PURPOSIVE COMMUNICATION
Cagayan State University: Andrews Campus (College of Allied Health Sciences)
Unit 1: Communication Processes, Principles, and Ethics
Lesson 4: Communication Principles and Ethics
OUTLINE
I. Communication Ethics
II. Principles of Communication
COMMUNICATION ETHICS
National Communication Association
CREDO for Ethical Communication
approved by the National
Communication Association Legislative
Council, 1999.
“Questions of right and wrong arise whenever
people communicate. Ethical communication is
fundamental to responsible thinking, decision
making, and the development of relationships
and communities within and across contexts,
cultures, channels, and media. Moreover,
ethical communication enhances human worth
and dignity by fostering truthfulness, fairness,
responsibility, personal integrity, and respect
for self and others. We believe that unethical
communication threatens the quality of all
communication and consequently the
wellbeing of individuals and the society in
which we live. Therefore, we, the members of
the National Communication Association,
endorse and are committed to practicing the
following principles of ethical communication:
➢ We advocate truthfulness, accuracy, honesty,
and reason as essential to the integrity of
communication.
➢ We endorse freedom of expression, diversity
of perspective, and tolerance of dissent to
achieve the informed and responsible decision
making fundamental to a civil society.
➢ We strive to understand and respect other
communicators before evaluating and
responding to their messages.
➢ We promote access to communication
resources and opportunities as necessary to
fulfill human potential andmcontribute to the
well-being of families, communities, and
society.
➢ We promote communication climates of
caring and mutual understanding that respect
the unique needs and characteristics of
individual communicators.
➢ We condemn communication that degrades
individuals and humanity through distortion,
intimidation, coercion, and violence, and
through the expression of intolerance and
hatred.
➢ We are committed to the courageous
expression of personal convictions in pursuit of
fairness and justice.
➢ We advocate sharing information, opinions,
and feelings when facing significant choices
while also respecting privacy and
confidentiality.
➢ We accept responsibility for the short- and
long-term consequences for our own
communication and expect the same of others.
In addition to this Credo that must be
known to the heart, Johansen (nd.) presented
other considerations (which are also similar to
some of the Credos) in ethical communication
which are as follows:
1.Ethical Communicators are Respectful
of Their Audience.
Communication is a two-way process.
The communicator must consider the audience
ideas and feelings during the interaction.
2.Ethical Communicators Consider the
Consequences of their Communication.
Every communicator must bear in mind
that the ultimate aim of communication is to
promote the common good. Communication
must be set in a way that conflict is reduced or
eliminated.
3. Ethical Communicators Respect the
Truth.
A great deal of the ethics of
communication involves a respect for truth.
Indeed, as one has put it, the assumption of
truth undergirds the very concept of
communication itself: "an inherent end of
speech is the communication of belief" (Kupfer
118). If we cannot trust the other party, we
cannot accurately judge how to respond. If we
cannot accurately judge how to respond, then
our communication becomes increasingly
ineffective.
4.Ethical Communicators Use
Information Properly.
Communicators have the responsibility
to give and acquire adequate and accurate
information. As an ethical communicator, a
respect for truth means being informed on a
topic before posing as any kind of authority on
the subject. We also need to consider the
accuracy of the information and the accuracy
with which we use it. When we communicate,
we expect people to react in some way to what
we say and do. When we use inaccurate
information to influence others, we cause
difficulty for them and for ourselves.
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 PURPOSIVE COMMUNICATION
Cagayan State University: Andrews Campus (College of Allied Health Sciences)
Unit 1: Communication Processes, Principles, and Ethics
Lesson 4: Communication Principles and Ethics
5.Ethical Communicators Do Not Falsify 6. Clarity is achieved by using precise and
Information. appropriate words and constructing effective
Worse than the distortion of sentences.
information is falsifying information. Failing to
find information useful to our goals, we make it 7. Creativity is being able to craft
up. This is a form of cheating; therefore, it inspirational and inventive messages through
should by all means be avoided. word choice and sentence structures.

6. Ethical Communicators Respect the 8. Captivating messages are interesting ones

Rights of Others to information. that catch attention and demand better
A respect for truth and an ethical responses.
consideration of others also means respecting
the rights of others in regard to information and 9. Cultural Sensitivity means having
access to information. Collecting information is respect and consideration to the perspectives,
an integral part of the research process, but feelings of other people. It implies sincerity and
stealing information is theft, taking something respect.
that does not belong to us. Beyond the personal
act of theft, stealing information is unethical
because it prevents other people from securing
information and unnecessarily makes their lives
more difficult.

PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNICATION
Scott Cutlip and Allen Center (1952) of
the University of Wisconsin wrote about the 7
C’s of communication in their book Effective
Public Relations’. In 2010, the 7 was further
enriched by Michael Osborn who added three
more C’s and transformed courtesy to cultural
sensitivity. Throughout the years, these have
become guides in communication, both written
and oral.

1. Correctness refers to the proper, accurate

and acceptable use of the right level of
language. It implies that the language should
adhere to grammatical rules.

2. Completeness means that the sender

should convey all facts that the receivers need in
order for the latter to give appropriate reaction.

3. Concreteness is being specific, definite and

vivid or particular.

4. Conciseness appeal to receivers and will

help them comprehensibly respond. It is
achieved by eliminating wordy expressions and
those obvious to the receiver, and conveying
only relevant information.

5. Consideration is giving emphasis on the

‘you’ approach. It is being aware of the human
nature and practicing empathy. It is not losing
temper, being more tactful and focusing on how
message receiver will be benefitted.

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