Lesson 3

Communication Processes,
Principles, and Ethics
Communication models

► A model is often abstract.

► It is a representation of a real world
phenomenon applied to different forms.
► The interplay of variables in the model is
represented graphically.
Four conceptual models for human
interaction
► Aristotle’s model
► Laswell’s model
► Shannon-Weaver’s model
► David Berlo’s model
Aristotle’s Communication Model

► Effective public speaking was an important consideration

in the study of communication.
► They (Plato, Aristotle and the Greek sophists or scholars)
were good at argumentation and debate and speech was
characterized by repartee.
► Aristotle emphasized that there are three variables in the
communication process:
► 1. speaker
► 2. speech
► 3. audience
Laswell’s Communication Model

► Described communication as being focused on the

following Ws:
► Who - communicator
► Says What, - Message
► In Which channel, - Medium
► to whom - Receiver
► With what effect – Effect or outcome
► The process may be analyzed through the content sent,
the medium used, as well as the effect on the recipient of
the message.
► This model is similar to Aristotle’s in the sense that both
are linear and have the same components.
► Laswell’s also differs in that there are five variables
involved, with addition of two: medium and effect.
SHANNON-WEAVER’S COMMUNICATION
MODEL
► This model of communication was introduced in 1949, a
year after Laswell’s Bell Laboratories. Originally, it was
conceptualized for the functioning of the radio and
television serving as a model for technical communication
and, later on, adopted in the field of communication.
► In this model. Other components such as noise, reception,
destination and feedback have been identified. Other
terms such as information source for the sender,
transmitter for the encodes, decoder (receptor), and
receiver (destination) were introduced.
BERLO’S COMMUNICATION MODEL

► Initially, this model was called SMCR which stands for Sender of the Message,
sent through a Channel or medium to a Receiver.
► SOURCE/SENDER: Communication skills are necessary, knowledge of the topic,
along with the social system which includes values, beliefs, and practices and
culture.
► MESSAGE: observed 1)content; 2)element such as language, used, gestures
employed; 3)treatment or the manner by which the message is transmitted;
4) structure which refers to the arrangement of parts or flow of the message.
► CHANNEL: refers to the different senses such as seeing, smelling, hearing,
touching, and tasting.
► RECEIVER: the one who decodes the message. Note the components of this
are similar to the first variable since for communication to be effective, both
the sender and the receiver should have good communication skills.
GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE
COMMUNICATION
► Since communication is a two-way process, it is important that you
know the principles to be observed to make it effective. For both oral
and written communication, you should be able to apply the
following:
► 1. Know your purpose in communicating. to inform, to entertain, or to
persuade? More than your purpose, there is still a more dominant
objective or reason why you communicate.
► 2. Know your audience. Consider the profile of your readers or
listeners like, age, educational background, profession, culture, and
other salient features.
► 3. Know your topic. You must have to be knowledgeable to your topic,
you communicate essentially because you want to share something to
your audience as a speaker or as a writer.
► 4. Adjust your speech or writing to the context of the situation. The
environment in which your speech or writing is to be delivered
determines the kind of language you will use.
► 5. Work on the feedback given to you. Once you receive comments
from the listeners/readers, work on them. Take kindly to criticisms.
In the long run, constructive criticisms will prove beneficial to you as
you learn to address them.
PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE ORAL
COMMUNICATION
► 1. Be clear with your purpose. 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/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.
► 5. Be specific and timely with your feedback. Inputs are most helpful
when provided on time.
PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE WRITTEN
COMMUNICATION: THE 7C’S
► 1. Be clear – be guided by your purpose
► 2. Be concise – always stick to the point, be brief by focusing to your main
point
► 3. Be concrete – support you claims with enough facts and information.
► 4. Be correct – observe grammatical correctness, even simple spelling
► 5. Be coherent – relatedness of ideas, must have logical organization of ideas
► 6. Be complete – must have all necessary and relevant information so that
audience will not be left wanting of any information.
► 7. Be courteous – the tone should be friendly. Avoid undertone/overtone or
insinuation to eliminate
confusion and misinterpretation
ETHICS OF COMMUNICATION

► It emphasizes that morals influence the behavior of an

individual, group, or organization thereby affecting there
communication.
► Be guided by the following 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.
► 3. Disclose vital information adequately and
appropriately.
► Observing a code of ethics is essential as it determines the
kind of behavior that is proper and desirable over one
that is displeasing and offensive.
► A code of ethics sets the standards to be observed by a
person or a company that will create a good reputation or
a positive image not only for the individual but also for
the organization.