Chapter 11: Communication Flashcards
communication
the transfer and the understanding of meaning
five major functions
management, feedback, emotional sharing, persuasion, and information exchange
communication process
the steps between a source and a receiver that result in the transfer and understanding of meaning
what are the key parts of the communication process?
sender, encoding, the message, the channel, decoding, the receiver, noise, and feedback
formal channels
communication channels established by an organization to transmit messages related to the professional activity of members
informal channels
communication channels that are created spontaneously and that emerge as responses to individual choices
downward communication
messages flowing from a higher level in an organization to a lower level in the organization
managers use this to explain why a decision was made. These must be communicated multiple times and sent through multiple different channels to be effective
is DC usually one way?
yes. this can cause issues. the best communicators explain the reasons behind their DC but also solicit communication from the employees they supervise
upward communication
flows to a higher level in the group/org. used to provide feedback to higher-ups.
Communicating is short summaries is the most effective way to communicate upwards
lateral communication
between members at the same level
this facilitates coordination
formal small group networks
chain, wheel, and all channel.
the grapevine
an orgs informal communication network. still an important source of information in comapnies
oral communication
speeches, one on one and group discussions, and informal rumor mill or grapevine are popular methods.
advantages are speed, feedback, and exhange. disadvantages are oral communication surfaces whenever a message has to pass through a number of people: the greater the number of people, the greater the distortion
meetings
can be formal and informal. good interpersonal communication is critical for running effective meetings
videoconferences and calls
permits the conduction of real-time meetings with people at different locations
telephone
fast, effective, and less ambiguous than email.
written communication
letters, PowerPoint, email, instant messaging, texting, social media websites, apps, blogs, and non-verbal communication
channel richness
the amount of information that can be transmitted during a communication episode. higher richness means more communication can be done
channel richness is…
a helpful framework for choosing your mode of communication
whenever you need to argue a listener’s receptivity…
oral communication is the best option
written communication is…
generally the most reliable mode for complex lengthy communications, and it can be the most efficient for short messages
use this mode when you want all information to be “on the record”
controlled processing
a detailed consideration of evidence and information relying on facts, figures, and logic.
automatic processing
a relatively superficial consideration of evidence and information using heuristics
need for cognition
a personality trait of individuals depicting the ongoing desire to think and learn
interest level
one of the best predictors of whether people will use an automatic or controlled process for reacting to a persuasive message
prior knowledge
people who are well informed about a subject area are more likely to use controlled processing strategies
personality
need for cognition, a personality trait of individuals who are most likely to be persuaded by evidence and facts
message characteristics
another factor that influences whether people use an automatic or controlled processing strategy is the characteristics of the mssage. message provided through lean communication channels encourage automatic processing. messages provded to through richer channels encourage a more deliberative process
choosing the message
the most important implication is to match your persuasive message to the type of processing your audience is likely to use
filtering (barrier)
a sender’s manipulation of information so that it will be seen more favorably by the receiver
selective perception (barrier)
important because the receivers int he communication process selectively see and hear based on their needs, motivations, experience, backgrounds, and other personal characteristics
information overload (barrier)
a condition in which information inflow exceedx individual’s processing capacity
emotions (barrier)
you may interpret the same message differently when you are angry or distraught than when you’re happy
language (barrier)
even when you’re communicating in the same language, words mean different things to different people
silence (barrier)
silence itself can be the message to communicate non-interest or the inability to deal with a topic
communication apprehension (barrier)
undue tension and anxiety about oral, written, or both styles of communication
lying (barrier)
outright misinterpretation of information, or lying.
cultural barriers
semantics barriers, barriers caused by word connotations, barriers caused by differences in tone, and differences in tolerance for conflict and methods of resolving conflicts
high-context cultures
cultures that rely heavily on non-verbal and subtle situational cues in communication
low-context cultures
cultures that rely heavily on words to convey meaning in communication
