a.

Basics
b. Verbal and Non-Verbal comm
c. Seven Cs of Communication
d. Barriers to Communication
e. Arenas of Communication
and Listening
Module 1 f. Organizational
Communication
Fundamentals of
Communication
Study

INTRODUCTION

Module 1 will discuss the Fundamentals of Communication study. Among

those fundamentals are the “Basics” which we need to know in order for us to
understand the more complex “what-abouts” of communication.

Objectives:
1. Understand the basics of communication;
2. explain the communication process;
3. examine the different elemtns of communication and their role in the process;
4. differentiate the arenas of communication;
5. understand the principles of communication in an organizational setting

BASIC CONCEPTS OF COMMUNICATION

Do you think you can survive a day without communicating?

Most probably your answer to the question above is “no”. it is definitely

because communication is an essential part of the human existence. I could still
remember my answer in my college entrance interview saying “Communication is
crucial in the development of the society. Indeed, no society would exist without
communication.” Definitely because the need for communication is so crucial that it
is needed in almost all transactions of our everyday existence.

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 Communication skill is vital to our future. Indeed no society would exist
without communication. And one of the reasons why we speak and/or communicate
is to understand and be understood. Hence, it is important to know some of the Key
concepts of communication, so as we are guided by how the process should be dealt
with.
Although, the term communication should not be taken from a single
perspective. There are many forms of communication as well as many definitions of
communication. Here, we will present the different definitions of communication as
proposed by different authors:
The word communication itself provides a clue to what it is – ‘commun’ implies
“something in common” and ‘ication’ suggests “understanding”, so communication
hints at the meaning “a common understanding of something.”(Chase & Shamo,
2013, p.6)
Seiler and Beall (1999) define communication as the “simultaneous sharing
and creating of meaning thriugh human symbolic interaction” (as cited in Chase &
Shamo, 2013,p.7)
Wood’s (2004) definition specifies a “a systematic process in which individuals
interact with and through symbols to create and interpret meanings.” (as cited in
Padilla, Dagdag, Roxas, & Perez, 2016, p.2).
Many other definitions have appeared in several texts, but for our purposes,
we will settle on “communication as the process of creating and sharing meaning by
using verbal and nonverbal symbols in varied contexts,” and effective communication
results when both verbal and nonverbal symbols are understood in much the same
way by both communicators.

The PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION

(So, how does communication work?)

The communication process involves eight parts and steps—(a) source, (b)
message, (c) encoding, (d) channel (e) decoding (f) receiver (g) feedback, (h)
context

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 Feedback Message
SOURCE

RECEIVER ENCODING

Message CONTEXT Message

DECODING CHANNEL
Message

Fig. 1. Communication Process

1. Source. This is you, the sender of the message. To be a good sender, you
have to know exactly what information you want to communicate, why you
have chosen that particular information, and what result you expect from
communicating it.
2. Message. This is the information you want to convey; without it, you have no
reason for communicating. The details of the information should be very clear
to you before you communicate it.
3. Encoding. This is the process of converting your idea or thoughts of the
information into verbal and/ or nonverbal symbols that can be understood by
the receiver of the message. Your symbols must be in the language that is not
foreign to the receiver.
4. Channel. This is the manner in which your message or information is
conveyed. It may be done through face-to-face conversation, telephone call,
video conference or written communication (text message, email, letter,
memorandum, report)
5. Decoding. This is the receiver’s mental processing of your message into the
meaning suggested by the verbal and/ or nonverbal symbols you use as
sender. To be able to do this, he needs to get an accurate picture of the
message.
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 6. Receiver. This is the person or group of people who will get your message.
7. Feedback. This is the receiver’s response to your message. If you get your
desired result, the communication is successful; otherwise, the
communication fails. When this happens, you have to find out why it is
unsuccessful, learn from your mistakes, and strive to do better next time.
8. Context. This refers to the situation in which the communication takes place. It
includes (a) the environment – the location, time of the day, temperature; (b)
the relationships between the communicators—you as the sender and the
other person as the receiver, such as teacher and the student, boss and
subordinate, parent and child, siblings or peers; (their respective cultural
backgrounds and past experiences; and (d) the topic/ subject of their
communication (Hall, 1977, as cited in Chase & Shamo, 2013).

