CHAPTER 1:
COMMUNICATION: MAKING CONNECTIONS
OBJECTIVES
At the end of this chapter, students will:
A. Understand how communication helps to make connections in life;
B. Learn the essential components in the communication process; and
C. Know the different principles of communication.
Communication is the vehicle used to express or thoughts, ideas, and attitudes, it is
essential in all aspects of our everyday lives. Effective communication enhances our personal,
social and career relationships and allows us to make connections with people from all walks
of life and from other cultures. Communication helps us to make connections with each
other and with the world.
We communicate with many people in a variety of situations, daily. We listen to professors,
employers. classmates, family members, friends, and many others each hour. Whatever our
cultural background. learning style, or geographical location, we find that our communication
proficiency can mean greater academic success, better relationships, a better job, and
greater satisfaction in our life.
Communication in Everyday Activities
Every day, you take on numerous roles and each role requires you to connect with different
people differently. Your attitude, choice of words, tone of the voice, facial expressions. vary
depending upon who the person you are talking with.
What is Communication?
We define communication as the simultaneous sharing and creating of meaning through
human symbolic interaction. According to this definition, speech communication involves a
range of behaviors and occurs in a variety of situation: private and public, business and social,
home and school, formal and informal. All of these are connected by people using symbolic
system called language. Success in the classroom, in the workplace and in the personal life is
determined by the ability to communicate.
There are three theories as to the fundamental objectives of spoken communication which
have been widely held and strongly supported. These are the need for expression, for
communication and for social control.
The first view stresses that speech is primarily the means of manifesting outwardly the inner
workings of the mid. We speak for self-expression. Three levels of self-expression may be
egotistical, emotional and creative.
The second view is that we speak to communicate. Human beings are by nature social
beings. They talk because they want to belong: they want to be part of the community.
The third view is social control. Human beings speak to control human behavior. It cannot be
denied that the strong dominate the weak.
Competent Communication affects all Aspects of Life
Although we have communicated for many years, we probably have not had the opportunity
to learn about communicative competence. The ability to communicate might seem natural
because unless there are disabilities, most of us readily develop speaking skills. But the ability
to communicate (not simply to utter sounds) is learned, and learning to be competent
communicator is a difficult lifelong project.
Communication and Career Development Most of un aspire to succeed in our chosen careers.
We enter college to better ourselves and to prepare for satisfying jobs. Communication plays
an important role in career success. Leaders in education, business, and industry have
identified several critical life skills that are necessary to function successfully in the workplace
and communication is one of the most valued areas of expertise
Top Ten Qualities and Skills Employers Seek
1. Communication skills (verbal and written)
2. Honesty/integrity
3. Teamwork skills
4. Interpersonal skills
5. Motivation/initiative
6. Strong work ethic
7. Analytical skills
8. Flexibility skills
9. Computer skills
10. Organizational skills
To appreciate the nature of communication, it is important to understand the four
fundamental principles:
1. Communication is a Process
2. Communication is a system
3. Communication is both Interactional and Transactional
4. Communication can be Intentional or unintentional
Essential Components of Communication
There are eight (8) components of communication:
1. Source/Speaker
The source is the creator of the message. He/She wants to communicate his/her idea and
determines the meaning of what is to be communicated, erodes the meaning into message,
making sure he/she chooses the appropriate language that the listener understand, send the
messages and perceives and reacts to a listener's response to message.
2. Message
A message is the stimulus produce by the source. Messages are comprised of words,
grammar, organization of thoughts, physical appearance, body movement, voice, personality,
self-concept and personal style.
3. Interference/Noise
Anything that changes the meaning of an intended message is called interference. There are
three types of noise which hinder the smooth flow of communication.
1. Semantic Interference. This pertains to the specialized words by the speaker.
2. Physical and External Interference. This pertains to the external disturbances such as
blaring radio, shouting of people around, slamming of the door, someone talking loudly on the
cellphone, children playing and other disturbing noises.
3. Psychological Interference. This refers to the physical condition of the person which
interferes in the smooth flow of communication such as illness, fatigue, slight deafness or
even hunger.
Essentially, interference is anything that reduces or distorts the clarity, accuracy, meaning
and understanding or retention of a message.
4. Channel
A channel is the route by which the message flows between sources and receivers. The usual
communication channel are light waves and sound waves, which allows us to see and her one
another.
5. Receiver
A receiver analyzes, and interprets messages, in effect translating them into meaning. This
process is called decoding. You are simultaneously a receiver and a source.
6. Feedback
Another component in the communication process is feedback, the response to a message
that a receive sends back to source. Feedback enables a sender to determine whether the
communication has been received and understood as intended.
7. Environment
The environment, or atmosphere, refers to the psychological and physical surroundings in
which communication occurs. The environment encompasses the attitudes, feelings,
perceptions, and relationships of communicators as well as the characteristics of the location
in which communication takes place.
8. Context
The broad circumstances or situation in which communication occurs is called context. It
takes place in informal and formal setting such as between friends, among colleagues,
between a lawyer and a client, among students and class adviser.
