INTRODUCTION TO PURPOSIVE COMMUNICATION

PURPOSIVE COMMUNICATION
- IS A GENERAL EDUCATION COURSE DESIGNED TO ADDRESS

THE LEARNING NEEDS OF LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL

STUDENTS IN THE PHILIPPINES IN TODAY’S AGE.

NATURE OF COMMUNICATION
- GENERALLY, COMMUNICATION IS DEFINED AS THE

EXCHANGE OF THOUGHTS, IDEAS, CONCEPTS, AND VIEWS

BETWEEN OR AMONG TWO OR MORE PEOPLE IN VARIOUS

CONTEXTS THAT COME INTO PLAY.

CONTEXT
- IS THE CIRCUMSTANCE OR ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH
COMMUNICATION TAKES PLACE. SUCH CIRCUMSTANCE MAY

INCLUDE THE PHYSICAL OR ACTUAL SETTING, THE VALUE

POSITIONS OF A SPEAKER/LISTENER, AND THE RELEVANCE

OR APPROPRIATENESS OF A MESSAGE CONVEYED.

THREE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF

COMMUNICATION
SENDER
MESSAGE
RECEIVER

SPEAKER
- IS THE SOURCE OR THE ORIGINATOR OF THE

COMMUNICATION MESSAGE. WHAT THE SPEAKER TALKS

ABOUT AND THE LANGUAGE USED TO EXPRESS THOSE IDEAS

DEPEND ON THE EXPERIENCES THAT HAVE FORMED THAT

SPEAKER’S IDEAS, FEELINGS, AND MOODS.

MESSAGE
- PRESENTED TO AN AUDIENCE THROUGH WORDS, SOUNDS,

AND ACTION SYMBOLS SELECTED AND ORGANIZED BY THE

SPEAKER AND INTERPRETED BY THE MEMBERS OF THE

AUDIENCE. MESSAGES, VERBAL AND NON-VERBAL SIGNALS

CAN BE CLASSIFIED INTO TWO TYPES: TRANSMITTER-

INITIATED MESSAGES AND FEEDBACK MESSAGES.

RECEIVER/LISTENER
- IS THE AUDIENCE. THE ENTIRE REASON FOR SPEAKING IS TO

GET A SPECIFIC RESPONSE FROM THE AUDIENCE. THE

RECEIVER HAS FIVE PRIMARY ORGANS FOR SENSING OR

INPUTTING INFORMATION.

CHANNELS.
- THEY ARE THE EYES, EARS, NOSE, THE INPUT CHANNELS

INCLUDE THE SENSE OF SEEING, HEARING, SMELLING,

TASTING, AND TOUCHING. TONGUE, AND SKIN. THE

CHANNEL IS BOTH THE “ROUTE TRAVELLED BY THE MESSAGE

AND THE MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION.”

PHYSICAL SETTING
- (LOCATION, TIME OF DAY, LIGHT, TEMPERATURE, DISTANCE

BETWEEN COMMUNICATORS, AND SEATING

ARRANGEMENTS),

HISTORICAL SETTING
- (PREVIOUS COMMUNICATION EPISODES),

PSYCHOLOGICAL SETTING
- (THE MANNER THROUGH WHICH THE SPEAKERS PERCEIVE

THEMSELVES AND THOSE WITH WHOM THEY COMMUNICATE)

FEEDBACK.
- THIS RESPONSE IS DIRECTED TO THE TRANSMITTER OF THE

ORIGINAL MESSAGE

FUNCTIONS OF COMMUNICATION

1.COMMUNICATION SKILLS
- THE ABILITY TO SPEAK AND LISTEN EFFECTIVELY ARE THE

TOP FACTORS IN HELPING COLLEGE GRADUATES FIND JOBS

IN A COMPETITIVE WORKPLACE.
2. OMMUNICATION IS THE LIFEBLOOD OF EVERY

RELATIONSHIP
- WHEN THERE IS OPEN, CLEAR, AND SENSITIVE

COMMUNICATION THAT TAKES PLACE, RELATIONSHIP

NURTURES.
3.COMMUNICATION HELPS IN ACHIEVING GREATER SELF-

REALIZATION
- EFFECTIVE SPEECH ENABLES US TO REVEAL OUR THOUGHTS,

OUR HOPES, AND OUR KNOWLEDGE TO OTHERS.