Time for a Brainer!

Why is the communication model, in the figure above presented, in a circular

form?

Label the activity: Module 1, Task 1

The ELEMENTS OF COMMUNICATION

Here, we shall present the simpler and more common model of

communication; containing fewer elements.

Elements of Communication (Diaz, 2004; Padilla et al, 2003; Cabrera & De Asis,
2008; Martinez, 2008; Flores & Lopez, 2008)
1. Sender – speaker or communicator who has his/her own purpose or
knowledge, interests, attitudes, skills, and credibility.
2. Message – the idea being transmitted by the sender to the listener. It includes
the three aspects of content, structure, and style.

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 3. Channel – the medium or vehicle through which the message is sent. It may
be verbal or visual. The latter is often supplemented with the pictorial and
aural channels.
4. Receiver – is the target of the communication. S/he is the destination of
message; the listener, with his/her own purposes, knowledge, and interest
levels, attitudes, and listening skills.
5. Feedback – is the reaction given by the listener to the sender of the message.
It is what completes the communication process.

As illustrated in David Berlo’s communication model, the process starts with

the sender being exposed to a stimulus/stimuli. S/he begins by formulating a thought
or an idea in relation to what s/he, hears, and/or feels. This idea is then coded in the
mind to form a comprehensible message which will be forwarded to a target. The
message is then transported through a channel or medium of communication, which
is advised to be that which both the sender and receiver have access to. After
successfully passing through a channel, the message will then reach its receiver who
will decode and analyze the message. Having been able to understand the
message, the receiver will now give his/her feedback to the received message. Here,
the receiver now becomes the source, and the sender (initially) now becomes the
target.

Time for a Brainer!

With the explanation above, let us now draw the communication process.
Use boxes and arrows to illustrate the flow.

Label activity: Module 1, Task 2

Remember!

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 Communication is defined as the broad term for the two-way dynamic
process of message transmission.
For communication to take place all five elements must be present. In the
absence of even just one element, no successful communication will take place.
Five elements are identified in most of the more recent communication
models, and these are the ones named by Lasswell (1948):
1. Sender (who the source is)
2. Message (what the idea being communicated says)
3. Channel (through what medium the message is relayed)
4. Receiver (to whom it is directed)
5. Effect (what the desired result of the communication is)

7 Cs of COMMUNICATION

Seven C’s are the seven most useful qualities of effective communication.
They are called Seven C’s because name of each of these qualities starts with a C,
and they are seven in numbers, therefore they are called Seven C’s. Although they
are just seven small words starting with a letter C but their importance for effective
business communication is same as the importance of seven seas for the world.

Completeness

Message Receiver- either listener or reader, desires complete information to

their question.
e.g. suppose you are working with multinational company who
is engaging with engineering goods, like A.C. Now let say one of
your major customer wants some technical information regarding
“thermostat” (because he wants to convey the same to the end
users).
In this case you have to provide him complete information in a short span of
time. If possible, provide him some extra information which he does not know, in this
way you can maintain a good business relation with him, otherwise he may switch to
another company.

