Communication
What is Communication?
UNST Goal: To collaborate effectively with others and to be competent in appropriate communication technologies (verbal, non-verbal, listening, etc.)
Communication is a necessary component of the other UNST goals.
The means of connection between people or places.
The word “communication” comes from the Latin “communis,” meaning “to share”.
Types of Communication
Verbal: Includes both oral and written communication
Non verbal: Eye contact, facial expressions, gestures, posture, body orientation (posture in relation to others) touch and emblems (gestures that can substitute for words)
Listening: Active listening (attentive listening)
Verbal Communication
“Although linguists think about language as an abstract structure--a set of principles that specify the relations between a sequence of sounds and a sequence of meanings--to its users, what is most significant about language is its versatility as a medium for communication. The ability to communicate is vital to a species' survival, and all animal species communicate, some in ways that are impressively proficient. But none achieve the precision and flexibility that characterizes human communication, a capacity due in large part to the uniquely human ability to use language (Deacon, 1997; Hauser, 1996; Krauss, 2002).”
Nonverbal Communication
Five characteristics:
Listening is an important aspect of communication that we do not often think about or that we might forget!
Active listening vs. Passive listening.
Passive Listening : Partially listening to someone, thinking about other things, not making eye contact.
Active listening: Listening attentively, verbally and nonverbally.
Paraphrasing, clarifying, perception checking, summarizing, primary empathy, advanced empathy.
Three Models of Communication
These are the three most common modes of communication, presented from oldest to most recent.
Linear Model
Seven Traditions of Communication Theory
These different "traditions" are an intriguing way of looking at communication. They are specific and they make you think about the different types of communication that are around you in life.
Robert Craig (1990s)
Cybernetic - Communication as Information Processing (the linear model)
This is the linear model from above. There is only a sender and a reciever, no shared communication.
Phenomenological - Communication as the Experience of Self and Others Through Dialogue
"The phenomenological tradtion places great emphasis on people's interpretation of thier own subjective experience" (Griffiths, 2000 : 45).
Sociopsychological - Communication as Interpersonal Influence
This one has to do with how credible people believe others to be, and how the belief that someone is "credible" can lead to an influence in opinion.
Sociocultural - Communication as the Creation and Enactment of Social Reality
"The sociocultural tradtion is based on the premise that, as people talk, they produce and reproduce culture" (Griffiths, 2000 : 41).
Semiotic - Communication as the Process of Sharing Meaning Through Signs
This one is really fascinating. It has to do with how people communicate using signs. Signs can be linguistic (words) or things in the environment, such as clothes, that represent something. Words are a special type of sign called a symbol. They are unique and different from other types of signs because there is nothing about a word that ties it directly to the concept that it represents. This is called "the arbitrariness of the sign" in linguistics.
Critical - Communication as the Reflective Challenge of Unjust Discourse
Rhetorical - Communication as Artful Public Address
This one is basically any kind of speech, address or announcement given to a group of people.
Effective Communication
Six Characteristics of an Effective Communicator
Communication Styles :
This is one possible model for proposed communication styles, that link to certain qualities or behaviors.
Emotive : Extroverted, spontaneous behavior, persuasive.
Director : Serious, strong opinions, can seem indifferent to people.
Reflective : Emotional control, preoccupied, enjoys orderliness.
Supportive : Listens attentively, persuasion rather than power, makes decisions thoughtfully.
UNST Goal: To collaborate effectively with others and to be competent in appropriate communication technologies (verbal, non-verbal, listening, etc.)
Communication is a necessary component of the other UNST goals.
The means of connection between people or places.
The word “communication” comes from the Latin “communis,” meaning “to share”.
Types of Communication
Verbal: Includes both oral and written communication
Non verbal: Eye contact, facial expressions, gestures, posture, body orientation (posture in relation to others) touch and emblems (gestures that can substitute for words)
Listening: Active listening (attentive listening)
Verbal Communication
“Although linguists think about language as an abstract structure--a set of principles that specify the relations between a sequence of sounds and a sequence of meanings--to its users, what is most significant about language is its versatility as a medium for communication. The ability to communicate is vital to a species' survival, and all animal species communicate, some in ways that are impressively proficient. But none achieve the precision and flexibility that characterizes human communication, a capacity due in large part to the uniquely human ability to use language (Deacon, 1997; Hauser, 1996; Krauss, 2002).”
