Lesson 1: Intro to CM

Question 1

Outline of L1 of Module:

Answer 1

• Defining communication and some of its central properties
• Apply the ideas to case(s)
• Identify major events and issues relating to the development of communication research
• Recognise and explain selected theoretical concepts of the field of communication studies
• Understand the role of communication in key areas of social life

Question 2

A sea of communication

Answer 2

Examples of communication can be: face-to-face discussion, emails, facial expressions, videos, and presentations and news communicating?

We live in a constant flow of communications which make possible all aspects of our lives, including: (these things are made possible but they are effected by your own experience of communication)
- our relationships
- individual development and sense of identity
- our involvement in structured forms of participation, including institutions in the public and private sector (education, healthcare, politics, justice and economy)

Question 3

Why study communication?

Answer 3

• Understand how people communicate and interact in everyday life
• Improve ability to communicate in a variety of contexts and help others do so as well

Communication is a process in which people generate meaning and accoomplish actions by using signs

Question 4

Where did communication come from?

Answer 4

• Happens everywhere in the living world
• Communication in most species is unintentional, determined, fixed and indiscriminate
• Human communication is intentional, learned, flexible and receipient designed.
  -Humans developed communication as a solution to a ‘coordination problem’.

Question 4

Communication process (Devito, 2015)

Answer 4

Effect <-> Source- Receiver <-> Messages <-> Source-Receiver <-> Effect
In between noise/ channels etc under the means of
- Cultural context
Socio-Psychological Context
Temporal Context
Physical Context

Question 5

Context

Answer 5

• CRUCIAL to understanding a mesage
• Context includes the environment in which an interaction takes place and the activity in which the communicators are involved

Question 6

Some fundamental properties of human communication

Answer 6

• Purposeful
• Transactional
• Involves constant processes of adjustment
  Has a content dimnsion and a relationship dimension (Watzlawick et al. 1967)

Question 7

Important skills for a communication professional

Answer 7

• Awareness of the context of communications : ecological and intercultural communication
• Attentiion to the systemic nature of communication
• Focus on multiplicity of possible interpretations

Question 8

Discuss the following case by using concepts from this lecture:

“Person A is stretching their legs during a long flight. They are standing at the back of the aircraft, near the toilets. Person B approaches them and points towards the toilets with a quizzical look. Person A says: “I don’t know if they are occupied”. Person B responds: “No, I meant to ask whether you are queueing for the toilets”.

Tip! Remember that we have discussed a model of communication, which contains several components and relationships between them; plus, we have discussed core properties of communication

Answer 8

1. consider the context eg: how he’s standing close to the toilets gives off the impression that he is queueing for the toilet/ misleading image
2. Could be a bit confused hence the quizzical look since there is probaby a vacant toilet and person A is clearly blocking it
3. effect is then the confusion/ message after pointing since there was a miscommunication in what the pointing meant.