Nature of Communication
Nature of Communication
Nature of Communication
As we all know, human communication is vital for survival and it is one thing in life that we cannot avoid to do.
Express our thoughts, Exchange ideas, information, and feelings to others emotions communication.
COMMUNICATION – It comes from the Latin word ‘communis’, which means ‘commons’. To be common means “to
come together” or “to commune” – “to share something in common”.
- It is the process of exchanging ideas, thoughts, feelings, and emotions from one person to another
with the use of symbols which may be verbal and/or non-verbal and aims for understanding.
TYPES OF COMMUNICATION
Intrapersonal Interpersonal Public Mass Communication Technology Mediated
1. Intrapersonal Communication – Operates within the communicator. What to wear for the day what activities to engage
in reflecting different situations talking to oneself
2. Interpersonal Communication – Occurs between two or more people. Private conversations with friends interview
with prospective employer simple group meeting
a. Dyadic or face-to-face Interaction – Is a conversation between two person which usually occurs in an informal
interaction. This interaction provides a great deal of feedback as compared to other types of communication.
b. Small Group Communication – Occurs when each member or participant speaks out or is actively participating
in the process to come up with a consensus. Degree of formality may range from intimate to formal
3. Public Communication – An enlarged form of group communication that involves a resource person addressing a
specific audience. The speaker or the resource person has a message about a certain topic, which he/she has prepared
beforehand and delivers nit before an audience. Feedback is limited.
4. Mass Communication – Has highly structured messages and able to reach a larger number of audiences at the same
time through the use of electronic devices or print media like newspaper and magazines.
5. Technology – Mediated Communication – From electronic emails, texting, instant messaging, social networking,
tweeting, blogs and video conferencing-they all share one thing in common.
FUNCTIONS OF VERBAL AND NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION
1. Verbal Communication – Serve many different functions in our daily lives. Today, let’s take time to examine six of
the most important kinds, all of which influence our interpersonal communication, and relationships.
a. Sharing Meaning – The most obvious function of verbal communication
a.1. Denotative meaning – literal meaning of your words as agreed upon by members of your culture
a.2. Connotative meaning – when verbally communicating, the deeper understanding of words based on the
situation, and the knowledge the partners communicating share
c. Naming – Creating linguistic symbols for objects allows use to communicate meanings about the things in our
lives
e.g. For many years gays and lesbians were refers to as homosexuals. People then shortened it to “homo”
which was then used as a derogatory insult. The populations then began referring to themselves as gay, but no
meaning “joyous and lively” as the term had been previously used.
d. Performing Actions – Every day we make requests, issue, invitations, command things, and even taunt to try to
influence others’ behavior. These are referred to as speech acts, meaning they call for an action.
e. Crafting Conversations – Language meanings, thoughts, names and acts don’t happen in the abstract, they occur
within conversations. There are 4 characteristics fundamental to conversation.
e.1. Interactive – two or ore people are involved
e.2. Local management – we make decisions about who gets to speak, when, and for how long
e.3. Universal – forms the foundation of our interpersonal ties
e.4. Scripts – rigid structures of talk patterns such as the meeting for the first times
2. Non-verbal Communication
a. Repeating – Nonverbal cues can reiterate verbal communication. Repeating is sequential, not simultaneous.
e.g. “Your significant other tasks if you are having an affair. First, you shake your head no. Then you say,
“no.”
“You ask a stranger in a foreign country what time it is. The stranger doesn’t understand, so you tap the
top of your wrist with your finger.”
b. Contradicting (Conflicting) – Nonverbal cues can signal the opposite of what words mean. We may perceive
others as sending “mixed signal.”
e.g. “Your mouth is saying no, but your body is saying yes.”
“You stifle a yawn with your hand and say to your dinner date, “That’s really fascinating.”
c. Complementing – Nonverbal cues may compliment or reinforce words.
e.g. “While scolding a child a parent points a finger at him or her.”
“A teacher asks if you understand an assignment. You nod your head up and down while saying “yes, I
think so.”
d. Substitute – Nonverbal cues may serve as substitutes or replacements for words. Emblems are nonverbal gestures
that are the equivalent of words.
e.g. “A basketball player makes a choke sign after a player on the other team misses a crucial free throw.”
“A motorist flips you the bird on the freeway.”
e. Accenting/Moderating – Nonverbal cues can amplify or accentuate language.
e.g. “A parent tells a child “It’s bedtime.” The child lays on the floor, kicking and screaming, while saying
“No, no, no, no, no.”
“A guy asks a gal, “Hey, How YOU doin?”
f. Regulating – Making or breaking eye contact to signal turn taking. Using nonverbal cues to cut in or interrupt
someone.
e.g. “Gus puts both elbows on the table and inhales, indicating he is about to speak.”
“An argument about politics starts to erupt at a party. A girlfriend puts her hand on her boyfriend’s
forearm to signal that he needs to calm down.