ED 403 REVIEWER

CHAPTER 1: COMMUNICATION PROCESSES, PRINCIPLES AND ETHICS

COMMUNICATION
- Derived from the Latin words con which means “with”, munus which means “a business”,
communis which means “common” and communico which means “to confer”.
- It is therefore defined as the process of accomplishing a goal
 According to Sanchez (2017), effective communication is the most critical component of total
quality management.
- described as the transfer of information, thoughts or ideas to create a shared understanding
between a sender and a receiver.
- It is a dynamic, two-way process
- Therefore, communication is the process of transferring information from one point to another
where the receiver

TYPES OF COMMUNICATION

1. Verbal Communication - uses words or symbols. It is done through speaking or writing.

*Spoken communication can be done through face-to-face interaction, through mobiles or
computers, public speaking, etc.
*Written communication can be written, digitized or printed.

*Verbal communication is focused on how messages are portrayed.

Factors that affect verbal communication:

1. Tone of voice
2. Use of descriptive words
3. Emphasis on certain phrases
4. Volume of voice

* According to Mehrabian (2017), 55% of information gathered when people are speaking to each
other in person is determined through body language, 38% of the information relayed in a
conversation through tone of voice, and only 7% of the words that are spoken are used to
understand what is being said.

*In verbal communication, meanings are also taken from non-verbal forms and are better known as
non-verbal cues.
*Non-verbal cues - make the message clearer and give the listener an indication in what way the
information should be received.
*These are similar to non-verbal type of communication; but these are used to accompany verbal
communication.
 Examples of Non-verbal Cues:
1. Intonation
2. Facial expressions
3. Pause
4. Hand gestures
5. Use of visuals
6. Body movement
7. Eye contact

2. Non-verbal Communication - sending of message using methods other than spoken language. It
may be intentional or unintentional.

According to Tidwell (2016) there are two kinds of non-verbal communication:

1. Non-verbal messages produced by the body
2. Non-verbal messages produced by the broad setting such as time, space and silence

Examples of non-verbal communication:

touch glance eye contact vocal nuance proximity

facial expressions gestures volume pause (silence) intonation
dress posture smell context formality

*In high-context cultures, the manner of saying the word is more important than the word itself.
High-context cultures - those who communicate in ways that are implicit and rely heavily on context.
These are the collectivistic in nature.
Low-context cultures - those who communicate in ways that are explicit. These are the
individualistic in nature.

Uses of non-verbal communication:

1. Used to repeat the verbal message.
2. Often used to accent a verbal message.
3. Often complements the verbal message but may also contradict.
4. Regulate interactions.
5. May substitute for the verbal message, especially if it is blocked by noise or interruption.

The 7 Cs of Communication are:

Clear
(Clarity) Be clear about the goal of your message and the purpose of the message. Present one idea at a
time making it easier for the recipient to understand. Don’t leave them guessing what the message is
about and having to fill in the gaps themselves.

Set a goal or outcome for what you want to communicate and work towards that.
Concise
(Conciseness) Keep to the point and keep it short and simple. Don’t use unnecessary words (use two
words where one will do or 6 sentences when 3 will do). Don’t repeat the same point in different ways.

This will also make any communication more engaging and easier to understand.

Concrete
(Concreteness) Be clear, not fuzzy. Ensure there is enough detail to get the message across but not too
much so that the recipient will be lost and that the message is factual.

Adding too much ‘noise’ around your main points can mean these are missed. Make sure your main
points and any conclusions are clear to the recipient.

Correct
(Correctness) Check the information you are providing is accurate and, in written communication,
ensure it is free from grammatical and spelling errors. Check the technical parts of your content are
understandable by the person receiving the information.

Preparation will help here to make sure you can be sure about what you are communicating or a chance
to read what you have written.

Coherent
Make sure your message flows well and is laid out logically. The points you make should all be linked to
the main topic and should help you to deliver the objective you originally set out to achieve. Make sure
the tone of the message is the same throughout.

Consider using a structure for your communication to help here.

