INTRODUCTION TO
COMMUNICATION
K. Moser
2015
Communication is a Process
• Communication is a process of sending and receiving
messages
• The messages can be
• Between two or more people
• Exchanging information
• Conveying information
Goals/purposes of communication
• There are three major goals or purposes of
communication
• Goal One: to inform- giving information to another person
• Goal Two: to influence- persuading a persons behavior
• Goal Three: to express feeling- explaining feelings
Components of the Communication Process
• There are three main components of the
communication process: sender, message, and
receiver
• All three components are present whenever there
is communication.
• The sender wants to communicate something
• The sender will decide what form of
communication to use
• Speak, Write, Send Nonverbal Signals, or Visual
Message
Components of the Communication Process
• The receiver wants to understand the
senders meaning and listens, reads, or
observes
• The channel is the linkage between the sender
and the receiver.
• Feedback is the return channel from the
receiver to the sender that allows the evaluation
of communication
• The message is the information that is
being transmitted from sender to receiver
Five Levels of Communication
1. Self
2. One on One
3. Group
4. Public
5. Mass Media
Self Communication
• Directed to yourself
• Can be called interpersonal
communication
• An on going process
• External communication will not be
successful until you effectively
communicate with yourself
One on One Communication
• Is when an individual communicates
directly with another person
• Can be informal (like saying hello)
• Can be formal (a prepared presentation)
Group Communication
• A discussion with in groups of people
• Each participant must have equal
opportunity for speaking
• This form of communication mostly used
in informal settings
• Example:
Public Communication
• Presentation made to groups of 20-25
participants
• Includes oral presentations, press
conferences, classroom situations,
workshops
• In a public encounter, one person at a
time has the presentational responsibility,
while others act as message receivers
Mass Media Communication
• Takes place when the sender is separated
from the receiver by some communication
medium
• Examples: print, film, radio, or television
Effective Communication
• Effective communication cannot exist if there are barriers
or interferences in the communication process
• There are six major barriers that can affect
communication
• The major barriers are:
• Selective Perception
• Poor Listening Skills
• Credibility of the Sender
• Semantics
• Filtering
• Avoiding Details
Barriers in Communication
Selective perception: when people block out
information that they do not wish to hear
Also called selective listening
Poor listening skills: when the receiver has his or
her mind on something else, or not interested in
the subject, or has a poor knowledge of
something
Credibility of the sender: affects how people will
receive a message.
If the receiver perceives the sender as insincere, a
communication barrier will exist
Barriers of Communication
Semantics: when the same words mean entirely different
things to different people.
 Slang is often referred to as semantics
Filtering: manipulating the info so it is perceived as the
receivers desires
 This frequently occurs in management when there are several
levels
Avoiding details: our minds usually avoid detail and
cannot remember many details in a short period of time
Barriers can exist in the environment, from the sender, in
the message or from the receiver
 Also called interference
Interference
• Interference from the environment can be
described as static
• Interference may occur from the sender if the
information is inaccurate or if the sender
misinterprets the receivers feedback
• Interference in the message is usually the result
of sending inappropriate words, signals, or
images
• Interference from the receiver is usually the result
of the receivers personal opinions keeping him or
her from listening or reading with an open mind
Good Leaders are Good Communicators
• Leadership is the ability to move or
influence others to achieve individual and
or group goals.
• All forms of communication are important
when working with others
• Parliamentary Procedure
• Public Speaking
• Group Communication
• Strong Communication
Good Leaders are Good Communicators
• Parliamentary procedure is a method of
conducting meetings in an orderly manner
• Based of Roberts Rules of Order
• Used in local, state and national government
• Public speaking is a necessity for people in
leadership positions
• Group communication skills and skills used for
conducting meetings are necessary to be a good
leader
• Strong communication skills are utilized by
people in leadership positions