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 Five W’s: One way to make your message complete is to answer the five
W’s: WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY? The five question method is useful
when you write requests, announcements, or other informative messages. For
instance, to order (request) merchandise, make clear WHAT you want, WHEN u
need it, WHERE it is to be sent.
Conciseness
Conciseness means “convey the message by using fewest words”.
“Conciseness is the prerequisite to effective business communication.” Hence, a
concise message saves the time and expenses for both the parties.
For achieving the conciseness you have to consider the following.
 Avoid wordy expression
 Include only relevant material
 Avoid unnecessary repetition.
 Avoid Wordy Expression
e.g. Wordy: - at this time. Instead of “at this time” you can just use
only a concise word: - NOW, Always try to use “To the point
Approach” in business scenario perspective.
Include only relevant information:
 Always try to provide only relevant information to the receiver of the message.
Let’s say one of your customers requested
 For clients of the company in reply you should provide simply list of clients at
the panel of your company.
 No need to provide detailed business information about client at all.
 Observe the following suggestions to “Include only relevant information.”
 Stick to the purpose of message Delete irrelevant words Avoid long
introduction, unnecessary explanation etc. Get to the important point
concisely.
 Avoid unnecessary Repetition: Sometimes repetition is necessary for focusing
some special issue. If the same thing is said without two or three reasons, the
messages become wordy and boring. That’s why try to avoid Un-necessary
repetition.
 Some ways to eliminate unnecessary words: Use shorter name after you have
mentioned the long once. E.g. Spectrum communications Private limited use
spectrum. Use pronouns or initials E.g. Instead of world trade organization
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 use WTO or You can use IT for Information Technology. (Keeping in views
that receiver knows about these terms)

Consideration
Consideration means – To consider the receiver’s Interest/Intention. It is very
important in effective communication while writing a message you should always
keep in mind your target group consideration is very important “C” among all the
seven C’s.
Three specific ways to indicate consideration: First, focus on “you” instead of
“I” or “We”, second, show audience benefit or interest of the receiver and third,
emphasize positive, pleasant facts. Using “you” help you, but over use lead a
negative reaction.
Always write a message in such a way how audience should be benefited
from it.
We attitude: “I am delighted to announce that we will extend to make
shopping more.”
You attitude: “You will be able to shop in the evening with the
extended hours.”
Readers may react positively when benefit are shown to them. Always try to
address his/her need and want. Always show/write to reader............ what has been
done so far as his/her query is concerned. And always avoid that his/her need and
wants. Always avoid that has not been done so far.

Concreteness
It means that message should be specific instead of general.
Misunderstanding of words creates problems for both parties (sender and receiver).
When you talk to your client always use facts and figures instead of generic or
irrelevant information.
To achieve the Concreteness: use specific facts and figures, choose
image building words

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 e.g General He is very intelligent student of class and stood first in
the class.
e.g. Nehra’s GPA in [Link] Electrical Engineering 2k3-f session was
3.95/4.0; he stood first in his class. Always write on a very solid
ground. It should definitely create good image as well.

Clarity
Accurately is a purpose of clarity. In effective business communication the
message should be very much clear. So that reader can understand it easily. You
should always choose precise words. Always choose familiar and easy words.
Construct effective sentences and paragraphs.
In business communication always use precise words rather longer
statements. If you have a choice between long words and shorter one, always use
shorter one. You should try your level best to use familiar/easy to understand words
so that your reader will quickly understand it.

Next familiar words

after subsequent
home domicile
for example e.g.
pay renumeration
invoice statement for payments

Courtesy
Knowing your audience allows you to use statements of courtesy; be aware of
your message receiver. True courtesy involves being aware not only of the
perspective of others, but also their feelings. Courtesy stems from a sincere you-
attitude. It is not merely politeness with mechanical insertions of “please” and “Thank
you”. Although Appling socially accepted manners is a form of courtesy. Rather, it is
politeness that grows out respect and concern for others. Courteous communication
generates a special tone in their writing and speaking.
The following are suggestions for generating a courteous tone: Be sincerely
tactful, thoughtful and appreciative. Use expressions that show respect for the others
Choose nondiscriminatory expressions be sincerely Tactful, Thoughtful and
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Appreciative Though few people are intentionally abrupt or blunt, these negative
traits are common cause of discourtesy. Avoid expression like those in the left hand
column below; rephrase them as shown in the right-hand column.

Tactless, Blunt More Tactful

Stupid letter; I can’t understand
I should understand it, as there is a confusing word in this letter,
could you please explain it once again?

