GE

111- PURPOSIVE COMMUNICATION

Module 1
INTRODUCTION TO PURPOSIVE
COMMUNICATION
Module Overview

In this module you will get an overview of basic concepts you will be using
as you prepare to communicate purposively. You will also need to review some of
your past learning in previous Communication Arts subjects you have taken in
elementary and high school. All other modules in this course go back to the
lessons in this module as is forms the foundations of competently communicating
in multicultural and multimodal settings.

Module Outcomes

By the end of this module, we hope to achieve the following objectives:

• Discuss the nature, process and principles of purposive communication;

• Understand and discuss Purposive Communication as a practical course

that can be utilized in one’s personal and professional life;

• Utilize purposive communication in Visual & Non- verbal Communication;

• Use audience and context awareness in communicating in multimodal and

multicultural contexts:

• Evaluate various texts using the principles of effective communication,

register and communicative ethics:

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Lesson 1
The Communication Process, Its Purpose
& Importance
Learning Outcomes

By the end of this lesson you should be able to:

o Discuss the nature, process and principles of purposive communication;

o Understand and discuss Purposive Communication as a practical course
that can be utilized in one’s personal and professional life;

Time Frame: 1 Week

Introduction

“No matter what job you have in life, your

success will be determined 5% by yor
academic credentials, 15% by your
professional experiences, and 80% by your
communication skills.
- Anonymous

ACTIVITY

Recall an experience where you involved in a misunderstanding.

• What was the information that was miscommunicated?

• Who was involved?
• What was the consequence of the misunderstanding?
• How could it have been prevented?

ANALYSIS

• Why is proper communication so important in achieving understanding?

• Why is understanding the primary consideration of communication?

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ABSTRACTION

The Nature of Communication

Humans were created for communication. Communication is so deeply

rooted in human behaviours and the structures of society that it is difficult to think
of social or behavioural events that are without communication in one form or
another. Communication is the means by which we make sense of the world
around us and the means by which we connect to the world around us. It is the
exchange, transfer and sharing of information of one human being to another. In
fact, the etymology of the word communication itself comes from the Latin word
“communis” meaning “common”. Through derivation, this term means “to come
together” or “to share something in common”. Research has found that
communication plays a critical role in initial interactions and relational
development.

Communication may also be seen as a process by which we assign and

convey meaning in an attempt to create shared understanding. If we take this
perspective we are able to understand why miscommunication occurs. In
situations where there is no shared meaning between communicators, conflict
surely ensues. Consequently, only in situations where shared meaning is
achieved can collaboration and cooperation occur.

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To gain a better appreciation of what communication is, let us discuss

several aspects of the nature of communication.

Communication is a process. This means that it is a series of events

that happen, entailing the creation and exchange of meaning through symbolic
interaction. The nature of communication being a process also implies
movements or shifts, constant changes depending on context (people, occasion
and task), physical environment (the actual place or space where communication
occurs) and climate (emotional atmosphere), thus making it dynamic.
Communicators adjust according to whether or not understanding of what is
being communicated is being achieved or not. In a classroom for example, a
teacher adjusts his or her discussion according to whether he or she thinks the
students understand the lecture depending on the feedback they give. Again, as
previously discussed, unless both communicators reach shared meaning,
communication has not been successful. This is why many communication
theorists would say that miscommunication happens 8 out of 10 times. The
interaction is symbolic because the communicators rely on words and non-verbal
behaviours to communicate meaning and feelings to achieve their communication
goals.

The process of communication involves a sender and receiver conveying

information through a communication channel. It is the act of transferring
information from one person to another. For the information to be communicated
effectively, the communicator has to be careful in the choice of medium or the
means by which the message is sent to the receiver. Political scientist and
communications theorist Harold Dwight Laswell has perhaps the most compact
definition of explanation of the procedural nature of communication and its
features, defining communication as "who says what to whom to what effect“.
Given this definition we are able to derive that communication is the relational
process of creating and interpreting messages that illicit a response.