Nonverbal Communication
Five characteristics:
- Can be intentional or unintentional
- Primary in comparison to verbal communication (63-93%)
- Ambiguous - different meanings for different people depending on personality, family, culture, influences
- Continuous- even if we stop or pause with verbal communication, we are still communicating nonverbally
- Multi-channeled - multiple types of cues coming together to form an interpretation
Listening is an important aspect of communication that we do not often think about or that we might forget!
Active listening vs. Passive listening.
Passive Listening : Partially listening to someone, thinking about other things, not making eye contact.
Active listening: Listening attentively, verbally and nonverbally.
Paraphrasing, clarifying, perception checking, summarizing, primary empathy, advanced empathy.
Three Models of Communication
These are the three most common modes of communication, presented from oldest to most recent.
Linear Model
- Developed by Claude Shannon and Warren Weaver (1949).
- One way process, the speaker speaks while the listener listens.
- The idea of noise is important- seen as a barrier.
- Noise : physical, physiological, semantic, psychological.
- Wilbur Schram (1954)
- First to add feedback to a model
- Included the communication context (setting) and the fields of experience (frames of reference and culture that each person adds to an interaction)
- Circular- both parties send and receive messages
- Still represents each participant as waiting to receive a message
- Dean Barnlund (1970)
- Simultaneous
- This is in contrast to the other two models, which are not.
- Each model is more inclusive, representative of actual communication.
Seven Traditions of Communication Theory
These different "traditions" are an intriguing way of looking at communication. They are specific and they make you think about the different types of communication that are around you in life.
Robert Craig (1990s)
Cybernetic - Communication as Information Processing (the linear model)
This is the linear model from above. There is only a sender and a reciever, no shared communication.
Phenomenological - Communication as the Experience of Self and Others Through Dialogue
"The phenomenological tradtion places great emphasis on people's interpretation of thier own subjective experience" (Griffiths, 2000 : 45).
Sociopsychological - Communication as Interpersonal Influence
This one has to do with how credible people believe others to be, and how the belief that someone is "credible" can lead to an influence in opinion.
Sociocultural - Communication as the Creation and Enactment of Social Reality
"The sociocultural tradtion is based on the premise that, as people talk, they produce and reproduce culture" (Griffiths, 2000 : 41).
Semiotic - Communication as the Process of Sharing Meaning Through Signs
This one is really fascinating. It has to do with how people communicate using signs. Signs can be linguistic (words) or things in the environment, such as clothes, that represent something. Words are a special type of sign called a symbol. They are unique and different from other types of signs because there is nothing about a word that ties it directly to the concept that it represents. This is called "the arbitrariness of the sign" in linguistics.
Critical - Communication as the Reflective Challenge of Unjust Discourse
Rhetorical - Communication as Artful Public Address
This one is basically any kind of speech, address or announcement given to a group of people.
Effective Communication
Six Characteristics of an Effective Communicator
- The ability to understand the situation, the message, the listener, and the quality of the communication.
- The ability to frame a message clearly, concisely, and directly.
- The ability to ask or tell someone to do something without evoking negative emotions on either side.
- The capacity to listen actively.
- The ability to be attentive and observant.
- The confidence to be sure of the message and convincing in relaying it.
Communication Styles :
This is one possible model for proposed communication styles, that link to certain qualities or behaviors.
Emotive : Extroverted, spontaneous behavior, persuasive.
Director : Serious, strong opinions, can seem indifferent to people.
Reflective : Emotional control, preoccupied, enjoys orderliness.
Supportive : Listens attentively, persuasion rather than power, makes decisions thoughtfully.
ONE WAY OF LOOKING AT INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION : THE LEWIS MODEL
A brief description of the Lewis model:
“The Lewis Model is based on data drawn from 50,000 executives taking residential courses and more than 150,000 online questionnaires to 68 different nationalities and has produced the following tripartite comparison according to country.”
