Lecture 1 & 2

Introduction to
Communication

International Undergraduate Program

in Communication
Faculty of Social and Political Sciences
Universitas Indonesia
Why studying communication?

Communication is Communication is
fundamental in our Communication is vital in career &
life complex professional world

Good education ≠ Communication is a

High very popular &
communication growing field of
competence study
 Fundamental aspects
.
in Communication
(Ruben & Stewart)

Communication is a
process
Communication is
essential for
individuals,
relationships, groups, Communication:
organizations, society responding and
producing messages
 Interpretation
Communication:
Adapting with people
and environment
T
. he word ’communication’
has different meanings
Dance & Larson
identify 126
published definitions
of communication
Littlejohn:
•Due to its complexity,
communication is hard to define.
•The word “communication” is
abstract & has a number of
different meanings
 .
Question of
Point of view
Intention

Level of The Issue of

Observation Reasons of Outcome
Various
Definitions of
Communication

(Ruben-Stewart,2020)
Frank Dance: 15 Conceptual
Components in Communication
1. Symbol/verbal/speech
2. Understanding
3. Interaction/relationship/
social process
4. Reduction of uncertainty
5. Process
6. Transfer/transmission/
interchange
7. Linking/binding
8. Commonality
9. Channel/carrier/means
10. Replicating memories
11. Discriminative response/
behavior modifying
response
12. Stimuli
13. Intentional
14. Time/situation
15. Power
 John Fiske
The transmission of
message
Communication is
viewed as:
The production and
exchange of meaning
.
Communication
as a field of study

• Communication shares with a number

of different fields of study

• Interdisciplinary & Multidisciplinary

 Interdisciplinary

Communica- Other
tion disciplines

.
 Multidisciplinary

Communication
Other
discipline

Other Other
discipline discipline
Issue/
topic
.

• Intrapersonal communication
• Interpersonal communication
• Group communication
Levels of
Communi- • Organizational communication
cation • Public/social communication
• Mass communication
• Online, or machine-assisted,
communication
Essential Elements of Communication
(Gamble & Gamble, 2013)

Message
People =
Communicator  as Channel
sender & receiver
Context

Noise
Feedback
Effect
Seven core principles of communication
(Gamble & Gamble, 2013)
Communication is dynamic

Communication is unrepeatable and irreversible

Communication has no opposite  axiom: We cannot not
communicate
Communication is affected by culture

Communication is influenced by ethics

Communication is competence-based
Media & technology are transforming communication 
Postman: Technopoly
Functions of Communication
.

(Gamble & Gamble):

To gain self understanding and insight into others

To form meaningful relationships

To influence others

For career development

 Thank You
.