Communication-Definition.Models.Ethics

= Summary = toc

Communication is not an easy term to define because one could interpret it in many different ways. This chapter points out the key terms necessary in defining communication, as well as its processes and models, and how ethics is involved with communication theory.

Communication is an unending interaction between individuals in which they employ symbols to establish and interpret meaning in their environment. Understanding is what communication is focused on. Communication changes/differs due to circumstances or periods of time. Communication pioneers suggest it is possible to study the dynamic communication process. Communication theorists create simplified representation s of the communication process to allow us to visualize it.

//Communication as Linear/Linear Model//
This model assumes that communication is one-way, with a message going from the source, through a channel, to the receiver. The source is the person that the message comes from. The receiver is the person who receives and interprets the message.
 * Channel-** How a message gets from one person to another. It is usually associated with four of the five senses: Vision, touch, smell, and hearing.

** //Communication as interaction/ Interactional Model// **
This model is the view of communication as the sharing of meaning with feedback that links source and receiver; e ach person brings their own field of experience which influence the communication between people. The information path starts with the message. The sender sends the message through a channel to the receiver. Feedback occurs between the sender and the channel, and the channel and the receiver. There is noise throughout the exchange, and it all takes place within a field of experience. This whole model is a cycle, which means the receiver interacts with the sender.

**// Communication as Transaction/ Transactional Model //**
This model views communication as messages being sent and received at the same time. It requires us to recognize influence of one message on another, overlapping fields of experience.

This chapter points out to us that ethics, based on secular/social foundations; personal/social religion; or just culturally specific that may or may not change over time arises within the communication process whenever messages potentially influence others.

Communication is all about meaning. Words, sentences, and phrases can mean different things depending on the tone they are said in, or the look on the face of the person saying it, or even the emoji at the end of the text saying it. There is some debate over whether all actions, whether or not they were done on purpose, are communication. This includes things such as body language and eye contact. Some people argue that only things that were done on purpose count as communication, while others say that it doesn't matter whether or not the person intended to communicate, they did.

// Noise //
Noise, or the distortion in the channel not intended by the source, is also part of communication. There 4 types of noise:


 * s ****emantic**-linguistic influences on the reception of the message


 * physical**-bodily influences on the reception of the message


 * psychological**- cognitive influences on the reception of the message


 * physiological**- biological influences on the reception of the message.

This model shows a o ne way view of communication that assumes a message is sent by a source to a receiver through a channel.

= Key Terms and Definitions =

// In defining communication //
 * Social**- notion that people and interactions are part of the communication process
 * Process**- ongoing, dynamic, unending occurrence
 * Symbol**- arbitrary label given to a a phenomenon (no necessary great reason for it)
 * Meaning ** - what people obtain/extract from message
 * Environment- ** situation or context in which communication occurs

// Features in models of communication //
 * Feedback** - communication given to the source by the receiver to indicate understanding (meaning).
 * Field of Experience** - overlap of sender's and receiver's culture, experiences, and heredity in communication

=Additional Material=

[|A diagram] of the transactional model of communication. [|A handy guide] that explains all 3 theories mentioned on this page. Includes diagrams. [|A page] on the linear and transactional theories. Includes diagrams.