Complete
(Completeness) Ensure the recipient has everything they need to understand your message and take
action if needed. If action is needed, ensure your message includes a ‘call to action’. Also, ensure that
any specific details are clear and included. Don’t leave the recipient with lots of questions to ask.

Think about how you will check for understanding. For example, you could ask questions to check their
understanding.

Courteous
(Courtesy) Your message should be polite, friendly, professional, open and honest. Think about your
message from the recipient’s point of view and you are empathetic towards their needs. This will help
you to deliver the message in a way that’s easy to understand and buy into.

Also, communicating to or writing for the reader can make your communication more engaging.
ELEMENTS OF THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS

1. Sender - a person, group or organization who initiates communication. Also called as encoder, source,
speaker, writer or communicator. The sender is responsible for the success of the communication. The
sender’s experiences, attitudes, knowledge, skills, perceptions, and culture influence the message.
2. Message - is the element transmitted in the communication process. The message should be coded by
the sender in a way that it will be easily understood by the receiver.
3. Channel - pathway or medium through which the message travels to reach its destination. It may be
oral, written or visual. Each kind of channel has a specific use depending on the message.
Examples: Face-to-face, through writing letters, social media, mobile phone call, etc
4. Noise - a form of distortion, barrier or obstacle that occurs in any of the phases of the oral
communication process. It may be visual, aural, physical or psychological in forms.
Examples: inappropriate channel, incorrect grammar, inflammatory words, jargon,
5. Receiver - the person who receives, understands, analyzes and interprets the message. Also called as
decoder, reader or listener. The receiver’s experiences, attitudes, knowledge, skills, perceptions, and
culture influence the interpretation of the message. Successful communication takes place when the
receiver correctly interprets the sender’s message. In giving the receiver’s response, the receiver then
becomes the sender.
6. Feedback - the receiver’s response that provides information to the sender. It shows whether the
receiver understood the message or not. According to Bovee and Thill (1992), even the lack of response,
is in a sense, a form of response. It is a very important element of the process because it makes the
communication dynamic, two-way interactive event.
7. Adjustment - it is done if the message is not clearly understood by the receiver.

ASPECTS OF COMMUNICATION
The importance of communication is related to various aspects.

1. Communication is integrated in all parts of our lives.

We communicate every minute and every second of our lives. And as we go through life
everyday, we use communication in all places we go to, in different parts of our lives.
A. Academics
 According to researches, students who are good in writing and speaking perform
better not only in the English class, but also in other learning areas.
B. Professional
 Employees who are better in communicating have the higher chance of getting
hired.
C. Personal
 Having a vocabulary to name the communication phenomena in our lives
increases our ability to alter consciously our communication in order to achieve
our goals and avoid miscommunication.
D. Civic
 Civic engagement refers to working to make a difference in our communities by
improving the quality of life of community members.
2. Communication meets needs
Communication is more than the transmission of information. We also communicate in order to
survive our day-to-day activities.
A. Physical Needs - keep our brain and body functioning
B. Instrumental Needs - instructing people, giving directions
C. Relational Needs - initiate, maintain or end a relationship
D. Identity Needs - people present their image through the way they communicate

3. Communication is guided by culture and context

Culture - as defined by O’Neil (2006), it is the full range of learned human behavior patterns. It
includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, customs, etc.
Context - the circumstances that form the setting for an event
Culture and context influence how we deliver and how we understand messages.
4. Communication is learned.
The need to communicate and the ability to learn a language is innate. However, our manner of
communication varies from person to person. This is because communication is learned rather than
innate.
The Case of the Feral Children - children who were raised by animals; children who grew up
isolated from human contact

5. Communication has ethical implications.

Communication ethics deals with reflecting and negotiating our actions based on what we
believe to be right or wrong.

The Communication Process Model

ISSUES IN COMMUNICATION
1. Content - refers to the information and experiences that are provided to the receiver of the
communication process.
* The message must be presented in a language that makes a grammatical sense.
* Words have different meanings and may be used or interpreted differently.
* Therefore, content should be tailored or edited for the public to ensure effective communication.