The above quote comes from a Word document describing the Lewis Model, available on this website :
http://www.crossculture.com/about-us/the-model/
This model of intercultural communication is more dynamic than others before it seems.
“The Lewis Model is based on data drawn from 50,000 executives taking residential courses and more than 150,000 online questionnaires to 68 different nationalities and has produced the following tripartite comparison according to country.”
The above quote comes from a Word document describing the Lewis Model, available on this website :
http://www.crossculture.com/about-us/the-model/
This model of intercultural communication is more dynamic than others before it seems.
Here is a brief video that shows what the colors in the model correspond to :
Examples of differences in intercultural communication :
- Eye contact in Japan is considered rude
- Kenyan couples do not show P.D.A.
- Asian and Arabian countries perceive showing the bottom of your shoe as offensive
- Making the “okay” signal is the same as flipping the bird in Brazil
- Don’t eat with your left hand in India or Malaysia
- France and United States communicate differently (specific examples to come)
We shared these examples with the class, to provide some real-life examples of differences that people might not be aware of in between these cultures and the United States.
COMMUNICATION FOR SOCIAL CHANGE :
We explored the question : Why is communication vital for social change?
Here is what we came up with :
Communicating successfully interculturally
A lot of social change happens between cultures, so it is important to have or to develop good cultural awareness
Listening and understanding the needs of others
We talked about this in class a lot, how it is important, when working with a group of people to make sure to ask what they need or would like to see changed, rather than assuming to know what they need, or to come in with plans for how to change things. To understand the needs of a group or community, listening is important, and it is often overlooked when we think of communication.
Advocating productively for those whose voices have been ignored
If you are advocating for people, communication is essential because you are in a sense, being a voice for someone and helping to convey their ideas or sentiments.
Clear communication is essential for collaborating with people
It is hard to work together with other to change things if good communication is not established. This can lead to misunderstandings, frustration and confusion when trying to collaborate on ideas or projects.
The transactional model is most fitting
This model seemed to be the most fitting of the standard models of communication because it is the most realistic in terms of representing how communication happens in real life, how it is fluid and being both sent and received by both parties.
Here is what we came up with :
Communicating successfully interculturally
A lot of social change happens between cultures, so it is important to have or to develop good cultural awareness
Listening and understanding the needs of others
We talked about this in class a lot, how it is important, when working with a group of people to make sure to ask what they need or would like to see changed, rather than assuming to know what they need, or to come in with plans for how to change things. To understand the needs of a group or community, listening is important, and it is often overlooked when we think of communication.
Advocating productively for those whose voices have been ignored
If you are advocating for people, communication is essential because you are in a sense, being a voice for someone and helping to convey their ideas or sentiments.
Clear communication is essential for collaborating with people
It is hard to work together with other to change things if good communication is not established. This can lead to misunderstandings, frustration and confusion when trying to collaborate on ideas or projects.
The transactional model is most fitting
This model seemed to be the most fitting of the standard models of communication because it is the most realistic in terms of representing how communication happens in real life, how it is fluid and being both sent and received by both parties.
THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION IN OUR RESPECTIVE PROJECTS!
Kasey: P.T.A. work involves communication between teachers, parents, and administrators. As revealed in the information on this page, communication styles are different between cultures and individuals inside each culture. Possessing the ability to effectively communicate with a diverse population is essential in my duties as president.
Alicia: Communication is crucial in building and mainintaining relationships, trust, and transparency in the criminal justice system.
Nirvana: The fact that I am operating in two languages makes communication important to my project. Because French is not my first language, it is challenging at times to communicate. In communicating with people in French, I have to be aware of my language, especially when writing formal emails. French also distinguishes between formal and informal when addressing people, so I need to pay attention to that as well.
Alicia: Communication is crucial in building and mainintaining relationships, trust, and transparency in the criminal justice system.
Nirvana: The fact that I am operating in two languages makes communication important to my project. Because French is not my first language, it is challenging at times to communicate. In communicating with people in French, I have to be aware of my language, especially when writing formal emails. French also distinguishes between formal and informal when addressing people, so I need to pay attention to that as well.