4.COMMUNICATION HELPS IN IMPROVING SOCIAL

RELATIONSHIPS
- INDIVIDUAL’S SUCCESS AND HAPPINESS DEPEND LARGELY

UPON HIS/HER TO SECURE APPROPRIATE RESPONSES FROM

OTHERS.
5.COMMUNICATION HELPS IN INCREASING PROFESSIONAL

AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES

- WHATEVER PROFESSIONAL GOAL YOU HAVE DECIDED

UPON, BE ASSURED THAT YOUR ABILITY IN SPEAKING, OR

LACK OF IT WILL BE A SIGNAL FACTOR IN DETERMINING HOW

FAR AND AT WHAT RATE YOU WILL ADVANCE.

6.COMMUNICATION HELPS IN SERVING MORE EFFECTIVELY

THE COMMUNITY AND NATION

AS YOU BECOME INCREASINGLY ACTIVE, YOUR ABILITY TO

COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY WILL LIKEWISE BECOME

INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT TO YOUR COMMUNITY AND

NATION.

TYPES OF COMMUNICATION ACCORDING TO

CONTEXT CONTEXT IN COMMUNICATION IS

REFERRED TO AS A COMPOSITE OF PEOPLE

INTERACTING WITH EACH OTHER. UNDER THIS TYPE

OF COMMUNICATION ARE:
1.INTRAPERSONAL COMMUNICATION THE LATIN PREFIX

INTRA- MEANS “WITHIN” OR “INSIDE”. INTRAPERSONAL

COMMUNICATION MEANS TALKING TO ONESELF. IT IS A

COMMUNICATION OF A PERSON WITH HIMSELF/HERSELF.

2.INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION IT IS A SIMPLE

INTERACTION SUCH AS, GREETINGS, GETTING TO KNOW A

PERSON, OR ORDINARY CONVERSATIONS THAT HAPPEN

BETWEEN OR AMONG PEOPLE.

3.EXTENDED COMMUNICATION
THIS TYPE OF COMMUNICATION INVOLVES THE USE OF

MEDIA. WITH THE USE OF ELECTRONIC MEDIA, MESSAGES

ARE TRANSMITTED QUICKLY. EXAMPLES: TELE, AUDIO, OR

PHONE CONFERENCING; VIDEO-CONFERENCING; SKYPE

CALLS; AND OTHER TECHNOLOGICAL MEANS.

4.INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION- IT IS A

COMMUNICATION BETWEEN OR AMONG PEOPLE HAVING

DIFFERENT LINGUISTIC, RELIGIOUS, ETHNIC, SOCIAL, AND

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUNDS.
5.ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION - THIS TYPE OF

COMMUNICATION FOCUSES ON THE ROLE THAT

COMMUNICATION PLAYS IN ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXTS.

ORGANIZATIONS COMPRISE INDIVIDUALS WHO WORK FOR

THE COMPANY.

TYPES OF COMMUNICATION ACCORDING TO MODE

A MESSAGE MAY
BE CONVEYED VIA THESE TYPES:

1.VERBAL COMMUNICATION - EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

CALLS FOR THE BLENDING OF THESE TWO TYPES

OF COMMUNICATION, THE VERBAL AND THE NON-VERBAL

COMMUNICATION.
2. NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION - PEOPLE CAN

DEMONSTRATE KNOWLEDGE IF THEY KNOW PROPERLY HOW

TO ARTICULATE WHAT THEY SAY THROUGH THE USE OF

VOICE WITH PROPER INTONATION, ARTICULATION AND

ENUNCIATION, STRESS, GESTURES, FACIAL EXPRESSIONS

AND BODY MOVEMENTS.

3. VISUAL COMMUNICATION - THIS TYPE OF

COMMUNICATION USES VISUALS TO CONVEY INFORMATION

OR MESSAGES.

TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES

1.FORMAL COMMUNICATION STRUCTURE
THIS ALLOWS COMMUNICATION TO TAKE PLACE VIA

DESIGNATED
CHANNELS OF MESSAGE FLOW BETWEEN POSITIONS IN THE

ORGANIZATION.
THIS MAY USE THE FOUR APPROACHES:
A. DOWNWARD COMMUNICATION
B. UPWARD COMMUNICATION
C. HORIZONTAL COMMUNICATION
D. CROSSWISE COMMUNICATION
A.DOWNWARD COMMUNICATION - THE COMMUNICATION

FLOWS FROM UPPER TO LOWER POSITIONS. THE FLOW OF

COMMUNICATION IS TOP- DOWN OR FROM A SUPERIOR TO

A SUBORDINATE, USUALLY ASKING CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS

TO PERFORM A CERTAIN TASK.

