Post on 13-Jan-2016
Elements of Communication
Elements of Communication
6 Elements of Communication1. Verbal messages2. Nonverbal messages3. Perception4. Channel5. Feedback6. Context
Elements of Communication1. Verbal Messages
Verbal messages are spoken words you use when communicating
Elements of Communication1a. Verbal Messages
Most children begin to use words by the time they are 10-14 months old
Words do not have the same meaning for everyone
Also words change their meanings over time…can you think of an example?
Communicators need to know how to select the most exact words to get their messages across accurately
Elements of Communication1b. Verbal Messages
Differences in meaning:Not all words mean the same thing to all people
Interact: With a small group of 3 or 4 people list the possible meanings of the following words or phrases
Expensive
Tall
FreeHot
PartyBad
See you later
What a day!
She is bad.
What’s on Friday night?
Elements of Communication1c. Verbal Messages
Denotative meaning of wordsThe definition of a word found in a dictionary
Connotative meaning of wordsAn emotional or personal response to a word
For example: home-denotative meaning is one’s place of residence ----home-connotative meaning is security
Everyone’s connotative meaning for words will be different
Elements of Communication2. Nonverbal Messages
Nonverbal messages are messages expressed without wordsa. Appearanceb. Facial expression & eye contactc. Postured. Gesturese. Voice
2a. AppearanceIf you needed to ask someone for directions,
who would you ask first?An old man in dirty clothesA cute teenage boy or girlA woman with an infantOr a woman in a sari
2a. AppearanceClothes, body size, hairstyle, makeup,
and decorations such as jewelry or slogan buttons all send messages about how a person sees herself or himself
You probably make quick first judgments about others based on appearance
So that means that others make first judgments about you based on your appearance
2b. Facial Expression & Eye Contact
Smiles or frowns tell others a great deal about how a person is feeling
A person’s face often reveals rather quickly that a person is angry, happy, frustrated, or nervous
What is a look that tells you not to bother your parent?
Most people believe the eyes are the most expressive part of the body
Eyes show feelings that might be hidden otherwise
You can learn a lot from a person’s willingness or unwillingness to look at you
2c. Posture & WalkPosture refers to your body’s position as
you sit, stand or walk
The way you sit or stand communicates a great deal about your mood or feelings
If you are slouching, you create a very different image than if you are standing or sitting up straight
2c. Posture & WalkPosture can also send other messages
Models are taught to “walk tall” to make good impressions
Persons interviewing for jobs are taught to stand and sit up straight because they will seem more confident
Interviewers usually notice people’s posture while they talk with them about their qualifications
2c. Posture & WalkThe way you walk also sends nonverbal
messages to others
When you watch people walking slowly & dragging their feet, you might decide they are reluctant to get to where they are going
When you see people walking briskly, you may conclude they are anxious to get somewhere
2d. GesturesThe way people move their arms, hands,
and fingers plays a part in communication
Most good speakers use gestures to help make a point
Besides large gestures, people use hand signals to communicate
Think of the different meanings of the peace sign, the OK sign, or crossed fingers
Can you think of other gestures that are used to send a message?
2e. VoiceA person’s voice, that is, not what is said but
how it is said, conveys important messages
Voice includesPitch-how high or low the tone of voice isRate-how quickly or slowly something is saidVocal quality-the tone or sound of a voiceVolume-the loudness or softness of a voice
Elements of Communication3. Perception
The process of giving meaning to information you learn through your five senses: taste, touch, hearing, sight, and smell provide you with information about the world
Elements of Communication4. Channels of Communication
In communication terms, the channel is the means by which a message is transmitted
ExamplesTelevision
What are some other channels of communication?
Elements of Communication4a. Channels of Communication
People tend to place greater importance on 1 channel than on anotherExample: if you are talking on the phone and
watching tv, you tend to place greater importance on only 1 of those. You can’t truly focus on both
Elements of Communication4b. Channels of Communication
When a person has trouble understanding a message, there is said to be noise in the channel
Noise is anything that interferes with a listener’s ability to receive a message
Could be outside the person (tv, radio, hard chair)
Could be inside the person (a headache, worries, boredom)
Sometimes you can control the noise (turn down music and sometimes you can’t)
Elements of Communication5. Feedback
Positive and Negative FeedbackPositive feedback tells you that you’re doing
fine (a smile, nod of the head, all indicate that you are getting through as you intended)
Negative feedback tells you there is a problem to deal with or lets you know the listener does not agree with your ideas
It is important to recognize whether a listener is confused or whether a listener is disagreeing
Communication goes smoothly when speakers & listeners pay attention to feedback
Elements of Communication6. Context
Finally, all these essential elements of communication come together within a context
Context is the setting and people that surround the message
Setting involves time, place, and occasion You may say something at a certain place or time that
you wouldn’t say at another place
The people in the setting influence what is said and what is not said
The way you see the setting and the other people involved will affect how you handle certain topics