Chapter 2

The Process of Communication

Getting Ideas

Memory – The brain’s storage bin; the power, act, or process of recalling to mind facts previously learned or past experiences.

Humans store information which is picked up both consciously and subconsciously.

Recall ability – Humans can not recall all the information stored in their memory.

Reasoning – The ability to think, form judgments, and draw conclusions; the process of putting evidence together into a logical argument.

Deciding to Communicate

People are social and have a need to communicate.

Common interests is one of the most significant reasons for people to communicate.

Choosing Symbols

Symbol – Anything that stands for an idea and is used to communicate (can be a word, gesture, eye contact or dress).

Code - A symbol system.

Encode – To put a message into symbols.

Decode – To translate incoming information or messages into understandable concepts.

Language symbols

Verbal symbols – Spoken or written language symbols or words.

Words are not the ideas they represent. They are only a way of symbolizing those ideas.

Denotation – The basic meaning of a word.

Connotation – A meaning attached to a word that goes beyond the dictionary meaning.

To communicate clearly you must be careful in choosing your words to encode your ideas.

Nonverbal symbols – Any means used to encode ideas without words including gestures, facial expressions, and movements.

1 – It is more difficult to attach a definite meaning to a nonverbal symbol than to a word.

2 – We receive feelings more than ideas from nonverbal symbols.

Chapter 2 Notes – Page 2

Kinesics – The study of the use of body motion to communicate.

Proxemics – The study of spatial communication.

Paralanguage – The way in which you say words, including volume, pitch, speaking rate, and voice quality, as well as sounds that are not words.

Volume – The loudness or softness of sound.

Pitch – The highness or lowness of sound.

Speaking Rate – The speed at which one talks.

Voice Quality – The uniqueness of vocal sound which enables people to recognize others by their voices alone.

Stress – The amount of emphasis placed on different syllables in a word or words in a sentence.

Unintentional Communication – Messages you send which are not intentional, often nonverbal.

Vocalizing

When you give a speech you need more air.

1. Inhale through your nose rather than your mouth.

2. Pace your exhalation so that you will have enough air.

Reception – The process of receiving and decoding a message from a sender.

Communication is a two way process, a message must be sent and received.

Receiver – Must have sufficient knowledge, experience and vocabulary to be able to tune in on different kinds of messages.

Feedback – The reactions of the receiver to the message of the sender, consisting of words or nonverbal symbols.

Allows the speaker to judge how well they are communicating.

Face-to-face, interviews, and group discussion – feedback is verbal and nonverbal.

Telephone – Feedback is primarily verbal, also paralanguage.

Public Speaking – Feedback is usually nonverbal.

Radio and Television – Feedback comes by mail, telephone, ratings, or a studio audience.