Chapter 1- Introduction To Human Communication Flashcards
Explore how communication affects relationships. How communication itself works, such as how people send and receive messages and factors that may interfere with that process.
TRUE or FALSE
. Although in interpersonal communication there may only be two people interacting at one point, it is strongly affected by the influences in the background (such as family, friends, coworkers, etc.)
TRUE
TRUE or FALSE
Intrapersonal communication refers to communication phenomenon that exist within or occur because of an individual’s self or mind.
TRUE
The word “cat” is not actually a species in the family Felidae. Which of the following communication principles would such a statement best illustrate?
Communication is symbolic
Communication is symbolic
Appropriate and Effective Communication
This occurs when an individual or group of individuals sends a specific message to the audience
This occurs when an individual or group of individuals sends a specific message to the audience
How do both relational and content dimensions affect communication?
• If you aren’t close with the person the communication can be affected by the context of the sentence or phrase by using the content dimension, for example: a new coworker says, “you always do it this way” and I would wonder if she meant that in a good way or a bad way, because I would come up with techniques to make my job easier. Whereas a relational communication with a known coworker with the same phrase doesn’t affect my thoughts. I would understand and know what that coworker means.
What are the characteristics of competent communicators?
- Skillful -been creative in using situational cues
- Adaptable -adjusting yourself to accomplish what you were intended to do.
- Involved -persuading the audience.
- Understands their audience -by thinking the appropriate words/phrases to say.
- Cognitive complexity -by providing different ways so the audience understand the intended message.
- Self-monitoring -by thinking before they speak or monitoring themselves before communicating.
Define mindful communication
• Mindful communication is intended awareness in a deeper communication while interacting with others.
What is interpersonal communication?
Bochner’s (1989) definition:
•“At least two communicators”•“Intentionally orienting toward each other”
•“As both subject and object”
•“Whose actions embody each other’s perspectives both toward self and toward other”
What limitations does this definition present?
•Limited utility beyond two communication partners
Four areas of interpersonal communication
- Number of communication partners involved
- Physical proximity of the communicators
- Nature of the interaction units
- Degree of formality and structure
Why should we study interpersonal communication?
- Perspective taking
- Time
- Improve communication effectiveness
Why do we need to communicate with others?
- Mental and physical health
- Communicating about negative experiences is associated with better mental and physical health
- Improved outcomes associated with:•Stress•Anxiety•Depression•Cancer•Coronary conditions•Common cold
- Identity•Influences how we view ourselves
- How we think, act, and feel
- Social•Establish and maintain relationships with others
- Practical•We can’t function without communication
What is communication?
Derived from the Latin root communico meaning to share Process by which people share ideas or information with others
•Verbal communication
•Nonverbal communication
What is symbolic communication?
A symbol is a mark, object, or sign that represents something else by association, resemblance, or convention.
•The symbol is not the actual thing, it’s a representation
•Symbolic meaning is arbitrarily assigned, there’s no rhyme or reason
What do symbols mean?
Individuals interpret specific words and symbols differently?
•“Meanings aren’t words, they’re in people”
•Denotative definition
•Connotative definition
Is communication intentional?
Intentionality:
•An individual purposefully intends to interact with another person, attempting to establish shared meaning
• Contributes to more effective communication
Cannot, not communicate?
- We are always communicating with others, whether we intend to or not
- We accomplish this through nonverbal communication:
- Body language
- Gestures
- Use of physical space
- Facial expressions
- How we say words
Relational dimension
•Our relationship with the speaker influences how we interpret the message
Content dimension
•Specific spoken words used to convey the message
What is communication process?
- Ongoing
- Dynamic
- Purposefully changing
- Moving towards an end goal
How does culture influence communication?
- Culture is part of a learning process
- Our perceptions of the world around us influence our beliefs, values, norms and rules
- Ultimately, our culture impacts our behaviors
How Communication occurs in a context?
The context in which communication occurs, shapes how we perceive its meaning.
Communication Contextual examples:
- Circumstance
- Environment
- Setting
- Situation
Appropriate communication competence
Communication tactics that most people would consider acceptable
Effective communication competence
Communication that helps a person achieve a desired personal outcome
Situational variables influence competency, such as:
- Speaker style
- Needs of the listener
- Context
- Situation
- Culture
- Type of communication
What make a communicator competent?
- Skillful at recognizing situational cues, identifying the best way to present their message
- Adaptable at adjusting message based on environment or audience needs
- Persuades the audience to become more involved
- Understands their audience by empathizing with them
- Adjusts message to level best understood by the audience
- Cognitive complexity is a psychological characteristic that indicates the difficulty or simplicity associated with mental demand.
- Self-monitors verbal and nonverbal communication
Types of Human Communication
- Intrapersonal communication
- Interpersonal communication
- Small-group communication
- Public communication
- Mediated communication
•Mediated communication
•Technology or medium facilitates the sharing of information between people
•Public communication
•An individual or group of people sends a specific message to a large audience
•Small-group communication
•Three or more people engaged in interpersonal interactions to achieve a goal
•Interpersonal communication
•The communication of messages between any two people
•Intrapersonal communication
•A communication phenomena existing within or because of an individual’s mind
What is mindfulness?
- Mindfulness model:
- Mindful awareness
- Mindful practice
- Attention•Intention•Attitude
Five Facets of Mindfulness
Based on Ruth Baer’s Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) •Observing •Describing •Acting with awareness •Nonjudging of inner experience •Nonreactivity to inner experience
What is mindful communication?
Mindful communication is the process of interacting with others while engaging in mindful awareness and practice, an essential component of competent communication.
seven specific attitudes
- Nonjudging: observing without categorizing or evaluating.
- Patience: accepting and tolerating the fact that things happen in their own time.
- Beginner’s-Mind: seeing everything as if for the very first time.
- Trust: believing in ourselves, our experiences, and our feelings.
- Non-striving: being in the moment without specific goals.
- Acceptance: seeing things as they are without judgment.
- Letting Go: allowing things to be as they are and getting bogged down by things we cannot
change
