verbal or follow and repeat the word said. For example, the act of
nodding while saying yes is a restatement, and so does pointing while giving directions. Like replacement
function, consistency in the meaning of both verbal and nonverbal is important.
To complement (Complementation) - This nonverbal enhances and adds nuance to the meaning of a verbal
message. By way of illustration, one rubs one’s stomach when feeling hungry or says “I passed the test”
with a sarcastic tone. However, gestures that aim to complement cannot be used alone or else they may be
misinterpreted.
To accent (Accentuation) - is to emphasize certain parts of the verbal intent or the utterance. It is often done
by increasing voice volume, prolonging a word, moving forward, and even widening the eyes. If the “very”
in the line “I’m VERY angry with you” is emphasized, it is likely louder. (Some authors regard repetition,
complementation, and accentuation as part of one function - reinforcement.)
To regulate (Regulation) - Nonverbals can be used to control the flow of conversations. For instance, to
signal the beginning of an interaction, one must face the person, move closer, or look at him or her directly.
Conversely, looking at one’s watch repeatedly is an indication that he/she has to go, and the other person
must stop talking.
To contradict (Contradiction) - A contradiction occurs when verbal and nonverbal messages contradict each
other. Saying “I’m all right” with a frown is an example of nonverbal cues contradicting verbal statements.
To deceive (Deception) - Although this purpose is not encouraged, nonverbal signals can be utilized to
mislead the listener. Gestures and actions supplement the message, therefore making it believable. Remarks
such as “I like it” as a compliment, though not sincere, may sound convincing if they are said with eagerness
and a smile.

According to Albery Mehrabian;

“When words and body language, one is inclined to believe the latter (Belludi, 2008)”
If this takes place, movements or gestures may become barriers to a successful exchange of ideas
Harmony between verbal and nonverbal is crucial in attaining effective communication

Mediated Communication
- interaction carried out by using information communication technology
- though not face to face, can be synchronous (happening at the same time)
- asynchronous (not occurring at the same time)

Advantages
-made communication for personal and business reasons instant, speedy, convenient and far-reaching
- technology facilitate connection between friends and relatives in faraway places and those who may have
limitations

Disadvantages
- gestures, voice tone and other nonverbal signals that reinforce one’s message are lost, thus making
susceptible to misinterpretation
- issues on confidentiality and trust surface
- bullying and ridiculing people through online messages and posts become rampant
- not all information and images communicated virtually are true
- people use fake identities to advance personal agenda

*be truthful and careful about the language used to be sensitive about the possible effects of conveyed ideas
Communication Ethics
- sender’s message can affect the receiver in a positive or negative way, hence, communication ethics are
important

Ethics
- pertains to what is right or wrong and what is right is ought to be done
Basic Principles
1. strive to understand and respect others’ communications before evaluating and responding to their
messages
Ex. You raised your voice to a public servant who was ignoring your transaction five minutes before lunch
break. The public servant courteously requested you to calm down for he was just about to attend to your
request. After the transaction, you apologized for your earlier outburst.
2. help promote communication atmosphere of caring and mutual understanding that protect the unique
needs and characteristics of individual communicators
Ex. In a public forum, you have openly but politely addressed an attendee who shouted a female speaker.
3. condemn communication that degrades individuals and humanity through distortions, intolerance,
intimidation, coercion, hatred or violence
Ex. In a jeepney, your classmates seated beside you started talking aloud about a teacher who seemed to
have a favorite in your class. At one point, they mentioned the person’s name. You gently reminded them
that you were in a public place for such a talk.
4. commit yourself to the courageous expression of your personal convictions in pursuit of fairness and
justice
Ex. You have written an open letter to the city administrator questioning the cutting of trees along the main
road of a certain area.
5. accept responsibility for the short-term and long-term consequences of your own communication and
expect the same from others
Ex. On social media, you posted about your personal views on a certain political issue. Many commented
with negative comments. You responded by justifying your side and at the same time respected their
opinions.
6. avoid plagiarism
Ex. You called the attention of the student-researcher who just copied the text from a book without proper
citation.
7. promote honesty, truthfulness, and accuracy as essentials to the integrity of communication
After reading your friend’s social media post which has inaccurate information, you immediately sent her a
message about it.
 These principles promote respect, harmony, and overall positive well-being of one’s relationships
with others and the society in general.