B.UPWARD COMMUNICATION THE MESSAGE TRANSMISSION

IS BOTTOM-UP IN WHICH THE SUBORDINATES SEND

COMMUNICATION TO THEIR SUPERIORS/BOSSES BEARING

THEIR VIEWS/FEEDBACK ON ORGANIZATIONAL POLICIES,

ISSUES RELATED TO THEIR JOBS.

C.HORIZONTAL COMMUNICATION
THE COMMUNICATION IS LATERAL IN APPROACH AS IT

TAKES PLACE AMONG PEOPLE BELONGING TO THE SAME

LEVEL BUT COMING FROM DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS OR

UNITS TO FACILITATE PERFORMANCE OF TASKS THROUGH

PROPER COORDINATION.
D.CROSSWISE COMMUNICATION
IN THIS TYPE, COMMUNICATION IS DIAGONAL IN NATURE AS

EMPLOYEES FROM DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS OR UNITS

WORKING AT VARIOUS LEVELS COMMUNICATE WITH EACH

OTHER

2. INFORMAL COMMUNICATION STRUCTURE

THIS COMES FROM UNOFFICIAL CHANNELS OF MESSAGE

FLOW. IT IS ALSO KNOWN AS GRAPEVINE MESSAGES

COMING FROM THE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF THE

ORGANIZATION ARE APPLIED.

TYPES OF COMMUNICATION ACCORDING TO

PURPOSE AND STYLE
1.FORMAL COMMUNICATION - THIS EMPLOYS FORMAL

LANGUAGE DELIVERED ORALLY OR IN WRITTEN

FORM. EXAMPLES: LECTURES, PUBLIC TALKS OR SPEECHES,

RESEARCH AND PROJECT PROPOSALS, REPORTS AND

BUSINESS LETTERS.
2.INFORMAL COMMUNICATION - THIS DOES NOT EMPLOY
FORMAL LANGUAGE. IT INVOLVES PERSONAL AND
ORDINARY CONVERSATIONS WITH FRIENDS, FAMILY

MEMBERS, OR ACQUAINTANCES ABOUT ANYTHING UNDER

THE SUN.
THREE PROCESSES OF COMMUNICATION
LINEAR - LINEAR EXPLAIN ONE DIRECTIONAL

COMMUNICATION PROCESSES.

INTERACTIVE - INTERACTIVE MODELS ARE BEST FOR

EXPLAINING IMPERSONAL TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION

PROCESSES.

TRANSACTIONAL - THE INTERACTION MODEL PORTRAYS

CONTEXT AS PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL INFLUENCES

THAT ENHANCE OR IMPEDE COMMUNICATION.

VERBAL AND NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION IN MULTI-

CULTURAL CONTEXTS

VERBAL COMMUNICATION

MEANING AND NATURE

A MESSAGE MAY BE CONVEYED VIA THESE TYPES: VERBAL –
NON-VERBAL, THOUGH COMMUNICATION IS OFTEN

THOUGHT OF AS VERBAL, THE NON-VERBAL MODE IS

EQUALLY ESSENTIAL AS IT ENHANCES ONE’S MESSAGE.

VERBAL COMMUNICATION
IN VERBAL COMMUNICATION, IDEAS ARE VERBALIZED IN THE

FORM OF WORDS AND ORGANIZED INTO A MESSAGE.

FUNCTIONS OF VERBAL COMMUNICATION

TO ENSURE SMOOTH AND EASY EXCHANGES OF IDEAS
TO COMMUNICATE OR EXPRESS THOUGHTS AND EMOTIONS
TO MAKE MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS, AND
TO FOSTER HARMONIOUS UNDERSTANDING

NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION
PEOPLE CAN DEMONSTRATE KNOWLEDGE IF THEY KNOW

PROPERLY HOW TO ARTICULATE WHAT THEY SAY THROUGH

THE USE OF VOICE WITH PROPER INTONATION,

ARTICULATION AND ENUNCIATION, STRESS, GESTURES,

FACIAL EXPRESSIONS AND BODY MOVEMENTS.

FUNCTIONS OF NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION

TO REPEAT THE VERBAL MESSAGE (E.G. POINT A DIRECTION

WHILE STATING DIRECTIONS)

TO ACCENT A VERBAL MESSAGE (E.G. VERBAL TONE

INDICATES THE ACTUAL MEANING OF THE SPECIFIC WORDS)

TO COMPLEMENT THE VERBAL MESSAGE (E.G. A NOD

REINFORCES A POSITIVE MESSAGE)

KINDS OF NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION

1. PROXEMICS
THE TERM “PROXEMICS” WAS COINED BY EDWARD T. HALL

DURING THE 1950’S AND 1960’S. IT HAS TO DO WITH THE USE

OF SPACE AND HOW VARIOUS DIFFERENCES IN THAT USE

CAN MAKE PEOPLE FEEL MORE RELAXED OR ANXIOUS.

THE FOUR AREAS OF PERSONAL TERRITORY

1.PUBLIC SPACE (RANGES FROM 12 TO 25 FEET). IT IS THE

DISTANCE MAINTAINED BETWEEN THE AUDIENCE AND THE

SPEAKER.
2.SOCIAL SPACE (RANGES FROM 4 TO 10 FEET). IT IS USED

FOR COMMUNICATION AMONG BUSINESS ASSOCIATES, AS

WELL AS TO SEPARATE STRANGERS USING PUBLIC AREAS,

SUCH AS, BUS STOPS, ETC.

3.PERSONAL SPACE (RANGES FROM 2 TO 4 FEET). IT IS USED

AMONG FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS, AND TO SEPARATE

PEOPLE WAITING IN LINE AT AN AUTOMATIC/AUTOMATED

TELLER MACHINE.
4.INTIMATE SPACE (RANGES OUT TO ONE FOOT AND

INVOLVES A HIGH PROBABILITY OF TOUCHING).

2. CHRONEMICS
IS THE NON-VERBAL STUDY OF TIME.

3. KINESICS
IS THE STUDY OF BODILY MOVEMENTS. IT WAS FIRST USED IN

1952 BY ANTHROPOLOGIST RAY V. BIRDWHISTELL. THESE

ARE BODILY MOVEMENTS COORDINATED WITH SPEECH ARE

HAND MOVEMENTS (ALSO MOVEMENT OF THE BODY AND

LEGS), HEAD NODS AND OTHER HEAD MOVEMENTS: GAZE

SHIFTS, AND FACIAL EXPRESSIONS.

4. HAPTICS (TACTILE COMMUNICATION).
IT IS THE NON-VERBAL STUDY OF TOUCH. TOUCH CODES

VARY AMONG YOUNG AND OLD, BETWEEN GENDERS AND BY

SITUATIONS.

5. OCULESICS
IS THE NON-VERBAL STUDY OF THE USE OF EYES.

ETHICS OF COMMUNICATION
COMMUNICATION ETHICS EMPHASIZES THAT MORALS

INFLUENCE THE BEHAVIOR OF AN INDIVIDUAL, GROUP, OR

ORGANIZATION FOR IT AFFECTS THEIR COMMUNICATION. IT

IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT ONE’S BEHAVIOR SHOULD BE

REGULATED BY:
∎HONESTY
∎DECENCY
∎TRUTHFULNESS
∎SINCERITY, AND
∎MORAL UPRIGHTNESS

CODE OF ETHICS IS ESSENTIAL AS IT DETERMINES THE KIND

OF BEHAVIOR
THAT IS PROPER AND DESIRABLE OVER ONE THAT IS

DISPLEASING AND
OFFENSIVE.

GUIDELINES TO ACHIEVE ETHICAL COMMUNICATION

1.ESTABLISH AN EFFECTIVE VALUE SYSTEM THAT WILL PAVE

THE WAY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUR INTEGRITY AS A

PERSON.
2.PROVIDE COMPLETE AND ACCURATE INFORMATION

WHETHER IS NEEDED OR NOT, THE DATA YOU PROVIDE

SHOULD ALWAYS BE CONTEXTUALIZED AND CORRECT.

3.DISCLOSE VITAL INFORMATION ADEQUATELY AND

APPROPRIATELY.
4..NEVER CONCEAL OR HIDE INFORMATION THAT ARE

NECESSARY FOR PURPOSES OF TRANSPARENCY.

