COMMUNICATING WITH OTHERS

COMMUNICATION CRITICAL THINKING

By Cynthia Bryan

“Communication refers to the act, by one or more persons, of sending and

receiving messages that are distorted by noise, occur within a context, have

some effect, and provide some opportunity for feedback.”

~ Joseph DeVitio

What’s Involved?

The transmission model of communication

Verbal and Nonverbal Communication Communication Environments Defining argumentative communication

The General BreakdownShannon and Weaver’s

Transmission Model of Communication

Sender -> Message -> Channel -> ReceiverEncodes Decodes

Noise Noise Noise Noise Noise Noise Noise Noise Noise Noise Noise

FEEDBACK

•Sender is the source of the message.•Encoding is the process by which the source takes an idea or though and selects verbal and nonverbal symbols from his or her own environment to send which he/she feels accurately represents that idea or thought.•Message is the content of the communication•Channel is the medium through which the message must pass.•Receiver is the target audience of the message.•Decoding is the ability to translate the message code into symbols that the receiver can understand.•Feedback is information that is sent back to the source.•Noise is anything that disrupts or distorts the communication process.

Let’s look at the model with breakdown detail:

Verbal VS. Nonverbal

Verbal communication is defined as any means of comminicating that uses language (words, numbers, symbols).

Nonverbal communication is defined by communicologists Tortoriello, Blott, and DeWine as: “The exchange of messages through non-linguistics means, including: kinesics (body language), facial expressions and eye contact, clothing and physical appearance, tactile communication, space and territory, culture and social system, paralanguage (tone, pitch, rate, inflection), and the use of the silence and time.”

Communication Environments

There are 5 main communication environments: Intrapersonal communication refers to the times you

communicate with yourself, sometimes referred to as thinking or talking to yourself.

Interpersonal communication differs from other forms of communication in that there are few participants involved.

Small group is defined as a group having three and no more than fifteen members.

Community (Public) communication is a set of more than fifteen people who exist together within some shared element.

Mass communication is the transmission of messages which may be processed by gate keepers or filter prior to being sent to large audiences via a channel for broad diffusion.

Defining Argumentative Communication

An argument is prompted by a disagreement,confusion, or ignorance about something whichthe arguers wish to resolve.Also, an important part of being an educatedcitizen is possessing the skill to recognize this irrationality, especially when it is posing as areasonable argument, since manipulating

citizens through misleading arguments is a major

feature of modern life.