What is human communication?

Anthropo-semiotics – the study of how people communicate; signs and symbols,

their use and interpretations

Symbolic communication – DENOTATIVE and CONNOTATIVE (Read about

semiotics-use of symbols and associated meanings/significance)

Defining human communication

Human communication involves any oral, written, gestured or signed information

that is produced and received by human beings. It involves the use of symbols
(language) and received through systems like visual, auditory, and tactile, which are
generated through voice, speech, writing, manual, signs and gestures.

Myths about human communication

The more you communicate, the better your communication will be – one needs to
learn the right habits of communications

When two people are in a close relationship, neither person should have to
communicate needs and wants explicitly; the other person should know what these are
– always make explicit

Interpersonal or group conflict is a reliable sign that the relationship or group is in

trouble – conflict is inevitable

Like good communicators, leaders are born, not made – nope. One can learn the right
principles

Fear of speaking in public is detrimental and must be eliminated – nope. This is a

normal thing. Most speakers are nervous. One is not going to learn from a book how
to eliminate stage fright. But one can manage the fear, making it work for you rather
than against you.

Characteristics/principles of human communication

1. It is purposive – there is a motivation (even when one is not looking at it)

2. It is a process – no message occurs in isolation – its an on-going activity
and has no end. The process and not the event will mean that one looks at
more than just the outcome.
3. Involves choices - confronted with choices of doing one thing or another,
how to say it. Communication training enlarges the number of choices
 4. It is ambiguous – messages are prone to different interpretations (e.g.
what has the cat in its paws?). Know and be conscious that
communication is ambiguous and one thing could mean another
5. It is symbolic – symbolic interactionism – how do we use symbols to
communicate?
6. It is unavoidable – any behaviour is a form of communication. The axioms
of communication – be aware that you are in communication even when
you don’t tell people anything
7. It is contextual - what are the constraints – structural influences? Shared
context the communication becomes easier
8. Involves content and relationship dimension -
9. Has power dimension – you establish power through verbal and non-
verbal dimensions, legitimate, referent, coercive, expert, information,
persuasion, reward. Be ethical in power relationships
10. Is two-way
11. Is punctuated – communication events are continuous – punctuated into
causes and effects for convenience; or stimuli and responses. It the
segmenting of a continuous stream into smaller pieces
12. Irreversible and unrepeatable – messages are always being sent, always
unique, one-time occurrences; they also cannot be duplicated.

SKILLS OF HUMAN COMMUNICATION

1. Self-presentation skills: enable you to be confident

2. Relationship skills: help you build relationships, friendships, helps you to
enter into love and work relationships, and interact with family members
3. Interviewing skills enable one to interact and gain information
4. Group interaction and leadership skills
5. Public speaking skills