The Elements of Communication
1. Communication is composed of five elements:
2. the sender
3. the message
4. the channel
5. the receiver
6. feedback
The Sender
- first element of communication
- the origin of the communication
- she is the source of the message.
- A good "sender" should be:
❖ effective in formulating his message, whether in verbal form (spoken) or nonverbal form
(written, signals, body movements)
❖ able to know and understand the channel in which he/she could send the message
through
❖ able to study the channel which he/she could use to send the message
❖ should know and understand the receiver of his message.
The Message
- should be clear for it to be easily understood
- should be specific, meaning it should be definite and distinctive–definite or distinctive
message is one that is free from any doubt
The Channel
- good channel is one which could transmit the message clearly, faithfully, and efficiently
- should be able to transmit the message exactly/accurately–neither less nor more
The Receiver
- a good listener–one who comprehends the message accurately
- one who is free from any emotional or psychological baggage that could affect the
accuracy of the message
The Feedback
- response to the message given by the receiver
- given on time, i.e., as quickly as possible after the message has been received
- should also be responsible, meaning, the person giving the feedback should be
accountable/answerable to give his/her response accurately and on time
Types of Communication
There are different types of communication based on the number of individuals involved and on
the medium/media that is/ are used. These types of communication can be according to the
number of people.
1. Intrapersonal Communication
- happens within the "self." This is the communication you do within yourself.
In this case, you are your own sender and receiver of the' communication process. This may
include self-talk, acts of imagination and visualization, and even a simple recall of memory
(McLean, 2005).
2. Interpersonal Communication
Interpersonal communication involves
two individuals who both act as sender and receiver of the message. The message/s of this type
of communication process may be done verbally or non- verbally. The case of Juan and Jose
discussing about their research paper is an example of interpersonal communication.
3. Group Communication
Group communication is basically composed of at least three individuals. In this type of
communication, several individuals are the sources and recipients of the message. Group
communication is highly evident in classroom and work settings. In a situation in which Juan
and his group mates are discussing about their presentation in Purposive Communication
subject is an example of group communication.
4. Public Communication
Public
communication is similar to group
communication, but it involves more individuals participating in the communication process.
Here, the speaker/sender of the message speaks in a one- directional flow. For instance, Jessa
delivering her valedictory speech in front of her graduating batch is an example of public
communication.
5. Mass Communication
Mass communication is a type of communication wherein the message is transferred via
electronics and/or digital technology. This type of communication is purposeful, especially when
the participants are remote and cannot be gathered in one place all together. Good examples of
mass communication are newspapers, telephone, radio, television, and the internet.
Types of Communication According to Medium
Communication may also vary according to the medium used or employed by both the sender
and the receiver in the communication process.
Verbal Communication
Verbal communication employs the use of words in sending and receiving the message in the
communication process. Verbal communication may be both written and oral.
Written Communication
Written communication sends messages through the use of written signs and symbols. These
signs and symbols may be employed via printed, handwritten, and projected on screen. A few
examples of written communication are e-mails, memoranda, letters, manuals, postcards, etc.
The 7 C's of Written Communication
A good written communication is characterized by 7 C's:
1. Completeness. A good written communication has to be complete. This means all the
needed information and facts are presented and explained in the written text.
2. Conciseness. A written communication must follow the K.I.S.S. (keep it short and simple)
principle. This means that the written message should be clear without any form of
verbosity. Long written messages may be confusing for your readers and would make
them lose their interest in reading.
3. Consideration. In sending your message via written communication, you have to
consider your target readers. It is important to take note of your target readers' situation
that may play an important role in successfully sending your message. These factors
include: knowledge, interests, age, level of education, etc.
4. Concreteness. In your need to be factual, your message should be aided with unbiased
support. This can be achieved by providing research data, statistics, and figures.
5. Courtesy. As the writer, you have to make sure to be always polite. Keep your messages
on point, but avoid the use of offensive words, vulgar language, and foul expressions.
6. Correctness. You have to make sure that all the written pieces of information are based
on facts. Inaccurate messages will put your credibility in question.
7. Clarity: Ensure your message has a clear purpose and uses simple, straightforward
language to avoid confusio
8. Coherence: The message should have a logical flow, making it easy for the audience to
follow and understand
Verbal Communication
In this type of communication, your message is verbally or orally transmitted to your target
listener/audience. Oral communication can either be formal (business presentations, classroom
lectures, valedictory speech, etc.) or informal (face-to-face conversation, telephone
conversation, etc.)
The Elements of Verbal Communication
1. Variation in speed - the speed of the speaker affects communication. Filipinos are
exposed to American English, thus the difficulty in understanding British and Australian
speakers, especially because of their accent and speed.
2. Volume - Be sensitive of your voice in comparison with the number of people you are
talking to and your distance.
3. Intonation - variation in the rising and falling of the voice affects the communication
process. Speakers are influenced by the intonation of the language or dialects they
speak, thus the tendency to apply the same intonation when they communicate in a
cross-cultural setting and hence affect communication.
4. Gestures - your body language should support your verbal communication. Try to learn
commonly acceptable and positive body language to reinforce your verbal
communication.
5. Emphasis - a speaker should be able to use pauses, the proper volume, and the right
intensity if you want to point out important ideas.
6. Rhythm - the variation, i.e., strong, and weak, duration and accent of sounds in your
speech or the beat in your speech could facilitate effective communication.
7. Pitch - the intensity of your voice suggests the importance of the ideas you are
transmitting. Thus, your voice should be varied according to the importance of the ideas
you are putting across.
8. Pausing and phrasing - imagine a speaker who speaks continuously without any break
at all. This may be boring and tiresome to the listener, hence affect the communication
process. For you to be effective, you have to pause at certain points of your
conversation. This may be done by observing proper phrasing of the words, phrases or
clauses that you use.
Non-Verbal Communication
On the other hand, non-verbal communication is an interaction using non-spoken language.
Non-verbal communication comprises of gestures, facial expressions, actions, or even
unconscious behavior that may either reinforce or hamper communication. For communication
to be effective, there should be consistency in the verbal and non-verbal communication
systems. For instance, you may say you are happy, but if your facial expression shows that you
are not, then it is possible that people may not believe you. We heard of politicians embracing
and carrying babies while campaigning, purportedly demonstrating their genuine concern for the
masses, yet manifest facial expression and non-verbal behavior that contradict their claim. This
affects communication and their ability to convince people of their true intentions.
Gestures are non-verbal cues that help facilitate or emphasize communication. However, the
meaning of gestures varies from country to country. Thus, knowing some of these gestures and
cultural sensitivity in using them is important, to ensure effective and successful cross-cultural
communication. For example, a thumbs up gesture may be commonly positive in many
countries, especially in western countries, but considered rude in Nigeria and very offensive in
Japan.
Non-verbal communication makes use of our body language in sending our messages to our
target audience. It may be classified according to the following:
1. Kinesics. This involves your body movement, such as your eye contact, your gestures,
how you sit, how you walk, etc.
2. Haptics. This involves communicating through the use of touch. This includes non-verbal
actions such as hugs, kiss, taps on the shoulder, etc.
3. Vocalics. This is communicating through the use of your voice such as your rate or
speed of talking, volume of your voice, the rising and falling of your intonation, etc.
4. Proxemics. This involves space and its role in the communication process. Proxemics
can be categorized into:
● Intimate space - we share this space with our loved ones and closest friends.
● Personal space - we share this space with our friends and acquaintances.
● Social space - we share this space with people we are with in social events and
gatherings.
● Public space - we share this space with people when we are in public spaces such as
streets, markets, airports, etc.
5. Personal Presentation and Environment. Your personal presentation is the manner by which
you present yourself, how you look, how you dress, and your characteristics.
These are all parts of how people understand and accept the messages that you try to send.
The Ethics of Communication
Successful communication requires certain ethical rules for a communicator to follow. Andrew
Button ([Link] cpm/info, retrieved February 20, 2018) suggests four basic rules to
observe:
1. Honesty
2. Openness to other Views
3. Commitment, and
4. Consensus Building
1. Honesty. This quality is very important for communication to succeed. Webster defines
honesty as the act, quality, or condition of being truthful.
Perhaps there may be instances when a person may be forced to lie, as in misleading an
enemy in a war, who is asking important information about the whereabouts of friendly forces.
Button opines that honesty is more than just not lying, it is being open and offering whatever
information you have, even if it puts your own short-term interests at stake.
[Link] to other views. Your willingness to be open to views, which differ or even run
against your ideas, is one crucial factor for communication to succeed.
[Link]. Webster presents an interesting definition of commitment, i.e., being bound
emotionally/ intellectually to a course of action or to another person. Commitment is a promise
or agreement to do something. It is also a state of being pledged or engaged.
[Link] consensus. Consensus is a general agreement among the members of a given group or
community, each of which exercises some discretion in decision-making.
Principles of Communication
To be effective, a communicator should be able to use some fundamental assumptions or rules.
These assumptions or rules are called principles. At least five basic principles could be utilized
to make communication successful:
1. Relevance. An important consideration in sending your message is the value or
relevance of your message to your receiver. Thus, foremost, a speaker or a writer should
ask him/herself the following questions: what is the value of my message to my receiver?
Will my message appeal to the interest of my receiver? Will my message add value to
my receiver or to the company of my receiver?
2. Be positive. Formulate your message with an open and positive attitude. It is an
accepted rule in physics that an action requires an equal amount of reaction. It is
believed that if a speaker or a writer has a positive attitude then his message would be
received positively by the audience/ reader.
3. Choose the best medium. An equally important principle in communication is the
medium, the means that a speaker or a writer use, as channel of communication.
It is advisable that the speaker or the writer utilize effective communication systems to
drive through the message. Nowadays, it is said that the attention span of people is
shorter, thus the need to maximize their attention as longer as you can to drive through
the message. Gone are the days when the longer your speech or your letter, the more
impressive it is.
Because of the short attention span of people, the speaker or the writer has to make
use of tools, which could catch their attention. So a speaker or writer must be able to
maximize the use of audio- visual presentations, charts and graphs.
4. Study your audience. It is a must that a speaker or writer knows the audience or reader.
Thus, the speaker or writer should study the socio-economic profile, the interests, and
the aspirations of his/her audience/reader; more importantly, what appeals to them. If
your audience/reader is politically inclined, then talk of something related to current
political issues.
5. Be enthusiastic. Enthusiasm is a very important quality of a speaker or writer. It is
defined as divine inspiration or frenzy.
Simply said enthusiasm is the intensity of feeling, excitement interest or eagerness.
6. Maintain an intense focus. To be effective, a speaker or writer should be fired with
intense feeling or be passionate.
Webster believes that the sender of the communication should be given to strong
feelings, sometimes even romantic and/or sexual.