Chapter 1 Thinking About Communication Definitions Models and Ethics Fundamentally communication depends on our ability to understand one another communication is an essential pervasive and consequential behavior within society 1 Defining Communication meaning in the environment a Communication A social process in which individuals employ symbols to establish and interpret i Social Involves people and interactions whether face to face or online usually involves two or more people one being the sender and the other being the receiver ii Process Communication is ongoing and unending it is dynamic complex and continually changing no definable beginning or ending 1 Conversations can change direction as communication continues 2 Individual and cultural changes affect communication perceptions and feelings are 3 B c communication is so dynamic it is easy for researchers theorists to look for susceptible to change patterns over time 4 Frank Dance Communication as a helix experiences are cumulative and influenced by the past Present experiences influence a person s future Non linear view of the process iii Symbol Arbitrary label or representation of phenomena Words are symbols for concepts 1 May be ambiguous verbal or non verbal face to face or mediated 2 Understood within groups a Concrete Symbols Represents an object b Abstract Symbols Represents an idea or thought iv Meaning What people extract from the message messages can have more than one meaning and even multiple layers of meaning 1 Without a sharing of meanings we would not be able to interpret events v Environment The situation or context in which communication occurs 1 Includes time place historical period relationship and a speaker and listener s cultural backgrounds 2 What is the influence of your environment Views might be affected by perceptions depending on your personal values experiences 2 Intentionality Should communication be restricted to messages that are intentionally sent and accurately received a Miller Steinberg If there is no intent there is no message Narrow view of comm b Palo Alto Team You cannot not communicate i All things can be considered communication you cannot escape behavior c Michael Motley Only interactive behavior is communicative i Setting boundaries on behavior in conversations or relationships is necessary in theory building 3 Models of Understanding Simplified representations of the communication process a Communication as Action The Linear Model One way view of communication that assumes a message is sent by a source to a receiver through a channel i Source Transmitter of a message the one sending the message ii Message Words sounds actions or gestures in an interaction iii Receiver Recipient of the message iv Channel Pathway to communication usually occurs within the 5 senses 1 Visual tactile olfactory and auditory senses v Communication can be blocked by Noise Anything not intended by the informational source 1 Semantic Slang jargon or specialized language used that inhibits meaning 2 Physical External External factors that inhibit message literal noises 3 Psychological Communicator s prejudices biases and predispositions toward another or the message 4 Physiological Biological influences on communication speaker or receiver may be ill fatigued hungry etc vi Problems Assumes that communication is a one way effort that has no definable middle or end b Communication as Interaction the Interactional Model Two way communication process between communicators Circular process that suggests communication is ongoing Roles of sender and receiver can be interchanged but not happen simultaneously Messages linked through feedback i Feedback Response to a message May be verbal or nonverbal intentional or unintentional 1 Helps communicators to know whether or not their message is being received and the extent to which meaning is achieved Takes place after the message is received not during ii Field of Experience How a person s culture experiences and heredity influence his or her iii Problems One person acts as the sender while the other acts as the receiver but people can ability to communicate with another communicate as both in a single encounter c Communication as Transaction The Transactional Model The simultaneous sending and receiving of messages in a communication episode i Cooperative Process Sender and receiver are mutually responsible for the effect and the effectiveness of communication people build a shared meaning based off of past experience ii Messages build on previous messages causing interdependence between them each message influences the next iii Verbal Nonverbal communication are equally important iv Fields of experience merge together assuming reciprocity or shared meaning laws 4 Ethics Communication surface whenever messages potentially influence others a Ethics Perceived rightness or wrongness of action or behavior that is influenced by society s rules and b Whistle Blowing Revealing ethically suspicious behavior 5 Why Study Communication Theory a Cultivates Critical Thinking Skills Learn how to apply theory to your own life recognize the research potential of the theory and understand the evolution of theories b Recognizes the Depth of Research Appreciate the richness of research across various fields of study c Makes Sense of Personal Life Experiences All theories will relate to your life or someone s life around you Aids you in understanding people media and events d Fosters Self Awareness Discover who you are how you function in society the influence you are able to have on others the extent to which you are influenced by the media how you behave in various circumstances and what motivates your decisions
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