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THE BASICS OF COMMUNICATION

Valenzano III, J. M., Broeckelman-Post, M. A., & Sahlstein Parcell, E. M. (2016).

Communication Pathways.  Southlake, TX: Fountainhead.
Why we Communicate
• To Fulfill:
– Physical needs
– Instrumental and task needs
– Relational needs
– Identity needs
– Spiritual needs
How do we Communicate
• Through the use and interpretation of
symbols
• Process of interpretation includes:
– Referent (what you want to communicate)
– Symbol (words or images that represent
the ideas)
– Thought (connection between referent and
symbol)
Models of Communication
• All have basic elements
– Encoding, Decoding, Channel, and Noise
• Action Model (Linear Model)
• Interaction Model—adds feedback,
context
• Transactional Model—simultaneous
sender/receiver
Communication Myths
• Everyone is an adept communicator
• Communication can solve any problem
• There is only one type of
communication
• Any communication is good
communication
• More communication will ultimately
make people agree with you
Competent Communicators
• Are self-aware
– Self-monitoring
• Are responsive and adaptable
• Use person-centered messages
• Are cognitively complex
• Are ethical and civil