Communication Terms and Concepts

Communication Terms and Concepts 

1.      Definition:   "Communication is the process of sharing meaning through continuous flow of symbolic messages." (Froemling 5)

2.      Communicator (Sender/receiver) - the participants in communication.  Typically the roles reverse regularly.

3.      Message - a single uninterrupted utterance. Verbal or nonverbal

4.      Code - a system suitable for creating/carrying messages through a specific medium

o    encode (put into code) and

o    decode (take out of code)

5.      Channels (verbal, nonverbal, etc.) - the specific mechanism (“pipeline”) used to transmit the message

6.      Medium (face-to-face, television, web, phone, etc.) - form or technology of transmission — determines kind of code used.

7.      Noise - interference with message — external (physical), internal (mental) or semantic (misunderstanding/reaction

8.      Environment (part of context) - that which surrounds and provides a basis for the meaning of a message:

o    Physical  (surroundings)

o    Temporal (point in time)

o    Relational (the existing relationship between communicators - friends, strangers, etc.)

o    Cultural  (language and behavior community the communicator(s) come from)

9.      Feedback - checks effects of messages

1.                  positive feedback - "keep doing what you’re doing"

2.                  negative feedback - change what you’re doing.
 

                        Levels (contexts) of Communication

0.                  Intrapersonal

1.                  Interpersonal

2.                  Public Communication

3.                  Mass Communication (non-interactive)

Computer Mediated Communication (interactive)

Share: