1.
Define communication
2.Describe communication as a
process.
Communication came from the Latin word communicare-to share or make
common; “commonness” should be established (Weekly, 1967)
General Definition:
Communication is defined as the process of understanding and sharing
meaning.
Keywords in Communication:
1. Process
A process is a dynamic activity that is
hard to describe because it changes.
Interactions
influence the
process of
communication
Keywords in Communication:
2. Understanding
“To understand is to perceive, to interpret,
and to relate our perception and
interpretation to what we already know”
(McLean, 2003)
I fell off a bike!
Keywords in Communication:
3. Sharing
Sharing means doing something together
with one or more people.
AHA! moment
Keywords in Communication:
4. Meaning
Meaning is what we share through
communication
The word “bike” represents both a bicycle
and a short name for a motorcycle. By
looking at the context the word is used in,
and by asking questions, we can discover
the shared meaning of the word and
understand the message.
No longer “tuned in to each other”
-refers to the process -refers to the technical
means to carry out the
process
-broader in scope - Narrower in scope
-refers to the -refers to the
conscious/unconscious secondary
social behavior that techniques, the mass
communicates media that help carry
out communication
Specific Definition of Communication:
Communication is the process of generating meaning by
sending and receiving verbal and nonverbal symbols and signs
that are influenced by multiple contexts.
The History of Communication
Some scholars speculate that humans’ first words were onomatopoetic.
Onomatopoeia refers to words that sound like that to which they refer—
words like boing, drip, gurgle, swoosh, and whack.
This primitive ability to communicate provided an evolutionary advantage.
Those humans who could talk were able to cooperate, share information,
make better tools, impress mates, or warn others of danger, which led
them to have more offspring who were also more predisposed to
communicate
This evolution in communication corresponded with a shift to a more settled, agrarian way
of life
As hunter-gatherers settled into small villages and began to plan ahead for how to plant,
store, protect, and trade or sell their food, they needed accounting systems to keep track of
their materials and record transactions.
During this period, villages also developed class systems as more successful farmers
turned businessmen prospered and took leadership positions. Religion also became more
complex, and a new class of spiritual leaders emerged. Soon, armies were needed to
protect the stockpiled resources from others who might want to steal it. The emergence of
elite classes and the rise of armies required records and bookkeeping, which furthered the
spread of written symbols.
The “Print Era” extended from 1450 to 1850 and was marked by the invention of the printing press and the
ability to mass-produce written texts.
The “Print Era” lasted for 400 years
marked by the invention of radio, telegraph, telephone, and television
This period has featured the most rapid dispersion of a new method of communication, as the spread of the
Internet and the expansion of digital and personal media signaled the beginning of the digital age.
Forms of communication vary in terms of
participants, channels used, and contexts.
Intrapersonal communication
is communication with
ourselves that takes place in
our heads.
1. Intrapersonal communication is
communication with oneself using internal
vocalization or reflective thinking.
Intrapersonal communication is triggered by some
internal or external stimulus.
Unlike other forms of communication, intrapersonal
communication takes place only inside our heads
What is the point of intrapersonal communication if no one else sees it?
Intrapersonal communication serves several social
functions:
-Internal vocalization,
-or talking to ourselves,
-can help us achieve or maintain social adjustment.
2. Interpersonal Communication
Interpersonal communication is communication
between people whose lives mutually influence one
another.
Interpersonal communication occurs in various
contexts and is addressed in subfields of study
within communication studies such as intercultural
communication, organizational communication,
health communication, and computer-mediated
communication.
2. Interpersonal Communication
Interpersonal communication is also more goal
oriented than intrapersonal communication and
fulfills instrumental and relational needs.
3. Group Communication
Group communication is communication among three
or more people interacting to achieve a shared goal.
-more intentional and formal than interpersonal
communication.
individuals in a group are often
assigned to their position within
a group.
3. Group Communication
group communication is often task focused, meaning that
members of the group work together for an explicit
purpose or goal that affects each member of the group.
4. Public Communication
Public communication is a sender-focused form of
communication in which one person is typically
responsible for conveying information to an audience.
the most consistently
intentional, formal, and
goal-oriented form of
communication
5. Mass Communication
Public communication becomes mass communication
when it is transmitted to many people through print or
electronic media.
The technology required to send
mass communication messages
distinguishes it from the other
forms of communication.
Unlike interpersonal, group, and public communication, there
is no immediate verbal and nonverbal feedback loop in mass
communication.
5. Mass Communication
Public communication becomes mass communication
when it is transmitted to many people through print or
electronic media.
The technology required to send
mass communication messages
distinguishes it from the other
forms of communication.
Unlike interpersonal, group, and public communication, there
is no immediate verbal and nonverbal feedback loop in mass
communication.