2. Process - refers to the way the message is presented or delivered.

*The non-verbal forms that we use often cause messages to be misunderstood as we tend to believe
what we see more than what we hear.
*Therefore, we should be mindful of the non-verbal cues that accompany our verbal
communication.

3. Context - refers to the situation or environment in which your message is delivered.

* If the sender is unaware of a specific context, the sender might say improper words or messages.
* If the receiver is unaware of the context, the message might be interpreted incorrectly.
* Therefore, it is important to assert and understand the context before saying something.

“Context Clues”
Example:
1. If the weather is cold, I can watch movies all day.
Context: what the speaker can do if the weather is cold
WATCH (VERB)
2. The Rolex watch of my uncle is expensive.
Context: the expensive watch of the speaker’s uncle
WATCH (NOUN)

PRINCIPLES IN COMMUNICATION

Principles are guidelines we follow when we say or do something.

1. Principle of Clarity - messages should be worded clearly. Messages should not be ambiguous or
can be interpreted in different ways. It should be straightforward so the receiver will easily
understand what the speaker is saying. It is always the responsibility of the sender to make the
message clear so that the receiver will understand the message correctly.

2. Principle of Attention - the receiver’s attention should be drawn to the message to make the
communication effective. In order to achieve successful communication, the receiver should be
listening to the sender to understand the message. There are many distractor that may cause the
receiver to lose the focus on the message. Avoid any circumstances that may lead to the loss of
attention of the receiver.

3. Principle of Feedback - there should be a feedback in communication in order for the sender to
know whether the message was clearly understood by the receiver. The feedback will also indicate
whether the sender needs to make adjustments on the message for the receiver to understand the
message.

4. Principle of Informality - in academic or business setting, the language used is mainly formal.
However, in circumstances where formal language fail to meet its goal, which is to make receiver/s
understand the message, the sender should be flexible in switching to informal language to code
the message clearer. Informal communication is as important as formal communication.

5. Principle of Consistency - communication should always be consistent with the policies, plans,
programs and objectives of the organization and not in conflict with them. If leaders are not
following the rules, the subordinates will be confused.

6. Principle of Timeliness - communication should be done in real time. It helps transactions to be

done fast.

7. Principles of Adequacy - when communicating, information should be adequate and complete.

Incomplete information may cause delay and confusion.

COMMUNICATION ETHICS

It deals with the behavior of an individual or a group which is governed by their morals and in turn
affects communication.

The National Communication Association (NCA) formulated the Credo for Ethical Communication
in November 1999. It reminds us that ethical communication is relevant across contexts and applies
to every channel of communication.

1. Advocate truthfulness, accuracy, honesty and reason as essential to the integrity of

communication.
2. Endorse freedom of expression, diversity of perspective, and tolerance of dissent to achieve the
informed and responsible decision making fundamental to a civil society.
3. Strive to understand and respect other communicators before evaluating and responding to their
messages.
4. Promote access to communication resources and opportunities as necessary to fulfill human
potential and contribute to the well-being of families, communities, and society.
5. Promote communication climates of caring and mutual understanding that respect the unique
needs and characteristics of individual communicators.
6. Condemn communication that degrades individuals and humanity through distortion,
intimidation, coercion, and violence, and through the expression of intolerance and hatred.
7. Commit to the courageous expression of personal convictions in pursuit of fairness and justice.
8. Advocate sharing information, opinions and feelings when facing significant choices while also
respecting privacy and confidentiality.
9. Accept responsibility for the short- and long-term consequences for our own communication and
expect the same of others.

Ethics Resource Center (Free Word Press, 2017)

Simple Three-Part Guide for Ethical Business Communication
1. Be honest.
2. Be respectful.
3. Show sensitivity to cultural differences.

Communication Ethics in the Academic Context

1. Avoid plagiarism.
The Instrument of Judicial Governance defines plagiarism as “the intentional representation of
another person’s words, thoughts or ideas as one’s own.”
2. Data gathered from participants for a research or study should be kept confidential at all times,
unless given the permission of the participant.
3. Students should always show respect to authorities in school.
4. Transactions or communication plans should follow a protocol for their acceptance or approval.
5. Never tell a lie or misrepresent facts to your teachers, classmates or any people.