Figure 1. Linear Model of Communication of Harold Laswell

Communication is complex. Communication is never easy because

there are so many factors in play as the process occurs. Each communication
scenario is unique and impossible to duplicate. When watching a movie for
example, you might have specific thoughts or reactions after you watch it for the
first time. These feelings will vary when you watch the movie a second time even
though it is the exact same film. Not only is it impossible to duplicate, it is also

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irreversible, because once a message is sent it cannot be taken back. Correcting
misinformation presents another set of challenges that must be overcome by
communicators. Another example would be in the case of reported speech where
you are relaying something you have experienced, when you tell different people
about it, you will notice that there are differences in the way that you tell them, not
to mention the varying responses that you will get depending on how you tell
them. The symbols that we use are open to interpretation depending on the
personal and cultural traits of the communicators. Another aspect of the
complexity of communication is that aside from the original message, we are also
dealing with other messages sent within the situation, which are necessary to
confirm understanding of what is being communicated. Also, the biggest
challenge to communication is achieving one’s purpose in communicating.
Understanding might be reached between the communicators involved but
ultimately if nothing comes out of this understanding then it would defeat the
purpose of communicating in the first place. For example, if you have a heart to
heart talk with your girlfriend or boyfriend for example on what needs to be
changed in your relationship to make it better, they may understand what you are
saying but not necessarily act on that understanding. So, at the end of the day
communication without proper action or resulting change is a waste of time, effort
and energy.

Communication requires meaning. Meaning refers to the implied or

explicit significance of something. It is what is share between communicators
during the communication process. Social construction of meaning involves the
way in which symbols take on meaning in a social context or society as they are
used over time so there are a variety of ways in which meaning can be conveyed.
Happiness for example can be conveyed verbally or non- verbally in many ways.
You can express that you are happy by outright saying “I am happy” or by simply
saying “Hooray!” or it can be expressed by a laugh or by a person jumping up
and down. All of these may be interpreted as such by virtue of our shared social
construction. The assignment of meaning can also depend on the relationship of
people with one another. They might have specific words or phrases that have
specific meaning to them. This can be seen in professional jargon that have
meaning only to specific groups of people to intimate code words used by
couples, friends and closely bonded people. Meaning varies according to context.
Take the popular expression “Char” for example. What is its meaning? How is it
used?

Communication is relational. Another principle about communication

that can be gleaned from the discussion above is that all communication refers to
the relational level of the communicators. Notice the difference in the type of
information that you share with a person you just met versus a person you have
known for a long time. For people who are strangers or are just acquaintances,
information that is shared tends to be general, non- personal information.
However as people get closer, disclosure becomes more personal and
experience- based. You can also tell how close people are based on the way
they communicate. Some people who share a deep emotional and personal
connection, communication can happen even in a single glance because they
know each other so well. Or you can the power roles of the communicators based

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on the way you communicate like when a student talks to his or her teacher or
when a superior talks to a subordinate.

Communication is transactional because it involves an exchange.

People communicate for various reasons but they always communicate to get
something out of it. Whether its for making a purchase, asking a person out on a
date or informing a colleague of a meeting, every single communicative
encounter we have with others entails giving and getting something. Even when
you are just “ranting” about something you have purpose in doing so, which is to
express your inner feelings or simply share your frustration over something.

Communication is both presentational and representational. No

communication is neutral. When communicating, a communicator displays a
particular version of the information being communicated (presentation) and uses
specific words, gestures or images to convey the information (representation).
This means that the information has been processed according to that person’s
own intellect, level of expertise, personal experiences, background and world
view. All communication contains traces of the communicators’ own personal
opinions, biases and limitations.

Communication is continuous because it continues to impact and

influence future interactions and shape our relationships. Although
communication situations could be pegged to singular events like a single
conversation, for example, its effects go beyond the time that the communicators
actually communicate. This is because in communicating, impressions,
judgements and thoughts are committed to memory, can be readily remembered
and can have bearing on future interactions.