CLASS ACTIVITIES AND DISCUSSION :
Throughout our presentation, we did activities related to communication, and posed some discussion questions to the class :
Activity 1 : Drawing activity
In this activity, students got into small groups. One of the members from each group turned their back to the projection screen. A tiger was projected onto the screen and the group members had to describe what they were looking at while the member with their back to the screen drew the image that was being described.
Activity 2 : Seven Levels of Listening
For this activity, I began by going over the proposed "Seven Levels of Listening" (see handout in" Sources" section).
I then asked the class what levels of listening they felt that they used in life, and/or if they had ever had a time where they felt they listened well/did not listen well or were being listened to well or not. Everyone had a few minutes to talk about it, and then we regrouped and a few people shared their experiences. We all seemed to agree that listening deeply can be difficult at times. I also pointed out that listening is not often thought of as a form or an aspect of communication, but that is important to be a good listener to be a good communicator.
Activity 3 : Playing card game
This game was played by students getting into groups of three or four. Each group was given an envelope with cards that had been cut into fourths. Each team had to negotiate with other teams to trade cards with them in order to form whole cards. The class was asked about what worked and what did not work. The winning team was rewarded with candy. In this specific case, there was a tie, so Rock-Paper-Scissors was played (best two out of three) as a tie breaker. (Further instructions are located in the "Handouts and Materials" section.)
Activity 4 : Discussion prompt : "Describe a time when you felt you communicated well, but the result was miscommunication."
We asked the class this question and gave people a few minutes to talk with each other, then we asked if anyone wanted to share an experience, and a few people shared stories of miscommunication.
Activity 5: Communication style survey
Each student was given a survey to assess their communication style. Once everyone had finished, an answer key was presented and the class self-assessed their results. (More information in the "Handouts and Materials" section.)
Activity 6 : Discussion prompt : "What is one aspect of communication that is important for your projects?"
Unfortunately we ran out of time before we could ask the class this question, but we had been hoping to hear about how others in the class saw communication playing a role in their projects.
Activity 1 : Drawing activity
In this activity, students got into small groups. One of the members from each group turned their back to the projection screen. A tiger was projected onto the screen and the group members had to describe what they were looking at while the member with their back to the screen drew the image that was being described.
Activity 2 : Seven Levels of Listening
For this activity, I began by going over the proposed "Seven Levels of Listening" (see handout in" Sources" section).
I then asked the class what levels of listening they felt that they used in life, and/or if they had ever had a time where they felt they listened well/did not listen well or were being listened to well or not. Everyone had a few minutes to talk about it, and then we regrouped and a few people shared their experiences. We all seemed to agree that listening deeply can be difficult at times. I also pointed out that listening is not often thought of as a form or an aspect of communication, but that is important to be a good listener to be a good communicator.
Activity 3 : Playing card game
This game was played by students getting into groups of three or four. Each group was given an envelope with cards that had been cut into fourths. Each team had to negotiate with other teams to trade cards with them in order to form whole cards. The class was asked about what worked and what did not work. The winning team was rewarded with candy. In this specific case, there was a tie, so Rock-Paper-Scissors was played (best two out of three) as a tie breaker. (Further instructions are located in the "Handouts and Materials" section.)
Activity 4 : Discussion prompt : "Describe a time when you felt you communicated well, but the result was miscommunication."
We asked the class this question and gave people a few minutes to talk with each other, then we asked if anyone wanted to share an experience, and a few people shared stories of miscommunication.
Activity 5: Communication style survey
Each student was given a survey to assess their communication style. Once everyone had finished, an answer key was presented and the class self-assessed their results. (More information in the "Handouts and Materials" section.)
Activity 6 : Discussion prompt : "What is one aspect of communication that is important for your projects?"
Unfortunately we ran out of time before we could ask the class this question, but we had been hoping to hear about how others in the class saw communication playing a role in their projects.