Correctness
At the core of correctness are the proper grammar, punctuation and spelling.
However, message must be perfect grammatically and mechanically. The term
correctness, as applied to business messages also mean three characteristics o Use
the right level of language o Check the accuracy of figures, facts and words and
maintain acceptable writing mechanics.
Formal writing is often associated with scholarly writing: doctoral dissertations,
scholarly, legal documents, top-level government agreements and other material
where formality is demanded. Informal writing is more characteristic of business
writing. Here you use words that are short, well-known and conversational as in this
comparison list:
More Formal Less Formal
Participate Join
Endeavor try
Ascertain find out
Utilize Use
Interrogate question

Avoid substandard language. Using correct words, incorrect grammar, faulty

pronunciation all suggest as inability to use good English. Some examples follow:
Substandard More Acceptable
Ain’t isn’t, aren’t
Can’t hardly
Can hardly
Aim to proving aim to prove
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 Desirous to desirous of
Stoled stolen

Check Accuracy of Facts, Figures and words it is impossible to convey

meaning precisely, through words, from the head of the sender to a receiver. Our
goal is to be as precise as possible, which means checking and double-checking and
double-checking to ensure that the figures, facts and words you use are correct. “A
good check of your data is to have another person read and comment on the validity
of the material”
 Figures and facts
 Verify your statistical data
 Double-check your totals
 Avoid guessing at laws that have an impact on you and the sender
 Have someone else read your message if the topic involves data.
 Determine whether a “fact” has changed over time.

Self-Test

What are the 7 Cs of Communication? Define each by using one keyword or

phrase for each “c”.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION

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 Despite the importance of understanding others, the quality of communication
is generally poor in most organizations. Research suggests that misunderstandings
are the rule, rather than the exception.
When people are under stress, they are more apt to inject communication
barriers into their conversation. These barriers can exist on a daily basis as we may
work with people who have different opinions, values, beliefs, and needs than our
own. Our ability to exchange ideas with others, understand other’s perspectives,
solve problems and successfully utilize the steps and processes presented in this
chapter will depend significantly on how effectively we are able to communicate with
others.

Nature of Barriers

Verbal Communication Barriers

The act of communicating involves verbal, nonverbal, and paraverbal

components. The verbal component refers to the content of our message ‚ the
choice and arrangement of our words. The nonverbal component refers to the
message we send through our body language. The para-verbal component refers to
how we say what we say - the tone, pacing and volume of our voices.
Our use of language has tremendous power in the type of atmosphere that is
created at the problem-solving table. Words that are critical, blaming, judgmental or
accusatory tend to create a resistant and defensive mindset that is not conducive to
productive problem solving. On the other hand, we can choose words that normalize
the issues and problems and reduce resistance. Phrases such as "in some districts,
people may . . .", "it is not uncommon for . . ." and "for some folks in similar
situations" are examples of this.
Sending effective messages requires that we state our point of view as briefly
and succinctly as possible. Listening to a rambling, unorganized speaker is tedious
and discouraging - why continue to listen when there is no interchange? Lengthy
dissertations and circuitous explanations are confusing to the listener and the
message loses its concreteness, relevance, and impact. This is your opportunity to
help the listener understand YOUR perspective and point of view. Choose your

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words with the intent of making your message as clear as possible, avoiding jargon
and unnecessary, tangential information.

