Fundamentals of Communication

Communication is a continuous and constantly changing process, which is

influenced by a lot of factors that’s why it is hard to determine the start and end of a
conversation. Communication never stops, it's a never-ending video/movie. The interplay
of different factors is what makes communication dynamic and diverse. Communication
is a systematic process, in which people interact with and through symbols to create and
interpret meanings (Wood, 2006). The exchange of information, concepts, and opinions
between or among two or more people within the same or different contexts.
Communication is Irreversible (Once an utterance is said, the listener of the message will
always have his/her version of the message in his/her head, so it can never be erased, hence
irreversible), Proactive (When people receive the message, they actively evaluate it’s
content even if there were factors harming the flow of the conversation), and Symbolic
(Are Arbitrary, meaning symbols are used as a representation of topics or to communicate
and interpret one’s thoughts, as long as these symbols are understood by a group of
people).

No single person or event causes a person’s reaction, it is always from that person’s
understanding or meaning taken from a situation, that causes them to react to something.

Meaning in communication is individually construed, meaning for every message,

everyone has their own unique and different understanding of the message. Communication
does not always solve conflicts, it can create, cause, and heal conflicts but it always
depends on the situation. It is only a tool for expression.

INTERLOCUTORS - a person who communicates

Elements of Communication
1. Speaker - They are the source of information or message.
2. Message - The Idea, thought, or information being conveyed by the speaker in words or
in actions
3. Encoding - The process of converting the message into something that the receiver can
understand, it's knowing the audience. (You can’t exactly explain something head-on to
someone who doesn’t know the entire message, so you have to encode it in a way they
can understand it bit by bit)
4. Channel - It is the medium in which the encoded message is conveyed or given.
5. Decoding - This is the process where the receiver tries to understand the message and
makes his/her own version of it in their head.
6. Receiver - Recipient of the message.
7. Feedback - This is the recipient reacting to the message, giving their response or their
opinion to it.
8. Context - This is the environment or context/situation where the giving and receiving of
information takes place.
9. Interference - These are the factors or forms of disturbance that could alter the
communication process.

Functions of Communication
1. Regulation or Control - Influencing or directing other people’s actions in a certain way.
(Specific order - Specific action response)
2. Social Interaction - Spontaneous verbal exchange occurring in natural settings that are
typically familiar to the interactants. (Specific context - Specific verbal exchange; yet
still natural)
3. Emotional Expression - a manifestation of one’s internal state (emotions and feelings)
4. Motivation - Communication motivates or encourages people to live better. It is either
internal or external.
5. Information Dissemination - sharing information that needs to be heard or reaching
people that need to be informed of that certain message.

Models of Communication
(Linear Models of Communication) - It is sequential and a one-way communication. In
which a speaker transmits information to a listener. Directed towards only one direction.
A. Aristotelian Model - It is speaker centered and pertains to the ability of the speaker
to persuade an audience. Has only three elements: The Speaker, the Message, and the
Audience. (Public Speaking, Speeches, etc.)
- An apparent focus on the speaker’s ability to persuade the audience.
- The setting or occasion dictates the speaker’s message.
- 3 modes of Persuasion:
1. Ethos - personal character or the credibility of the speaker.
2. Logos - the logical appeal based on reasoning
3. Pathos - appeals to the emotions of the audience
- 3 types of Settings:
1. Legal - Courts where people defended themselves or were accused.
2. Deliberative - Political settings, such as assemblies and legislations.
3. Ceremonial - Speeches after winning a war, or losing it, welcoming speeches,
congratulatory speeches, poems for tribute or lament.
B. Shannon and Weaver Model - A model initially designed for telephones and radios.
The process of communication is one way where they transmit information to a passive
listener (listening without reacting).
- The problem that could occur: The message can be altered due to interference or
noise present in the channel.
- An important addition to this model is the elements of noise (refers to any type of
interference), which affects the flow of the process of communication. It can occur
at any time in the communication process.
1. External - (physical noise) any factor outside of the receiver that may distract the
listener from understanding the speaker’s message. (disturbing noise)
2. Physiological - refers to biological malfunctions of the communicators. (such as
hearing problems, tonsillitis, or anything that could alter a person’s ability to
hear or speak)
3. Psychological - involves mental or emotional distractions that affect the accuracy
of the message. (daydreaming, crying, screaming, panicking, etc.)
4. Semantic - involves the ambiguous use of language, incorrect use of grammar, or
even the use of words that aren’t familiar to other people in the communication
process.