REFLECTIONS AND FINAL THOUGHTS :
Nirvana:
I enjoyed this experience because it taught me more deeply about communication. Before doing this presentation, I was vaguely aware of the main theories but I had never learned much about them. It made me think more carefully about the role that communication plays in my own project. Although we ran out of time for the last discussion question, I enjoyed hearing what others in the class shared about listening and their thoughts on the card game. The class seemed to be attentive during our presentation and they seemed to enjoy our activities. I was looking forward to hearing about the others' perspectives on the connection between communication and their projects, but it is my hope that they were able to take what we discussed in this presentation and think about their own projects.
Kasey:
Throughout the process of participating in this class and completing my volunteer commitment, I learned many things about myself. For example, I have come to realize that I never want to be in politics...ever. I also learned that I can lead and still get my hands dirty. Early on in my journey, I felt like I was not doing my job as a leader if I was working my butt off. I now know that often a good leader does the hard work with the team, and thats okay. This class was great for reflection and allowed me to analyze myself as I took my journey and not just reflect on it once it was completed. I look forward to seeing what the P.T.A. has in store for next year.
Alicia:
This experience has been really eye opening in terms of listening and learning about the UNST goals and the respective work that the members of this class have achieved. Hearing from other perspectives is crucial in making sure we don't approach a task or need in a one-sided manner, so learning about the different ways in which people have worked to create and sustain effective change has been really enriching.
I enjoyed this experience because it taught me more deeply about communication. Before doing this presentation, I was vaguely aware of the main theories but I had never learned much about them. It made me think more carefully about the role that communication plays in my own project. Although we ran out of time for the last discussion question, I enjoyed hearing what others in the class shared about listening and their thoughts on the card game. The class seemed to be attentive during our presentation and they seemed to enjoy our activities. I was looking forward to hearing about the others' perspectives on the connection between communication and their projects, but it is my hope that they were able to take what we discussed in this presentation and think about their own projects.
Kasey:
Throughout the process of participating in this class and completing my volunteer commitment, I learned many things about myself. For example, I have come to realize that I never want to be in politics...ever. I also learned that I can lead and still get my hands dirty. Early on in my journey, I felt like I was not doing my job as a leader if I was working my butt off. I now know that often a good leader does the hard work with the team, and thats okay. This class was great for reflection and allowed me to analyze myself as I took my journey and not just reflect on it once it was completed. I look forward to seeing what the P.T.A. has in store for next year.
Alicia:
This experience has been really eye opening in terms of listening and learning about the UNST goals and the respective work that the members of this class have achieved. Hearing from other perspectives is crucial in making sure we don't approach a task or need in a one-sided manner, so learning about the different ways in which people have worked to create and sustain effective change has been really enriching.
SOURCES :
Types of Communication:
http://global.oup.com/us/companion.websites/fdscontent/uscompanion/us/static/companion.websites/verderber13e/Chapter_5_Outline.pdf
Listening Cartoon: http://emeroy.com/blog/barriers-of-effective-communication/
Information on Active Listening:
http://www.taftcollege.edu/lrc/class/assignments/actlisten.html
Handout for Seven Levels of Listening Activity (at this website, pages 47-48) :
https://www2.cortland.edu/dotAsset/c1a635f6-a099-4ede-8f15-79b86e315088.pdf
Information on the Theories of Communication and Types (and images for this section):
http://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/an-introduction-to-organizational-communication/s06-02-rethinking-communication.html
http://www.communicationstudies.com/communication-process
Lewis Model Image: https://foxhugh.com/multicultural/lewis-model-of-cross-cultural-communication/
Communication image on title slide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZYeaCMHvS8
https://www.icre.pitt.edu/mentoring/effective.html
http://www.columbia.edu/~rmk7/PDF/IESBS.pdf
Information on Communication Styles: http://resource.mccneb.edu/hmr/files/hmrl/metronhmrltext/p100-193.pdf
Information on the Seven Traditions of Communication Theory: http://www.msubillings.edu/commfaculty/gross/COMT4-565/Scans/GriffinCH._3-MAPPING(ARV).pdf
Brief description of Lewis Model video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKydlMWHwSc