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Understanding the Communication Process

1. The communication process consists of a sender encoding a message and transmitting it through a channel to a receiver. The receiver then decodes the message and provides feedback. 2. There are seven main elements of the communication process: the sender, encoding, the message, the communication channel, the receiver, decoding, and feedback. Noise can interfere at any point and disrupt the process. 3. The five key processes are: 1) the sender generates and encodes an idea, 2) the message is transmitted through a channel, 3) noise can interfere, 4) the receiver decodes the message, and 5) the receiver provides feedback.

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54 views3 pages

Understanding the Communication Process

1. The communication process consists of a sender encoding a message and transmitting it through a channel to a receiver. The receiver then decodes the message and provides feedback. 2. There are seven main elements of the communication process: the sender, encoding, the message, the communication channel, the receiver, decoding, and feedback. Noise can interfere at any point and disrupt the process. 3. The five key processes are: 1) the sender generates and encodes an idea, 2) the message is transmitted through a channel, 3) noise can interfere, 4) the receiver decodes the message, and 5) the receiver provides feedback.

Uploaded by

Mohit
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

COMMUNICATION PROCESS

Communication is a process, and if the process breaks down, communication will fail. In this
lesson, you'll learn about the communication process. We'll also discuss how the concept of noise
can disrupt this process.
Communication is the process of conveying information between two or more people.
The communication process is the steps we take in order to achieve a successful
communication.

Communication Process
The communication process consists of several components.
A sender is the party that sends a message. Lindsey, of course, will be the sender. She'll also
need the message, which is the information to be conveyed. Lindsey will also need to encode her
message, which is transforming her thoughts of the information to be conveyed into a form that
can be sent, such as words.
A channel of communication must also be selected, which is the manner in which the message
is sent. Channels of communication include speaking, writing, video transmission, audio
transmission, electronic transmission through emails, text messages and faxes and even
nonverbal communication, such as body language. Lindsey also needs to know the target of her
communication. This party is called the receiver.
The receiver must be able to decode the message, which means mentally processing the
message into understanding. If you can't decode, the message fails. For example, sending a
message in a foreign language that is not understood by the receiver probably will result in
decoding failure.
Sometimes, a receiver will give the sender feedback, which is a message sent by the receiver
back to the sender. For example, a member of Lindsey's team may provide feedback in the form of
a question to clarify some information received in Lindsey's message.
Communication Process
The communication is a dynamic process that begins with the conceptualizing of ideas by the
sender who then transmits the message through a channel to the receiver, who in turn gives the
feedback in the form of some message or signal within the given time frame. Thus, there are
Seven major elements of communication process:

1. Sender: The sender or the communicator is the person who initiates the conversation and has
conceptualized the idea that he intends to convey it to others.
2. Encoding: The sender begins with the encoding process wherein he uses certain words or non-
verbal methods such as symbols, signs, body gestures, etc. to translate the information into a
message. The sender’s knowledge, skills, perception, background, competencies, etc. has a great
impact on the success of the message.
3. Message: Once the encoding is finished, the sender gets the message that he intends to convey.
The message can be written, oral, symbolic or non-verbal such as body gestures, silence, sighs,
sounds, etc. or any other signal that triggers the response of a receiver.
4. Communication Channel: The Sender chooses the medium through which he wants to convey
his message to the recipient. It must be selected carefully in order to make the message effective
and correctly interpreted by the recipient. The choice of medium depends on the interpersonal
relationships between the sender and the receiver and also on the urgency of the message being
sent. Oral, virtual, written, sound, gesture, etc. are some of the commonly used communication
mediums.
5. Receiver: The receiver is the person for whom the message is intended or targeted. He tries to
comprehend it in the best possible manner such that the communication objective is attained. The
degree to which the receiver decodes the message depends on his knowledge of the subject
matter, experience, trust and relationship with the sender.
6. Decoding: Here, the receiver interprets the sender’s message and tries to understand it in the
best possible manner. An effective communication occurs only if the receiver understands the
message in exactly the same way as it was intended by the sender.
7. Feedback: The Feedback is the final step of the process that ensures the receiver has received
the message and interpreted it correctly as it was intended by the sender. It increases the
effectiveness of the communication as it permits the sender to know the efficacy of his message.
The response of the receiver can be verbal or non-verbal.
8. Noise: It refers to any obstruction that is caused by the sender, message or receiver during the
process of communication. For example, bad telephone connection, faulty encoding, faulty decoding,
inattentive receiver, poor understanding of message due to prejudice or inappropriate gestures, etc.

Note: The Noise shows the barriers in communications. There are chances when the message
sent by the sender is not received by the recipient.

The five main processes of communication.

Process # 1. Sender:
Communication starts with the sender, who is the initiator of the message. After generating an
idea, the sender encodes it in a way that can be comprehended by the receiver. Encoding refers
to the process by which the sender translates his thoughts into a series of verbal and non-verbal
actions that he feels will communicate the message to the intended receiver. For example,
translating the thought into any language.

Process # 2. Transmission:
The information that the sender wants to communicate is transmitted over a channel through
which the message travels to the receiver. A channel connects the sender to the receiver.
Channels for communication may include a memorandum, a computer, a telephone, a telegram,
or a television.
The choice of a channel depends on the communication situation. For instance, when dealing with
confidential information, direct face-to-face interaction or a sealed letter are more effective
channels than a telephone conversation.

Process # 3. Noise:

Noise is anything that has a disturbing influence on the message. Since noise hinders
communication, the sender should choose a channel that is free from noise. Noise may occur at
the sender’s end, during transmission, or at the receiver’s end.

Examples of noise include:


i. Ambiguous symbols that lead to faulty encoding

ii. A poor telephone connection

iii. An inattentive receiver

iv. Faulty decoding (attaching the wrong meaning to the message)

v. Prejudices obstructing the poor understanding of a message

vi. Gestures and postures that may distort the message

Process # 5. Receiver:
The receiver is the person to whom the message is transmitted. In order to decode the message,
the receiver has to be ready to receive the message. That is. the receiver should not be
preoccupied with other thoughts that might cause him to pay insufficient attention to the message.
Decoding refers to the process of translation of symbols encoded by the sender into ideas that can
be understood.

Communication can be considered effective only when both the sender and the receiver attach
similar meanings to the symbols that compose the message. For example, a message in technical
jargon requires a recipient who understands such terms. Communication is not complete unless it
is understood by both the sender and the receiver.

Process # 6. Feedback:
A message generated by the receiver in response to the sender’s original message is known as
feedback. Feedback is necessary to ensure that the message has been effectively encoded,
transmitted, decoded and understood.

It helps a sender evaluate the effectiveness of his message, so that he can modify his subsequent
messages. Feedback also confirms whether there has been any change in the behavior of the
individual or in the organization as a result of communication.

Common questions

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Symbols play a central role in the encoding phase, as the sender translates thoughts into recognizable cues that can be transmitted. Similarly, in the decoding phase, the receiver interprets these symbols to understand the message. Ambiguous symbols can lead to communication failure as they might carry multiple meanings, causing the receiver to interpret them incorrectly and diverge from the message sender's intent, resulting in miscommunication .

Prejudices and preconceived notions can distort the decoding process by causing the receiver to interpret messages through a biased lens. This can lead to misunderstandings and a breakdown in communication as the actual message is filtered through subjective interpretations, potentially leading to hostile interactions or failure to achieve communication objectives .

Readiness is important because it ensures that the receiver can fully focus on decoding the message accurately. Factors that might compromise readiness include preoccupation with other tasks or thoughts, lack of attention to the sender, or a noisy environment. When a receiver is not fully attentive, important parts of the message may be missed or misinterpreted, leading to ineffective communication .

Encoding involves the sender translating thoughts into a message using verbal or non-verbal methods such as words, symbols, or gestures. Decoding is where the receiver interprets this message to understand its intended meaning. Errors in encoding, such as using ambiguous symbols, can lead to the receiver misunderstanding the message. Similarly, errors in decoding, like attaching the wrong meaning to the message, result in ineffective communication .

Feedback functions as the response from the receiver back to the sender, indicating whether the message was understood as intended. It is critical because it allows the sender to assess the effectiveness of the communication and make necessary adjustments in future messages. Feedback ensures that both parties are aligned in their understanding, thus preventing miscommunication .

The choice of communication channel is crucial because it determines how effectively a message is transmitted and received. Factors to consider when selecting a channel include the nature of the message, the relationship between the sender and receiver, the urgency of the message, and the need for confidentiality. For instance, confidential messages might require direct face-to-face interaction or a sealed letter rather than telephonic communication to ensure privacy and accuracy .

The urgency of a message can dictate the speed and directness required in the communication channel. Urgent messages may require immediate channels like phone calls or instant messaging, while less urgent messages might be communicated through email or physical mail. Mismatching urgency and channel can lead to delayed responses or missed opportunities, where critical information is not conveyed in a timely manner, potentially causing operational setbacks or missed deadlines .

The interpersonal relationship between a sender and receiver can dictate the level of formality, immediacy, and channel appropriateness required for effective communication. For instance, a strong, trust-based relationship might allow for more informal channels like texting, whereas a formal or distant relationship might necessitate structured channels like emails or letters. Additionally, the level of understanding and trust can determine whether certain channels are seen as too intrusive or too vague .

The sender's background, knowledge, and competencies significantly impact the communication process as they influence how effectively the sender can encode the message. A sender with a good grasp of the subject, interpersonal communication skills, and an understanding of the receiver's background can tailor the message to ensure clarity and effectiveness. Insufficient knowledge or skills can lead to poorly encoded messages that may be misinterpreted by the receiver .

Noise can significantly disrupt the communication process by causing misunderstandings or incomplete transmissions of the message. It can occur at various stages, including at the sender's end, during transmission, or at the receiver's end. Examples of noise include ambiguous symbols leading to faulty encoding, poor telephone connections, inattentiveness by the receiver, faulty decoding resulting in the wrong meaning being attached to the message, prejudices obstructing clear understanding, and gestures or postures that may distort the message .

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