C. Berlo’s Model - Developed like the Shannon-Weaver model but with a Human
Dimension, by representing the channel as a method of decoding the message through the 5
senses (See, Smell, Hear, Touch, Taste).
 - Source - Is situated where the message originates (Speaker)
- Communication Skills - It is the skill of the individual to communicate. (e.g. the
ability to read, write, speak, listen, etc.)
- Attitudes - This includes attitudes towards the audience, subject, and oneself.
(e.g. for the student, the attitude is to learn more and for teachers, it is to help
teach)
- Knowledge - The person needs to be knowledgeable about the subject or topic.
(e.g. Teacher needs to learn the subject first before teaching it)
- Social System - Includes the various aspects of society like values, beliefs,
culture, religion, and a general understanding of society.
- Culture - Culture of a particular society.
Encoding - The process of converting the message into something that the receiver can
understand, it's knowing the audience
- Message - The Information conveyed in the communicative process.
- Content - The body of a message, from the beginning to the end, comprises its
content.
- Elements - It includes various things like language, gestures, body language, etc.
- Treatment - It refers to the packing of the message and the way in which the
message is conveyed. (Tone)
- Structure - Refers to how the message is arranged
- Code - The code of the message refers to the means through which it is sent and
in what form. (Language, Body Language, Gestures, Music, Symbols, etc.)
- Channel
- Hearing - (ears) Orally transmitted messages, interpersonal communication, etc.
- Seeing - (eyes) Visual channels
- Touching - Blind people use their touching senses to read books and other media.
(e.g. hugging, kissing, hand-to-hand contact, etc.)
- Smelling - (nose) Examples: smelling smoke, there may be a fire or just someone
cooking, smelling fragrances could be someone planting flowers or someone is
going on date or occasion.
- Tasting - Tasting food, if it's good, if it's bad, its poison, etc.
 Decoding - This is the process where the receiver tries to understand the message and
makes his/her own version of it in their head.
The receiver needs to think about all the contents and elements of the source, so as to
communicate/respond to the sender effectively.
(Interactive Models) - where communicators can interact while conversing, feedback is
recognized, and has a cyclical process.
A. Schramm’s Model - In which both communicators act as encoder, interpreter, and
decoder of each other’s messages. They respond and give feedback therefore it is
illustrated as a cyclical and interactive process.
- Developed by Wilbur Schramm (1955).
- Emphasized the importance of each communicator’s fields of experience in the
interpretation of meaning. They must understand the messages.
- Field of experience - refers to the cultural background, profession/origin, and other
frames of reference that a communicator brings to a conversation.
- Context - (Speech) The Person speaking; The situation/event/occasion; The
Person(s) being addressed to or spoken to.
- These fields of experience, no matter how different, must overlap with each other.
Meaning, in order for them to communicate well, they must have at least one thing
in common or, a similar experience or common schematic background about the
topic in order for them to relate and connect.
- Cultural differences and lack of shared experience can result in Misunderstanding,
less Empathy, etc. Therefore the interference would be a lack of fields of experience.

(Transactional Model) - Considered as the most accurate representation of the

communication process.
A. Speech Communication Transaction Model - Designed primarily to represent public
communication (e.g. seminars, lectures, conferences, meetings, etc.) is composed of the
following elements:
1. Speaker - is evaluated according to their credibility, self-concept, or attitude towards
self or others, knowledge of the subject, and intention or purpose of communication.
 2. Listeners - are characterized by their purpose for listening, knowledge, and interest
in the subject, listening skills, and their attitudes towards the self and the speaker
and the ideas or information presented.
3. Feedback - it may be intentional (reply, anger, retort, etc.) or unintentional (e.g.
yawning) and verbal (oral or written) or non-verbal (gestures and movements). They
move simultaneously (sometimes) and from both directions (listener and speaker).
4. Message - It is the idea being transmitted by the sender to the receiver. This includes
3 aspects which are:
- Content - Pertains to what knowledge a message holds or what type of
information it gives out.
- Structure - How the message is organized.
- Style - Refers to the manner in which a speaker presents information and ideas.
(created by his or her choices of words, sentence structures, tone, imagery, point
of view, figurative language, symbolism, and mood)
5. Channel - This is the medium where the communicative process takes place. It limits
and shapes the message.
- Verbal Channel - refers to the language used in the process
- Visual Channel - involved with the interpretation of non-verbal messages,
- Aural/Paralinguistic Channel - carries meaning through the manner in which the
message was conveyed (e.g. tone, pitch, loudness, etc.)
- Pictorial Channel - concerned with the visual aids complementing the message.
6. Element - refers to the physical environment and social context in which the
communication occurs.
7. Cultural Context - deals with the rituals, rules, and norms imposed by a particular
culture.
Communication Breakdown is when the message or the feedback is not sent or received
properly- at least in the way the source intended- or is not received by the concerned party
altogether.
● Aristotelean
● No Feedback
● No concept of communicational breakdown
● Speaker-Audience-Effect
● Berlo
● No Feedback/Effect
● No Noise, Barriers
● Not Two way
● Transactional
● Opportunity for Noise
● Unsure if the message was received
● Shannon-Weaver
● The sender plays the primary role
● Two-way and is applicable in any general communication
● Feedback is taken less importantly
● Misleading representation
● Interactive
● Feedback is a whole new process of communication