Communication Theory

PRESENTED BY
Loveness Makuwa W221234 -DBM
Tinotenda Nhimba W221846 - DSCM
Konje Praise W221784-DSCM
Tinotenda Mwanalirenji W221935-COMPUTER SCINCE
Elinah Mhlanga W222118-HRM
Nelly Katandika W221017-DBM
Patricia Mudyamarime W221483-DBM
Munashe Mailosi W221831-COMPUTER SCINCE
Nyaradzo Muchetu W221273-HRM
Heather Kanoyangwa w221267 -DPPM
Ramberani Vanessa Ndou W221745 -DBM
Victoria Tibugare W221586- DBM
Lindy Takayendesa W221384 BANKING & FINANCE
Definition of Communication
 Communication is fundamental to the
existence and survival of humans as well as
to an organization. It is a process of creating
and sharing ideas, information, views, facts,
feelings from one place, person or group to
another. 
 Communications is a continuous process that

mainly involves elements in the

communication process
Elements in the Communication
process
 The basic communication model consists of five elements of
communication: the sender,
 the receiver, the message, the channel and feedback.
 Sender
 The sender plays the specific role of initiating communication.
To communicate effectively, the sender must use effective
verbal as well as nonverbal techniques. Speaking or writing
clearly, organizing your points to make them easy to follow
and understand, maintaining eye contact, using proper
grammar and giving accurate information are all essential in
the effectiveness of your message. You will lose your audience
if it becomes aware of obvious oversights on your part. The
sender should have some understanding of who the receiver is
in order to modify the message to make it more relevant.
 Receiver
 The receiver means the party to whom the sender
transmits the message. A receiver can be one person
or an entire audience of people. In the basic
communication model, the receiver, is directly across
from the speaker. The receiver can also communicate
verbally and nonverbally. The best way to receive a
message is to listen carefully, sitting up straight and
making eye contact. Don’t get distracted or try to do
something else while you're listening. Nodding and
smiling as you listen to the sender speak
demonstrate that you understand the message.
Message
Themessage may be the most crucial element of effective
communication. A message can come in many different
forms, such as an oral presentation, a written document,
an advertisement or just a comment. In the basic
communication model, the way from one point to another
represents the sender's message traveling to the receiver.
The message isn't necessarily what the sender intends it
to be. Rather, the message is what the receiver perceives
the message to be. As a result, the sender must not only
compose the message carefully, but also evaluate the
ways in which the message can be interpreted.
 Channel
 The message travels from one point to another via a channel of

communication. The channel sits between the sender and receiver.

Many channels, or types, of communication exist, from the spoken
word to radio, television, an Internet site or something written, like
a book, letter or magazine. Every channel of communication has its
advantages and disadvantages. For example, one disadvantage of
the written word, on a computer screen or in a book, is that the
receiver cannot evaluate the tone of the message. For this reason,
effective communicators word written communications clearly so
they don't rely on a specific tone of voice to convey the message
accurately. The advantages of television as a channel for
communication include its expansive reach to a wide audience and
the sender's ability to further manipulate the message using
editing and special effects.
 Feedback
 The last element of effective communication,
feedback, describes the receiver's response or
reaction to the sender's message. The receiver can
transmit feedback through asking questions,
making comments or just supporting the message
that was delivered. Feedback helps the sender to
determine how the receiver interpreted the
message and how it can be improved.
The communication process
The communication process refers to a sharing common meaning between
a sender and the receiver in order to have a successful communication
Itinvolves several components such as:
sender, receiver, message, encoding and feedback
The sender of the communication is the one who initiates the process,

such as the reporter, lecturer

The receiver is a person whom message is being directed to, class of

students.
Message is the information that has been sent through voice , text ,

body language.
Encoding is a means by which a message is sent through cellphones,

