What is communication?

Communication is the the process of transferring information from a sender to a receiver with the use of a medium in which the communicated information is understood by both sender and receiver. It is a process that allows organisms to exchange information by several methods. In its simplest form communication is the use of words to describe and convey a message or give information to another person. We communicate using language as a code to share information, ideas and feelings. There are two main types of communication, verbal and non-verbal, which we will look at in more detail below: http://www.only-effective-communication-skills.com/what-is-communication.html

ommunication is a process that involves an e!change of information, thoughts, ideas and emotions. The components of a communication process are: a sender who encodes and sends the message, the channel through which the message is sent, and the receiver who decodes the message, processes the information and sends an appropriate reply via the same channel back to the sender. ommunication can occur via various processes and methods, and depending on the channel used and the style, there can be various types. ommunication hannels "ased on the channels used for communicating, the process of communication can be broadly classified as verbal and non-verbal communication. #erbal communication includes written and oral communication whereas non-verbal communication includes body language, facial e!pressions and visuals diagrams or pictures. #erbal It is further divided into oral and written communication. $ral communication refers to the spoken words in the communication process. It can either be face-to-face or a conversation over the phone or on the voice chat over the Internet. %poken conversations or dialogs are influenced by voice modulation, pitch, volume and even the speed and clarity of speaking. The other type of verbal communication is written communication. It can be either via snail mail, or email. The effectiveness of written communication depends on the style of writing, vocabulary used, grammar, clarity and precision of language. &onverbal &on-verbal communication includes the overall body language of the person who is speaking, which will include the body posture, the hand gestures, and the overall body movements. 'acial e!pressions also play a ma(or role in communication. )ven e!pressions on a person*s face say a lot about his/her mood. +lso, gestures like a handshake, a smile or a hug can independently convey emotions and do not need to be accompanied by words. &on verbal communication can also be in the form of pictorial representations, signboards, or even photographs, sketches and paintings. ommunication "ased on %tyle and ,urpose "ased on the style of communication, there can be two broad categories: formal and informal communication, that have their own set of characteristic features. 'ormal It includes all the instances where communication has to occur in a set formal format. Typically this can include all sorts of business or corporate communication. The style of communication in this form is very formal and official. $fficial conferences, meetings and written memos and corporate letters are used for this form of communication. It can also occur between two strangers when they meet for the first time. -ence, formal communication is straightforward, official and always precise and has a stringent and rigid tone to it. Informal Informal communication includes instances of free and unrestrained conversation between people who share a casual rapport with each other. It re.uires two people to have a similar wavelength and hence occurs between friends and family. It does not have any rigid rules and guidelines. The conversations need not necessarily have boundaries of time, place or

even sub(ects for that matter since we all know that friendly chats with our loved ones can simply go on and on. )ven though the whole process of communication may seem so simple, the effectiveness of each type depends to a great e!tent on certain internal and e!ternal environmental factors and also the communicator*s ability to send, receive, decode and send a response. This is why the field of communication has been and continues to be widely studied and is given a place of importance in any walk of life. /ead more at "u00le: http://www.bu00le.com/articles/types-of-communication.html Communication Process The goal of communication is to convey information1and the understanding of that information1from one person or group to another person or group. This communication process is divided into three basic components: + sender transmits a message through a channel to the receiver. 2'igure shows a more elaborate model.3 The sender first develops an idea, which is composed into a message and then transmitted to the other party, who interprets the message and receives meaning. Information theorists have added somewhat more complicated language. 4eveloping a message is known as encoding. Interpreting the message is referred to as decoding.

http://www.cliffsnotes.com/more-sub(ects/principles-of-management/communication-and-interpersonal-skills/thecommunication-process Why do we communicate? We communicate for: )!pressing our thoughts, our ideas, our feelings, our views

'or connecting with others %haring information 5iving advice Teaching onsulting. 6earning Writing rules and laws

%haring values. 'or e!pressing our creativity 'or e!pressing our life philosophy %haring the findings of our research work %elling goods and services ,ublicity and advertising &etworking with people with common interests

There are many barriers to communication and these may occur at any stage in the communication process. "arriers may lead to your message becoming distorted and you therefore risk wasting both time and/or money by causing confusion and misunderstanding. )ffective communication involves overcoming these barriers and conveying a clear and concise message.

Common Barriers to Effective Communication: The use of jargon. $ver-complicated, unfamiliar and/or technical terms.

Emotional barriers and taboos. %ome people may find it difficult to e!press their emotions and some topics may be completely *off-limits* or taboo. ac! of attention" interest" distractions" or irrelevance to the receiver. #ifferences in $erce$tion and view$oint. Physical disabilities such as hearing $roblems or s$eech difficulties. Physical barriers to non%verbal communication. &ot being able to see the non-verbal cues, gestures, posture and general body language can make communication less effective. anguage differences and the difficulty in understanding unfamiliar accents. E&$ectations and $rejudices which may lead to false assum$tions or stereoty$ing. ,eople often hear what they e!pect to hear rather than what is actually said and (ump to incorrect conclusions. Cultural differences. The norms of social interaction vary greatly in different cultures, as do the way in which emotions are e!pressed. 'or e!ample, the concept of personal space varies between cultures and between different social settings.

+ skilled communicator must be aware of these barriers and try to reduce their impact by continually checking understanding and by offering appropriate feedback.

' Categorisation of Barriers to Communication anguage Barriers learly, language and linguistic ability may act as a barrier to communication. -owever, even when communicating in the same language, the terminology used in a message may act as a barrier if it is not fully understood by the receiver2s3. 'or e!ample, a message that includes a lot of specialist (argon and abbreviations will not be understood by a receiver who is not familiar with the terminology used. /egional collo.uialisms and e!pressions may be misinterpreted or even considered offensive. %ee our page: Effective ($ea!ing for more information. Psychological Barriers The psychological state of the receiver will influence how the message is received. 'or e!ample, if someone has personal worries and is stressed, they may be preoccupied by personal concerns and not as receptive to the message as if they were not stressed. %tress management is an important personal skill that affects our interpersonal relationships. +nger is another e!ample of a psychological barrier to communication, when we are angry it is easy to say things that we may later regret and also to misinterpret what others are saying. 7ore generally people with low self-esteem may be less assertive and therefore may not feel comfortable communicating - they may feel shy about saying how they really feel or read negative sub-te!ts into messages they hear. Physiological Barriers ,hysiological barriers may result from the receiver8s physical state: for e!ample, a receiver with reduced hearing may not grasp to entirety of a spoken conversation especially if there is significant background noise. Physical Barriers +n e!ample of a physical barrier to communication is geographic distance between the sender and receiver2s3. ommunication is generally easier over shorter distances as more communication channels are available and less technology is re.uired. +lthough modern technology often serves to reduce the impact of physical barriers, the advantages and disadvantages of each communication channel should be understood so that an appropriate channel can be used to overcome the physical barriers.

'ttitudinal Barriers +ttitudinal barriers are behaviours or perceptions that prevent people from communicating effectively. +ttitudinal barriers to communication may result from personality conflicts, poor management, resistance to change or a lack of motivation. )ffective receivers of messages should attempt to overcome their own attitudinal barriers to facilitate effective communication.

'ind more at: http://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/barriers-communication.html9i!00:r;<nft=: