The basic

communication
model
Basic communication model
• The decoding of the message must be
as similar to its encoding as possible for it
to be correctly understood
• Noise can interfere with this process.
Some examples of noise:

Physical Psychological

Cultural Semantic
Empathic/Active
Listening Skills
Communicating with
Empathy
 Empathy cont.
[Cochran, J. L., & Cochran, N. H. (2006). The heart of counseling. (pp.47, 50-57, 62-63).
Belmont, CA: Wadsworth]

◎ Empathy is deeply feeling what another

person feels in any given moment in that
person’s unique life experience
◎ Experiencing the inner world of another
◎ It allows for
◉ Joining between the communicators
◉ Self-awareness and self-experience
◉ Aid in future communication
 Empathy cont.
(Cochran, & Cochran, 2006)

What Gets in the Way of Empathy

◎ Habit
◉ Avoidance of pain
◎ Fear of feelings
◉ “I do not want to feel. Feelings make me weak.”
◎ Misattributed responsibility
◉ Worry about errors in empathy
◎ Letting go of control
 Communicating with
Empathy
◎ Strive to understand their feeling
◎ Be prepared to accept corrections
◎ Match the person’s tone
◎ Facial expression and body
language
 Empathetic Dimensions

◎ Positive Regard – seeing the other person

as a worthy human being
◎ Respect and warmth – respecting points
of view different from one’s own; smiling
and other related non-verbals
◎ Concreteness – being specific and clear
Empathetic
Dimensions …cont.
◎ Immediacy – “here and
now;” “I-you” talk
◎ Nonjudgmental attitude
– avoiding evaluation
◎ Authenticity or
Congruence – being
yourself and allowing
the other person the
same
Listening

◎ What to listen to?

◉ Vocal qualities
◉ Body language
Vocal qualities

◎ Pitch – high vs. low

◎ Volume – loud vs. soft
◎ Rate – fast vs. slow
◎ Emphasis – certain words
◉ He shouted at me vs. he
shouted to me vs. he
shouted at me
◎ Breaks and hesitations
Body language

◎ Listeners movements in relation

to you.
◎ Posture and posture shifts.
• Physical symptoms • Stuttering
• Frequent body • Shrillness
movement • Rapid speech
• Dress • Tenseness of the voice
• Slowness of action or • Pauses in speaking
speech
• Laughter
• Punctuality
38% Reflects a person’s
emotional state
Tone
Dr A. Mehrabian: The
Complete Message

55%
7% Actual
Nonverbal Verbal

Impact of our facial expression and

Verbal Content

body language
Communication is not merely a verbal relationship.
93% of our communication is nonverbal.
 Intonations: It’s the Way You Say It!

Placement of the emphasis What it means

Why don’t I take you to dinner tonight? I was going to take someone else.

Instead of the guy you were going with.

Why don’t I take you to dinner tonight?
I’m trying to find a reason why I shouldn’t take you.
Why don’t I take you to dinner tonight?

Why don’t I take you to dinner tonight? Do you have a problem with me?
Why don’t I take you to dinner tonight? Instead of going on your own.
Why don’t I take you to dinner tonight? Instead of lunch tomorrow.

Why don’t I take you to dinner tonight? Not tomorrow night.

“We think we listen, but very
rarely do we listen with real
understanding, true empathy. Yet
listening, of this very special kind,
is one of the most potent forces
for change that I know.”
Carl Rogers