Communication

Levels of Communication
• Extrapersonal

• Intrapersonal

• Interpersonal

• Organizational

• Mass
 Extrapersonal Communication
• Communication between human beings and nonhuman entities is
extrapersonal.

• For example,
(i) when your pet dog comes to you wagging its tail as soon as you return
home from work, it is an example of extrapersonal communication.
(ii) A parrot responding to your greeting.

• More than any other form, this form of communication requires perfect
coordination and understanding between the sender and the receiver
because at least one of them transmits information or responds in sign
language only.
 Intrapersonal Communication
• communication takes place within an individual.

• For example
(i) when you begin to ‘feel hot’, this information is sent to the brain
and you may decide to ‘turn on the cooler’, responding to
instructions sent from the brain to the hand. In this case, the
relevant organ is the sender, the electrochemical impulse is the
message, and the brain is the receiver. Next, the brain assumes the
role of sender and sends the feedback that you should switch on
the cooler. This completes the communication process.
 Interpersonal Communication
• Communication at this level refers to the sharing of information among people.

• To compare it with other forms of communication, such as intrapersonal,

organizational, etc., we need to examine how many people are involved, how
close they are to one another physically, how many sensory channels are used,
and the feedback provided.

• Interpersonal communication differs from other forms of communication in that

there are few participants involved, they are in close physical proximity to each
other, many sensory channels are used, and feedback is immediate.

• Can be both formal and informal.

 Organizational Communication
• Communication in an organization takes place at different hierarchical levels.

• With a proper networking system, communication in an organization is possible even without

direct contact between employees.

• further divided into the following:

Internal-operational All communication that occurs in the process of operations within an organization
is classified as internal-operational.

External-operational The work-related communication that an organization has with people outside the
organization is called external-operational communication.

Personal- all communication in an organization other than that for business or official purposes is called
personal communication.
 Mass Communication
• Mass communication is meant for large audiences and requires a medium to
transmit information.

• There are several mass media such as journals, books, television, and newspapers.

• The audience is heterogeneous and anonymous, and thus the approach is

impersonal.

• The characteristics of mass communication are as follows:

Large reach- Mass communication has the capacity to reach audience scattered over a
wide geographical area.
Impersonality- Mass communication is largely impersonal, as the participants are
unknown to each other.
Presence of a gatekeeper- Mass communication needs additional persons, institutions, or
organizations to convey the message from a sender to a receiver.
 Barriers of communication
• A barrier is defined as something that prevents or controls progress or
movement.

• This definition implies that a barrier is something that comes in the way of
the desired outcome.

• Example: many employees fail to listen attentively during meetings, or

send incomprehensible business letters. Such situations arise due to the
presence of barriers in communication, which can take many forms such
as inadequate communication skills.
 Analysis of communication barriers reveal
that they are generally created by:
∑ Improper encoding

∑ Bypassing

∑ Frame of reference

∑ Physical distractions

∑ Psychological and emotional interference

∑ Cultural differences
 • Improper encoding:
(i) a lack of understanding on the part of the receiver, it leads to confusion
and misunderstanding.
(ii) selection of an inappropriate medium or linguistic form also leads to
communication breakdown due to misunderstanding or confusion.

• Bypassing:
(i) misunderstanding resulting from missed meanings because of the use
of abstract words and phrases on which both senders and receivers do
not agree.
(ii) Words mean different things to different people. Age, education, and
cultural background are three of the more obvious variables that
influence the language a person uses.
 • Frame of Reference:
(i) The moment you interpret others’ point of view from your angle, you allow
your preconceived notions and prejudices to start working for you.
(ii) Your frame of reference is individual to you as it is based on your
experiences, exposure, education, personality, and several other elements
peculiar to you.

• Physical Distractions:
(i) easily disrupt communication.
Example- you are trying to give an oral presentation in the classroom but the
room temperature is very high and there is no air-conditioner or fan in the room.
Your discomfort may cause communication failure because a person who is
physically uncomfortable can be neither a good speaker nor a good listener.
 • Psychological and emotional interference:
(i) Any psychological or emotional turbulence or disturbance can prove to be
a barrier to effective communication because it leads to lack of interest
and concentration.
(ii) Feelings of sadness, fear, anger, anxiety, or jubilation influence our
reception and receptivity to others’ ideas.

• Cultural Differences:
(i) the receiver who assigns meaning to message cues and meanings are
assigned in terms of a receiver’s frame of reference. This interpretation of
meaning can create misunderstandings during intercultural communication
because the sender and the receiver belong to different cultures and share
different values.
(ii) We should be sensitive to cultural differences and take into account the
values of our listeners/readers while communicating with them
Thank You