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Communication skills can be learned because they can always be
improved. Good communication skills are honed through practice and continuous
learning and periodic evaluation of your skills. It benefits you greatly to be mindful
of your weaknesses in terms of communication skills so that you can actively
work on those areas and gain more confidence in communicating. Take stock of
your speaking skills, written communication, listening, or relationship skills so that
you can actively find ways to improve.

Communication is culture related. As discussed previously, the

assignment of meaning can vary. One factor in the variation of meaning is
culture. All information communicated is processed through the cultural lens of
the communicator, which is why in cultural settings miscommunication can
happen if communicators do not communicate with sensitivity. Communication
also creates and reinforces cultural influences.

Communication makes use of frames. Culture is not the only lens by

which meaning is processed and assigned. The communicators’ personality,
background, gender, religion, worldview and so many unique traits play a crucial
role in how they perceive and respond to information. These are called frames. It
is therefore very important for communicators to consider the receiver of the
message if they want to achieve shared meaning. Frames are the reason why
each communicative situation is unique.

Communication is unavoidable because it is impossible to not

communicate. Most people mistakenly think that by not saying anything in a
certain situation they can be spared from communicating. Even silence means
something. You also communicate through your facial expression, and your body
language. Even a person’s absence in a conversation where their presence is
required communicates something. Even when you are sleeping you are
communicating- this could mean you are tired or you find the conversation boring
enough to actually fall asleep. You are communicating constantly even when you
do not intend to communicate.

Levels of Communication

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Communication can happen at various levels and with varying numbers of
participants. Let us discuss these levels in more detail.

Intrapersonal communication, or self- dialogue or inner speech

describes how humans communicate with himself or herself. The prefix “intra”
means “within” or “inside” and is thus very much ingrained in the conscious
thought process. Any form of conscious self-communication is intrapersonal
communication; in short it is self- talk. Whenever you tell yourself, “You can do
this,” you are communicating intrapersonally. Another example is when you are
trying to weigh different options, whether you articulate them aloud or in your
head. Intrapersonal communication is the means by which we analyse our self-
concept, weigh or sort out our feelings, and overcome emotional distress.
Interpersonal communication is also sometimes called talking to your conscience
and is closely linked to the art of thinking, planning, and interpreting ideas,
thoughts and messages. Intrapersonal communication, when used effectively,
provides the right balance, orientation and frame of judgment in communicating
with the outside world.

Interpersonal communication may be dyadic (two persons) or triadic

(three people), or it may involve a few individuals communicating with one
another in close emotional or physical proximity. This would usually take place in
close personal proximity in informal settings. Interpersonal communication is also
considered an important skill because it is vital to the formation of personal
relationships. Whenever we want to build close relationships with others, we
engage them in personal conversations. Communication researchers have found
that the depth of relationships is positively correlated with interpersonal
communication. The more conversations we have with a person, the more close
we tend to be with them. Interpersonal communication has also been found to be
the reason behind the breakdown of relationships, especially romantic ones.
When couples stop talking to one another, their relationship suffers and
eventually they break up. Maintaining the constant flow of communication
between people who share relationships is therefore vital to keeping any
relationship alive.

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Group communication covers situations that involve larger numbers of

people like in a class, a meeting or a forum. This level of communication is vital to
building “esprit de corps” or teamwork. Notice how in instances where there are
shared goals among groups of people, communication is vital in ensuring that all
members work harmoniously. As the number of people involved increases, the
level of involvement often changes. The total experience in group
communication is often less immediate and intense than in interpersonal
communication.

Mass communication involves a communicator (almost always more

than one person) using a mass medium to communicate with infinitely large
audiences. Mass media include television, newspapers, magazines and various
Internet platforms. Mass communication is also very impersonal given the
number of participants. However, mass communication messages are often
based on shared audience demographics in order to get a response from the
audiences.

Purposive Communication

So what is Purposive Communication then?