GENERAL PRINCIPLES OFEFFECTIVE
COMMUNICATION

1. KNOW YOUR PURPOSE IN COMMUNICATING. BASICALLY,

THIS MAY BE YOUR OBJECTIVE OR REASON WHY YOU

COMMUNICATE: TO INFORM, TO ENTERTAIN, TO ENLIGHTEN

OR TO PERSUADE YOUR LISTENERS OR READERS.

2. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE. IN BOTH SPEAKING AND

WRITING, YOU SHOULD KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE AS IT WILL

DICTATE THE SPEAKING OR WRITING STYLE YOU ARE GOING

TO EMPLOY.
3. KNOW YOUR TOPIC. YOU COMMUNICATE ESSENTIALLY

BECAUSE YOU WANT TO COMMUNICATE BECAUSE YOU

WANT TO SHARE SOMETHING. IN SPEAKING SITUATIONS,

SPEAKERS ARE INVITED BECAUSE THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO

SHARE.
4. ADJUST YOUR SPEECH OR WRITING TO THE CONTEXT OF

THE SITUATION.
5. WORK ON THE FEEDBACK GIVEN YOU. ONCE YOU RECEIVE
COMMENTS FROM THE LISTENERS/READERS, WORK ON

THEM.

PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE ORAL COMMUNICATION

1.BE CLEAR WITH YOUR OBJECTIVE. YOU SHOULD KNOW BY

HEART YOUR OBJECTIVE IN COMMUNICATING.

2.BE COMPLETE WITH THE MESSAGE YOU DELIVER. MAKE

SURE THAT YOUR CLAIMS ARE SUPPORTED BY FACTS AND

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION.
3.BE CONCISE. YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE VERBOSE OR

WORDY WITH YOUR STATEMENTS. BREVITY IN SPEECH IS A

MUST.
4. BE NATURAL WITH YOUR DELIVERY. PUNCTUATE

IMPORTANT WORDS WITH THE APPROPRIATE GESTURES AND

MOVEMENTS. EXUDE A CERTAIN DEGREE OF CONFIDENCE

EVEN IF YOU DO NOT FEEL CONFIDENT ENOUGH.

5. BE SPECIFIC AND TIMELY WITH YOUR FEEDBACK. INPUTS

ARE MOST HELPFUL WHEN PROVIDED ON TIME.

PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE WRITTEN

COMMUNICATION: THE
7CS

BE CLEAR. BE CLEAR ABOUT YOUR MESSAGE. ALWAYS BE

GUIDED BY YOUR PURPOSE IN COMMUNICATING.

BE CONCISE. ALWAYS STICK TO THE POINT AND DO NOT

BEAT OR RUN AROUND THE BUSH. BE BRIEF BY FOCUSING ON

YOUR MAIN POINT.

BE CONCRETE. SUPPORT YOUR CLAIMS WITH ENOUGH

FACTS. YOUR READERS WILL EASILY KNOW IF YOU ARE

BLUFFING OR DECEIVING THEM BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHING

TO SUBSTANTIATE YOUR CLAIMS.

BE CORRECT. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU OBSERVE

GRAMMATICAL CORRECTNESS IN YOUR WRITING. ALWAYS

HAVE TIME TO REVISE AND EDIT YOUR WORK. EVEN SIMPLE

SPELLING ERRORS MAY EASILY DISTRACT YOUR READERS.

BE COHERENT. YOUR WRITING BECOMES COHERENT ONLY

WHEN YOU CONVEY A LOGICAL MESSAGE. THE IDEAS

SHOULD BE CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER AND RELATED TO

THE TOPIC. MAKE SURE THAT YOU OBSERVE A SOUND

STRUCTURE THAT WILL PRESENT A SMOOTH FLOW OF YOUR

IDEAS. USE TRANSITIONAL OR COHESIVE DEVICES SO THAT

THE IDEAS COHERE WITH ONE ANOTHER.

BE COMPLETE. INCLUDE ALL NECESSARY AND RELEVANT

INFORMATION SO THAT THE AUDIENCE WILL NOT BE LEFT

WANTING OF ANY INFORMATION. ALWAYS PLACE

YOURSELF IN THE SHOES OF THE AUDIENCE, WHO IS

ALWAYS INTERESTED TO RECEIVE NEW INFORMATION.

BE COURTEOUS. THE TONE OF YOUR WRITING SHOULD BE

FRIENDLY. AVOID ANY OVERTONE/UNDERTONE OR

INSINUATION TO ELIMINATE CONFUSION AND

MISINTERPRETATION.