Nonverbal Communication Barriers

The power of nonverbal communication cannot be underestimated. In his
book, Silent Messages, Professor Albert Mehrabian says the messages we send
through our posture, gestures, facial expression, and spatial distance account for
55% of what is perceived and understood by others. In fact, through our body
language we are always communicating, whether we want to or not!
The many forms of nonverbal communication barriers can be seen in the
following examples:
1. Facial Expression. A face can show enthusiasm, energy, and approval,
express confusion or boredom, and scowl with displeasure.
2. Posture and Gesture. Our body postures can create a feeling of warm
openness or cold rejection
3. Para-verbal communication. This refers to the messages that we transmit
through the tone, pitch, and pacing of our voice.
4. Inconsistency. When our messages are inconsistent, the listener may become
confused.
5. Listening Barriers. Listening requires more than hearing words. It requires a
desire to understand another human being, an attitude of respect and
acceptance, and a willingness to open one's mind to try and see things from
another is point of view.
6. Encoding Barriers. Lack of sensitivity to receiver, lack of basic communication,
skills, insufficient knowledge of the subject, information overload, emotional
interference.
7. Transmitting Barriers. Things that get in the way of message transmission:
physical distraction, conflicting messages, channel barriers, long
communication chain.
8. Decoding Barriers. The communication cycle may break down at the receiving
end for some of these reasons: lack of interest, lack of knowledge, lack of
communication skills, emotional distractions, physical distractions.
9. General Barriers to Communication. Physical barriers, defects in the medium,
noise, defects in organizational communication system, hearing problems,
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 semantic barriers, interpretation of words, bypassed instructions, linguistic or
language barriers, physiological barriers (attitudinal, egocentrism, fear of
appearing ignorant, faulty assumptions, assuming that communication is
sender’s responsibility, assuming that listener is passive, assuming that
talking has more advantage than listening) interpersonal barriers, filtering,
selective perception, information overload, defensiveness, emotional barriers,
space/time/distance barriers,
[Link] Barriers. A man talks in a linear, logical and compartmentalized way,
features of left-brain thinking; whereas a woman talks more freely mixing logic
and emotion, features of both sides of the brain. It also explains why women
talk for much longer than men each day.

To Overcome Barriers . . .

Stop
Focus on the other person, their thoughts and feelings. Consciously focus on
quieting your own internal commentary, and step away from your own concerns to
think about those of the speaker. Give your full attention to the speaker.

Look
Pay attention to non-verbal messages, without letting yourself be distracted.
Notice body language and non-verbal cues to allow for a richer understanding of the
speaker’s point. However, avoid getting distracted from the verbal message.

Listen
Listen for the essence of the speaker’s thoughts: details, major ideas and their
meanings. Seek an overall understanding of what the speaker is trying to
communicate, rather than reacting to the individual words or terms that they use to
express themselves.

Be empathetic
Imagine how you would feel in their circumstances. Be empathetic to the
feelings of the speaker, while maintaining a calm centre within yourself. You need

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not be drawn into all of their problems or issues, as long as you acknowledge what
they are experiencing.

Ask questions
Use questions to clarify your understanding, as well as to demonstrate
interest in what is being said.

ARENAS OF COMMUNICATION
(When does communication happen?)

The events in the life of a student are filled with interpersonal communication,
meaning the type of communication that involves person-to-person interaction.
However, you also communicate when you are alone, through this kind of inward
talking to yourself is called intrapersonal communication. In this section, we will find
out the different types of communication.
1. Intrapersonal – communication within our self. It is perhaps the purest of and
most basic form of communication. The role we play in communicating with
others depends on how we communicate with ourselves. Open and
straightforward communication with others requires that we first establish
open straightforward communication with ourselves.
(ex. thinking, remembering, feeling)
2. Interpersonal – communication among relatively small number of people.
Much of our communication takes place at this level. This refers to person-to-
person interaction. This includes dyadic, triadic, small group interpersonal
communication.
Dyadic communication is communication between two persons only;
while triadic involves three; whereas small group communication may involve
four to six or more persons, such as in planning school or community
activities, meetings, or problem-solving tasks.
Successful interpersonal interactions with others depend upon the
communicator’s ability to use effective nonverbal communication, share ideas,
give clear instructions, recognize opinions and feeling of others, and so on.

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 3. Public – This involves communication between one and several other people.
This is the large group type of communication. A public speech is an example.
Primarily, it is a monologue one engages in rather than a dialogue.
(ex. Informative speech, lecture-forum, symposium)
4. Mass – This covers other forms of public communication. These are printed
form, radio, television, and the movies. The tools/materials used here are
called “mass media”.
It is said to be a form of public communication because it caters to a
large number of people, just like public communication. However, this type of
public communication is not person-to-person. This makes use of an
interposed device so the message reaches the public, just like the examples
given above.
5. Organizational – communication in the organization. It may be horizontal or
vertical. The latter may be upward or downward.
The requisite for this type is for the communication to take place within
an organization; otherwise the interaction could just be labelled as small
group interpersonal communication.
(ex. The President of the organization calls out for a meeting, asks
his/her secretary to make an announcement, and the Public relations Officer
disseminates the information to its members, this is called vertical, downward
organizational communication. Whereas, a meeting held with all the members
present, and brainstorming happens, this is horizontal organizational
communication.)

