• Communication : Interactive process uses symbols and gestures to send and receive messages
• Communication:
• A transaction
• A process
• Co-construction of meanings
• Uses symbols

Communication Evokes shared or common meaning in another person
Interpersonal Communication Communication between two or more people
Communicator Person originating message
Receiver Person receiving message
Perceptual Screen Window through which we interact with people that influences the quality, accuracy, and clarity of the communication

Message Thoughts and feelings the communicator is attempting to elicit in receiver
Feedback Loop Pathway that completes two-way communication
LanguageWords, pronunciation & methods of combining them understood by a group of people

Basic Interpersonal Communication
Model
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Message
• Context
• Affect
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Receiver
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Perceptual screens Perceptual screens
Influence message quality, accuracy, clarity
Include age, gender, values, beliefs, culture, experiences, needs

One-way vs. Two-way Communications
One-Way Communication
* Person sends message to another person
2-way Communication
* Communicator &
* Receiver interact
*No questions, feedback, or interaction follow
* Good for problem solving
* Good for simple directions
* Fast but often less
accurate than 2-way communication

Cultural Context of Communication
• More likely to interact with similar people
• Social class
• Race
• Ethnic group
• Through shared words, gestures, or expressions

• Body language:
– use of arms by the Dutch, compared to
– use of the whole upper part of body by the French
– The Dutch may perceive French as very emotional and excited since the Dutch only use gestures made by the French when they feel deeply emotional

• Silence
– Western cultures : Silence marks pauses in a discourse.
– Eastern cultures: Sile nces are integral part of communication.
– Silences can indicate :
• Respectful agreement or disagreement
• Modesty (avoid improper use of words)

Conflict & Power:
Defensive Communication
Communication can be aggressive, attacking, & angry, or passive & withdrawing
Leads to:
• injured feelings
• communication breakdown
• alienation
• retaliatory behaviors
• nonproductive efforts
• problem solving failures

Defensive Tactic Speaker
Power Play Boss
Example
“Finish this report by month’s end or lose your promotion.”
Put-Down
Labeling
Raising Doubts
Boss
Boss
Boss
“A capable manager would already be done with this report.”
“You must be a slow learner. Your report is still not done!”
“How can I trust you, Chris, if you can’t finish an easy report?”

Defensive Tactic Speaker
Misleading
Information
Example
Employee “Bill has not gone over the information I need for the report.” [Bill left Chris a copy of the report.]
Scapegoating
Hostile Jokes
Deception
Employee “Bill did not give me input until just today.”
Employee “You can’t be serious! The report isn’t that important.”
Employee “I gave it to the secretary. Did she lose it?”

Non defensive Communication
• Assertive, direct, & powerful
Provides
• Basis for defense when attacked
• Restores order, balance, and effectiveness

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10/ 23? Five-Stage Model of the Listening
Process

Reflective Listening Skill of listening carefully to another person and repeating back the message to correct inaccuracies or misunderstandings
This complex process needs to be divided to be understood
What I heard you say was we will understand the process better if we break it into steps

• Emphasizes receiver’s role
• Helps receiver & communicator
• Clearly & fully understand the message
• Useful in problem solving

Reflective Listening:
4 Levels of Verbal Response
Affirm contact
Paraphrase the expressed
Clarify the implicit
Reflect “core” feelings

Communication
Barriers Blo ck or significantly distort successful communication
• Physical separation
• Status differences
• Gender differences
• Cultural diversity
• Language

• Spoken exchange of words to convey:
• Thoughts
• Feelings
• Information
• Communication that does not involve words

Barriers to Understanding Verbal
Communication
• Bypassing : Misunderstanding words that have multiple meanings.
• Lack of precision : Incorrect or unclear language
• Overgeneralizing : Sweeping generalizations not supported by evidence
• Static evaluation : Statements that do not allow for change.
• Polarization: Seeing the word in black and white
• Biased language : Reflect biases about race, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, religious faith, or other cultures

Nonverbal Communication – Elements of communication that do not involve words
Four basic types
• Proxemics Perception & use of space
• Kinesics Body movements, including posture
• Facial & Eye Behavior Movements that add cues for receiver
• Paralanguage Variations in speech, such as pitch, loudness, tempo, tone, duration, laughing,
& crying

Bands of space extending outward from the body
 Differs from culture to culture

Kinesics - Body Movements http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9i7Gu_qfruo

• Twilight: Captioning the “gaspiest” movie ever http://seanzdenek.com/2009/09/26/twilight-captioning-thegaspiest-movie-in-the-world/
Harry Potter http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0O3nPzuNIPo
Body Language Secrets! - Drago De Silver http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8-9HSsL9HQ
Lying http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_6vDLq64gE

He’s unapproachable!
Examples of
Decoding Nonverbal Cues
He’s angry! I’ll stay out of his way!
Boss fails to acknowledge employee’s greeting
Boss breathes heavily & waves arms
I wonder what he’s hiding?
My opinion doesn’t count
No eye contact while communicating
Manager sighs deeply

New Technologies for Communication
• Informational databases
• Electronic mail
• Voice mail
• Cellular phone (smart)
• Texting

How Do New Technologies
Affect Behavior?
• Fast, immediate access to information
• Immediate access to people in power
• Instant information exchange across distance
• Makes schedules & office hours irrelevant
• May equalize group power
• May equalize group participation

How Do New Technologies
Affect Behavior?
• Communication can become more impersonal —interaction with a machine
• Interpersonal skills may diminish —less tact, less graciousness
• Non-verbal cues lacking
• Alters social context
• Easy to become overwhelmed with information
• Encourages polyphasic activity (doing more than one thing at a time)

Tips for Effective Use of New
Communication Technologies
Provide social interaction opportunities
Is the message really necessary?
Regularly disconnect from the technology
Strive for message completeness
Build in feedback opportunities