radio, TVs
Feedback describes the receiver’s response, reaction through making

comments
Models of communication
Linear of communication
 It is a one way interaction when feedback is
not present . It is focused on how a message
was transmitted and whether or not it was
received . (Shannon Weaver 1949)
Interactive model of communication
 Is more concerned with the communication
process itself. A process in which participants
alternate positions as sender and receiver and
generate meaning by sending message and
receiving feedback within physical and
psychological contexts for example social
media , ATM machines , online shopping and
etc.(Westley and Madean 1957)
Transactional model of
communication
 Is the exchange of message between sender
and receiver where each take turns to send or
receive messages for examples face to face
meeting , a telephone call , a Skype call or a
meeting in which all attendances participate
by sharing ideas and comments. ( Eugene
White’s 1960)
Types of Communication
 Verbal Communication
 Vocal communication is accompanied by auditory signals produced
by a vibrating organ, such as the larynx in mammals’ throats. The
vocal communication is the process through which speakers’
express emotions by changing the nonverbal components of their
speech, and listeners use nonverbal aspects of speech to infer the
speaker’s emotional experience. This comprises aspects of the
voice such as intonation, stress, volume, speed, and accent
interference. We use vocal communication to frame our message
more effectively. This form of communication, as well as voice
features such as pauses and focus stress, are used to build a
structure that allows the listener to follow your message.
 Intonation – Intonation defines how the pitch of your voice
increases and falls during a speech. A shift or variation in pitch can
have an impact on the meaning of what we say.
 Stress – Stressing is the process of emphasizing a word or statement in
order to bring attention to it. Stress syllables and words are said louder,
for a longer period of time, and with a higher pitch. When the speaker
is monotone, these crucial cues are missing, and the message becomes
puzzling.
 Pauses – The pause allows the speaker to gather his or her thoughts
before making the final argument. This allows the audience to stay up
with you while also giving them time to process what you just stated.
 Focus Stress – The listener’s attention is drawn to a certain word or
phrase when there is focus tension. The employment of focus stress is
used to clarify, emphasize, or demonstrate the difference.
 Pace – Pace is the rate at which you speak. The pace might be rapid,
slow, or moderate, and it can fluctuate throughout. It is claimed to vary
the tempo, quickening up at times and then slowing down depending
on the scenario and the significance of the context, in order to keep the
audience’s attention.
 Nonverbal Communication
 Non-Vocal Communication is the technique of transmitting meaning without the use of
written or spoken words. Non-verbal communication refers to any communication
between two or more people that involves the use of facial expressions, hand motions,
body language, postures, and gestures. These non-vocal cues can provide insights,
supplementary information, and significance in addition to spoken communication.
 Non-vocal elements such as unspoken symbols, signs, and signals to express meaning
are examples of verbal communication. Non-vocal elements such as body language,
gestures, facial emotions, and eye contact are examples of nonverbal communication.
 Signals
 Signals are movements that are used to express to others one’s wants, desires, and
feelings. Signaling is a type of expressive communication. The primary goal of signals is
to change a single environmental aspect in order to attract attention and convey meaning.
 Signs
 Signs do not belong to any specific language, although they are found in practically every
region of the world. The primary distinction between a sign and a signal is that a sign
(such as traffic lights or a police officer’s badge) has inherent meanings, but a signal
(such as a scream for aid) is only a means through which extrinsic meanings can be
formulated.
 Symbols
 The symbol has been defined as any device that can be used to create an
abstraction. Symbols are visual representations of an event, activity, object,
person, or location that can be used to convey information about that
event, action, thing, person, or location. Symbols can be used to
communicate in both receptive and expressive modes. The more closely a
symbol resembles what it represents, the more tangible it is.
 Icons
 An icon is a visual representation of an application, a capability, or another
concept or distinct thing that has meaning for the user. Icons are typically
thought to be dense collections of linked and unconnected symbols.
 Gestures
 A gesture is a movement of the hand, arms, or other bodily part meant to
express or accentuate something, most often while speaking. Gestures can
also develop a communication lexicon that is more or less unique to each
culture.
Levels of Communication

According to lynch, art (2013) describes 4

levels at which communication takes place
which include intrapersonal, interpersonal,
public and mass communication
 • 1) Intrapersonal communication is communication
with oneself using internal vocalization or reflective
thinking. Like other forms of communication,
intrapersonal communication is triggered by some
internal or external stimulus. • We may for example,
communicate with ourself about what we want to eat
due to hunger. Unlike other forms of communication,
intrapersonal communication takes place only inside
our heads. The other forms of communication must
be perceived by someone else to count as
communication(Dance & Larson, 1972).
 Interpersonal communication is
communication between people whose lives
mutually influence one another. Interpersonal
communication builds, maintains, and ends
our relationships, and we spend more time
engaged in interpersonal communication
than the other forms of communi
 Public communication is a sender-focused
form of communication in which one person
is typically responsible for conveying
information to an audience. When compared
to interpersonal , public communication is
the most consistently intentional, formal, and
goal-oriented form of communication .Public
communication is used to inform and
persuade, built relationships, form
connections and create a network.
 4)Mass communication-is used or received by large
numbers of people as experienced in the use radio,
television, conferences and print media such as newspapers,
and magazines Dimbleby and Burton (1985). • - Mass
communication differs from other forms of communication
in terms of the personal connection between participants. •
Even though creating the illusion of a personal connection is
often a goal of those who create mass communication
messages, the relational aspect of interpersonal and group
communication isn’t inherent within this form of
communication. Unlike interpersonal, group, and public
communication, there is no immediate verbal and nonverbal
feedback loop in mass communication
Communication Barriers in
interpersonal communication
 According to Kristina Martic Communication barrier is
defined as anything that prevents communicators to
deliver the right message at the right time to the
right person. They are different types of
communication l would like to talk about and also
ways to overcome them.
 Types of communication barriers
 Physical communication barrier
 It is described as structural obstructions in both
human made and natural environment that block
effective communication so that messages cannot be
sent from the sender to the receiver.
Factors that cause physical
communication barriers
 Factors that cause physical communication barriers
 1. Noise
 It is a sound or malfunction that interrupts the sending and