COMMUNICATION IN AN ORGANIZATIONAL SETTING

(How does communication happen?)

Communication is essential for the internal functioning of any organization. By

integrating the managerial functions and serving to influence the behavior and
attitudes of people through persuasion, it encourages them to perform in order to
achieve organizational objectives. The interaction between the different individuals
working in a company or organization takes place through different channels. These
channels could be both informal and formal.

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 Informal channels transmit official news through unofficial and informal
communicative interactions known as the 'grapevine'. This informal communication
network includes tea time gossip, casual gatherings, lunch time meetings and so on.
These channels may not be very reliable as they may be company rumors or just
gossip. Such channels are more active in organizations that are not transparent. As
employees want to know what is going on in their organization, they seek out
unofficial sources of information. The grapevine is not always negative for an
organization and can, in fact, be helpful as it helps in positive group building by
acting as a safety valve for pent-up emotions. It may help in building up
organizational solidarity and harmony.

Downward Communication

As the main function of downward communication is providing direction and

control, it refers to communication from the higher level in managerial hierarchy to
the lower ones.
A communication from the general manager of a company to
the branch managers is an example of downward communication.
Other examples of downward communication include annual
confidential reports, performance appraisals, notices, project
feedback, announcements of company policies, official instructions,
and so on. Forms of downward communication may include notes,
notices, memos, telephone conversations, voice mails, emails, or
face-to-face conversations.

Downward communication is essential for the functioning of any organization

as it involves the transfer of information, instruction, advice, request, feedback, and
ideas to subordinate staff. It increases staff awareness and facilitates implementation
of new policies, guidelines, decisions, and evaluation and appraisal of the
performance of employees. However, too much downward communication can lead
to reaction from subordinates and can hamper better employee-employer
relationship.

Upward Communication
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 As the main purpose of upward communication is to provide feedback on
several areas of organizational functioning, it refers to communication from
subordinates to superiors.
A business report from the branch manager of a company to
the managing director of the company is an example of upward
communication. Other examples of upward channel include
business proposals, suggestion box, exit interviews, grievance
committees, and so forth.

Since upward communication involves the transfer of information, request,

and feedback from the subordinates to their seniors, it promotes better working
relationships within an organization by giving the subordinate staff opportunities to
share their views and ideas with their supervisors. It facilitates employee involvement
in the decision making process. Nevertheless, in any organization there has to be a
balance between downward and upward communication channels.

Lateral Communication

The main objectives of horizontal communication are developing teamwork,

and promoting group coordination within an organization. It takes place between
professional peer groups or people working on the same level of hierarchy.
Horizontal communication is less formal and structured than both downward
communication and upward communication, and may be carried out through informal
discussions, management gossip, telephone calls, teleconferencing,
videoconferencing, memos, routine meetings, and so on.

Diagonal Communication

Diagonal communication is the product of modern changes in information

technology and management and is the result of the growing realization of fraternity
and equality in the corporate sector. It is basically a response to market needs that
demand speed and efficiency. As the diagonal channel occurs between people who
do not have to follow rigid norms of communication protocol, it flows in all directions.
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 KEY PRINCIPLES OF INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

