The Nature of

Communication

Topic 2
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 The Communication Process

• Source – Sender/Encoder:
– The source of the communication is the sender.
– In order to be a good source, one needs to be
clear about the message that he is sending.
– The source creates and sends the message.
– The speaker begins by first determining the
message — what to say and how to say it.

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 The Communication Process
Cont…

• Source – Sender/Encoder (Cont.):

– The second step involves encoding the message by
choosing the right order or the perfect words to
convey the intended meaning.
– The third step is to present or send the information to
the receiver or audience.
– Finally, by watching for the audience’s reaction, the
source perceives how well they received the message
and responds with clarification or supporting
information.

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 The Communication Process
Cont…

• Message:
– Message is the most important variable of the
communication process.
– In simple terms, it refers to the information that you
want to communicate.
– Each message we send is an attempt to convey an
idea to the receiver.
– Without a message, there is no reason for a
communication process.
– Some messages are simple, while some are
complex and thus, are more difficult to impart
to the receiver.
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 Example of A “Message”

Imagine, for example, that you are

addressing a large audience of young
computer professionals and are aware there
is a World Series game tonight. Your
audience might have a hard time settling
down, but you may choose to open with, “I
understand there is an important game
tonight.” Or, “what are your thoughts on the
game tonight?”. In this way, by expressing
verbally something that most people in your
audience are aware of and interested in, you
might grasp and focus their attention.
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 The Communication Process
Cont…

• Channel/Medium:
– The channel is the method in which a message or
messages travels between source/sender and
receiver/decoder.
– The type of message you have will help to determine
the channel that you should use.
– Channels include face-to-face conversations, telephone
calls, video conferences, and written communication
like letters and emails, newspaper and magazine
articles, blogs, text messages, tweets, etc.

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 The Communication Process
Cont…

• Channel/Medium (Cont.):
– Each channel has its advantages and disadvantages.
• E.g., you will find it difficult to give complex,
technical information or instructions by using just
the telephone.
– It is important to note here that no one communication
method is universally superior to another method.
– In many cases, the message can best be communicated
by a combination of written and oral channels.
– Whatever your choice of communication channel,
be sure to weigh its benefits.

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 The Communication Process
Cont…

• Receiver/Decoder:
– The receiver receives the message from the
source/sender; decodes, i.e. analyzes and interprets
the message in ways both intended and unintended by
the source.
– Decoding happens when you receive the message that
has been sent.
– The communication skills required to decode a
message successfully include the ability to read and
comprehend, listen actively, and ask clarifying
questions when needed.

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 The Communication Process
Cont…

• Receiver/Decoder (Cont.):
– If the person you are attempting to communicate with
seems to be lacking the skills to decode your
message, you will need to either resend it in a different
way, or assist them in understanding it by supplying
additional, clarifying information.

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 The Communication Process
Cont…

• Perception:
– One of the most critical variable in communication is
perception – our unique understanding of the way
things are.
– Perception’s effect on the communication process is
all about how the same message can be interpreted
differently by different people.
– Past experiences, culture, present feelings, our mental
abilities, are different factors that can affect
perceptions.

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 The Communication Process
Cont…

• Perception (Cont.):
– Perception however, does not mean that an
understanding or consensus cannot be reached in a
communication process.
– Rather, difference in perceptions can facilitate an open
communication experience.

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13
 The Communication Process
Cont…

• Feedback:
– Feedback is the reaction that the receiver has to the
message.
– It may be verbal or non-verbal; it can be written or oral.
– Feedback provides guidance for the next message that
we send to the receiver.
– In brief, we can evaluate the effectiveness of our
communication by the feedback we receive.

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 The Communication Process
Cont…

• Context:
– Context is the situation in which you are
communicating.
– It involves the your environment, your audience’s
environment, and elements such as the relationship
between you and your audience.
– Your communication process will not look the same
when you are communicating with your boss, as it will
when you are communicating with a friend.
– The context determines the tone and style of
your communication.

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 The Communication Process
Cont…

• Interference/Noise:
– Interference, also called noise, can come from any
source.
– It refers to anything that blocks or changes the
sender’s intended meaning of the message.
– Noise interferes with the normal communication
process carried by the channel between sender and
receiver.
– Psychological noise is what happens when your
thoughts occupy your attention while you are
communicating, i.e., hearing, or reading, a message.

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Perspective in Communication

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Young
Or
Old
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Assignment 2
Case Study

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• Case Study
• Assignment should be properly typed; hard copies
have to be submitted.
• Page Limit: Maximum 2 pages
• Submission Date: Monday; March 6, 2017

NO LATE SUBMISSIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED

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