reception of messages during a conversation. It can affect

how the context sounds to the listener, which can
influence the interpretation they make. For example when
two employees speak over coffee in the office, the
loudness of construction outside can cause one employee
to mishear the verbal communication of their co-worker.
Also written communication can encounter noise as an
obstacle. A misspelled word or lack of detail in an email or
document can cause misunderstanding among the reader.
  
Ways to overcome them

 Speak in quiet environments when meeting in person.

 Practice patience when repeating explanations to ensure your co-
workers have heard and understood the right context.
 Compose error free messages that appeal to the readers interests and
include only relevant details.
  
 Time
 Time can impact the promptness and clarify of communication. Time
barriers can be challenging to convey the urgency of a work situation
when the receiver reads and interprets a message later than the sender
intended. It occurs when employees work in different time zones. For
example a manager who works on the west coast schedules a conference
call, but their co-worker who works on the east coast misinterprets the
agenda because they did not translate the time to their location
 To overcome time conflicts, you can:
 1.Record conversations and send them to

unavailable parties, which can ensure they

understand the context of the message.
 2. Establish a constistent schedule that

enables coworkers to interact with one

another, regardless of where they work.
Language communication barrier

 Are those features of language use that result in miscomprehension or

complete loss in communication. It deals with aspects of language use
that make it difficult to understand. This could be because of a variety of
factors like differences in educational background, level of literacy and
country or area of the language user.
 Types
 Jargon and slang
 Jargon is a language or word that are specific to a particular profession.
Excessive use of jargon may make comprehension difficulty. Slang refers
to those words that are peculiar to a group of persons who are familiar
with it. For example words such as dope or lit (used to emphasize
something which is personally liked) are some of the slang words which
are used.
 Foreign language
 Accents
Ways to overcome language barriers

 1.Learning a foreign language, at least the

words and sentences that the essential is a
good technique to survive in an unfamiliar
country.
 2. watching English movies will ensure

exposure to a variety of accents and tones.

 3.Dictionaries and online apps will help

understanding jargon and slangs.

Attitudinal communication barriers

 They are mental interferences that are the product of one’s assumption and
attitude. This is according to Kristina MARTIC, Attitudinal barriers can be a
major obstruction in communication. In short, attitude barriers can prevent
you from communicating properly, trusting others and looking at situations
in a logical manner.
 How to overcome them
 Pay attention to details
 You may not be aware of your tricks that affect others. For example, as a
team leader, you are automatically considered important by your team. To
communicate to your team that you are flexible and open to conversations,
you need to express it through your actions.
 Eliminate distractions nearby
 To make your audience or speakers feel heard and respected, you need to
show them that you have given them your undivided attention. Its important
to minimize distractions and make the other person feel comfortable in your
presence. For example switching off your phone during a one on one
interaction shows that you are actively listening to the other person.
Cultural communication barriers


 It occurs mainly when communication happens between two different cultural background.
Different cultures have different meaning of words, behaviors and gesture. Culture also gives rise
to prejudices, manners and opinions. It forms the way people think and behave. When people
belonging to different cultures communicate, these factors can come barriers. The way you
communicate is affected by the culture you were brought up in.
 Causes of cultural barriers
 Language
 There are billions of people in the world who do not understand English or can not communicate
in English properly can cause various misunderstandings and be a barrier to communicate
 Signs and symptoms
 Non verbal communication cannot be relied upon in communication between people from
different cultures as that is also different like language. Signs and symbols varies in different
cultures. For example the sign thump up is taken as a sign of approval and wishing luck in most
of cultures but is taken as an insult in Bangladesh.
  
 Behaviour and beliefs
 Cultural differences causes behaviour and personality diffeences like body language,
thinking,communication, manners, norms, etc. which leads to miscommunication. For example, in
some cultures eye contact is important whereas in some it is rude and disrespectful.