The definition of Purposive Communication can easily be gleaned from the

term itself, “communicating with purpose”. We can also say that it is
communicating strategically and mindfully in order to achieve specific, desired
results. With this understanding we can also say that purposive communication is
“results- oriented communication”. Putting this in a broader perspective we can
see that purposive communication requires the application of different
communication approaches in an evidence- based, results- oriented manner in
order to achieve positive, observable and measurable behaviour and social
change.

Purposive Communication as a course in college is different from

Communication Arts subjects in lower levels of education because it requires its
learners to apply all their communication skills in combination with behavioural
and social sciences. It also utilizes the available tools of technology, research
skills and various media in order to gain results. It also involves determining and
applying an appropriate mix of communication approaches that depend on and
are responsive to peoples wants, needs and desires in order to stimulate a
targeted response. In an age where information has become a prime commodity,
the need to communicate with speed, efficiency and competence has never been
higher. If information is power, then the ability to communicate is the skill by
which we yield this power. The study of Purposive Communication therefore is a
very practical course, which has direct application to our personal and
professional lives.

There are many reasons to study Purposive Communication. We live in a

world where communication has become all the more complex due to the
influences of globalizing forces, internationalization, technological advances and
changing demographics in human society, the need for ethical and results

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oriented communication that fosters good will in a globalized society is not a
luxury but a necessity.

Globalization and the advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Globalization involves “spatial- temporal processes, operating on a global scale
that rapidly cut across national boundaries, drawing more and more of the world
into webs of interconnection, integrating and stretching cultures and communities
across space and time, and compressing our spatial and temporal horizons”
(Inda & Rosaldo 2006; p. 9). The fourth industrial revolution, closely following
was called the digital revolution, is the current and developing environment in
which disruptive technologies and trends such as the Internet of Things (IoT),
robotics, virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI) are changing the way
we live and work.

Photo 1. Globalization has made the movement of goods and people easier across borders, creating
diverse multicultural communities.

Internationalization and Changing Demographics. One of the results of

globalization is the creation of Knowledge industries. These are organizations
that require highly specialized workforces and increased movement of people
across borders (migration). One example is the US and Canada hiring Filipino
workers for their specialized skills in the fields of nursing and healthcare,
information technology and agriculture from Asian countries because of their
specialized skills. Many Middle Eastern countries also look beyond their borders
for workers in the fields of engineering, tourism and hospitality among others. It is
not uncommon in these times to find culturally diverse educational institutions,
workforces and communities making communicating in multicultural and
multimodal context an requirement for productivity and harmonious societies.

All careers and industries depend on good communication to get the job
done. Professionals whose job descriptions include managing information and
keeping people up to date are considered valuable company resources because
misinformation and miscommunication lead to wasted time, money and effort. A
well-informed workforce and a workforce that is composed of competent
communicators are able to keep productivity high by speeding up critical
decision-making. This, in turn provides companies with a competitive edge.

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APPLICATION

Learner Worksheet 1
Student Name: ______________________________ Score: ____________

Course/ Year/ Section: _______________________________

Share with your professor a short but honest self-assessment of your own
communication skills. What are your strengths? Weaknesses? What makes you
more or less confident in communicating? What new understanding on
communication di you get from this lesson? How do you plan on using this course
to become a better communicator? (Keep your discussion to 500 words max)

You may use an extra sheet or back of this of paper for your answers.
Submitting Your Work. If you do not have Internet Connectivity, neatly detach this page
from your module and submit via University Drop Box or by courier/ mail together with
your other Learner Activity Worksheets once you reach the prescribed Learning
Checkpoint. If you have Internet connectivity, you may answer directly on the online
version of this worksheet through the University Virtual Environment.

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CLOSURE

Well done! You have just finished Lesson 1 of this module.

If you have questions or need to make clarifications take note of them in

the space provided below to ask your Course Professor through direct messaging
or through the University Virtual Environment (UVE).

Notes from this Lesson

Now that you have completed Lesson 1, let us move on to the next lesson
in this module.

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