As most communications happen face-to-face or person-to-person, here we

will present some guidelines in ensuring we get the most out of the communication
we are involved in. These are principles that are based on the real-life functioning of
interpersonal communication (King, 2000)
1. Interpersonal communication is inescapable. It is not possible for humans
like you and me not to communicate. Your poker face as you listen to
somebody also means a lot. You communicate through both words and
behavior, and as long as you are alive, you can still behave; hence, you
can communicate. You can always communicate and receive
communication from others not only through words but also through voice
tone, gesture, posture, bodily movement, facial expression, clothes worn,
and so on. Because of this fact, since people are not mind readers, you
are often judged through your behavior, not your intention or purpose.
2. Interpersonal communication is irreversible. Words are powerful; they can
either heal or harm others. This principle of communication is best
expressed in a Russian proverb which says, “Once a word goes out of
your mouth, you can never swallow it again.”
3. Interpersonal communication is complicated. Whenever you communicate
with anyone, you simultaneously interpret both his verbal and nonverbal
language, and that is often both confounding and demanding. For one
thing, words (verbal) alone complicate things. A word does not have just
one meaning, it is usually not used in the same way, and no two people
use the same word exactly alike. To make matters much more difficult, no
form of communication is simple because whenever you communicate,
there are actually at least six “people” involved:
(a) The person whom you think you are;
(b) The person whom you think the person is;
(c) The person whom you think the other person thinks you are;
(d) The person whom you think the other person thinks he is;
(e) The person whom the other person thinks you think you are;

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 (f) The person whom the other person thinks you think he is.
4. Interpersonal communication is contextual. Communication is affected by
several factors; it does not happen in isolation. There are many things that
need to be considered, such as the ones given below (King,2000).
a. Psychological context, which is who you are, and what you as sender
or receiver bring to the interaction—your needs, desires, values,
beliefs, personality and so on.
b. Relationship context, which concerns your reactions to the other
person based on the relationships- as boss, colleague, friend, sibling,
parent, and the like.
c. Situational context, which deals with the psycho-social “where” you are
communicating. An interaction that takes place in a classroom, which is
quite formal, will be very different from one that takes place in a bar,
which is very informal—where communicators do not need to be
guarded in their speech.
d. Environmental context, which has to do with the physical “where” you
are communicating—objects in the room and their arrangement,
location, noise level, temperature, season, time of the day.
e. Cultural context, which includes all the learned behaviors and rules that
affect the interaction. For instance, bodily movement, facial expression,
gesture, distance and eye contact vary in different cultures.

Self-Test

What are the Key Principles of Communication?

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PA 823: Admin Comm M1: Fundamentals of Comm Study
 Time for a Brainer!

Narrate a communication experience in your organization. (1) Tell us what

type of Organizational communication took place (upward/downward/
lateral/combi-nation/etc.) (2.a) Examine the possible barriers therein and (2.b)
narrate how did you countered or treated the barrier to fix the communication
process. (3) What specific principle/s of communication have you adopted in order
to counter the effect of the barrier in the process?

Present activity by part as guided by the question/instruction above. Submit hard

or soft copy in a short bond paper, Arial, font 12, 1” margin all sides.

Label the activity: Module 1, Task 3

So, did you internalize all those that you need to know about the Basic concepts of
communication? Have you done all the tasks you were asked to do? If so, you can
now take a break as we prepare for the next module. If not, you can scan this
module again and give yourself a chance to know these concepts better and do the
tasks.

Congratulations for Finishing Module 1!

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PA 823: Admin Comm M1: Fundamentals of Comm Study
 References:

Cantor, Olivia and Vibal Group. 2016. Media and Information Literacy. Vibal: Aranta
Ave. Quezon City.

Himstreet, William & Baty, Wayne Murlin. 1990. Business Communications. PWS-
KENT: USA

Pearson, J, Nelson, P, Titsworth, S, & Hosek, A. 2017. Human Communication, 6 th

Edition. McGraw-Hill: Singapore

Tripathi, Raavee. 2017. Professional Communication. S.K. Kataria & Sons: New
Delhi, India.

White, Fred D. 1996. Communication Technology: Dynamic Processes and Models

for Writers. HarperCollins: New York.

3G E-Learning. 2018. Media and Information Literacy 2 nd Edition. 3G E-learning:

USA

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PA 823: Admin Comm M1: Fundamentals of Comm Study