What is Communication?
What is communication? It seems
ironic that we do not fully appreciate the potential power of communication in
shaping our lives when, in fact, we are busy engaging ourselves in various
day-to-day forms, means, and problems of communication. By reflecting on the
nature of communication itself – (1) what it is, (2) how it works, and (3) why
it happens -- we can empower ourselves with the necessary analytical and
pragmatic skills in dealing with the many dimensions of communication which are
crucial in everybody’s success in life.
Even communication experts
themselves disagree which among human behaviors count as acts of communication.
Although communication may either be verbal (use of language) or non-verbal
(use of gestures, facial expressions, etc.), two important issues emerge from
the debate. First, is the act intentional? And second, is the act received?
Three major positions are possible with these questions (Littlejohn 2002).
However, communication is commonly defined as
- the transfer and
exchange of information from one person to another through meaningful
symbols.
- The interpersonal
transfer of information and understanding from one person to another.
- A linked social
process of sender, encoding, medium, decoding, receiver, and feedback.
- It is an
interaction where meaning is created & exchanged
- The process of
people sending and receiving information (Hunt, 1987).
- The sending of stimuli
through a channel by a sender so that a receiver translates the stimuli
into a message and then feeds back additional stimuli as a message monitor
to the sender (Casagrande & Casagrande, 1986).
·
the imparting or interchange of thoughts, opinions, or
information by speech, writing, or signs..."
·
an act or instance of transmitting and a process by which
information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of
symbols, signs, or behavior ...
Communication can be also perceived as a two-way process in
which there is an exchange and progression of thoughts, feelings or ideas
towards a mutually accepted goal or
direction. In other words these definitions may indicate that communication
means …
- Sharing an idea
- Getting
information
- Thinking or
wondering
- Giving your
point of view
- Learning
something new
- Observing
someone or something
Communication as an academic discipline relates to all the
ways we communicate, so it embraces a large body of study and knowledge.
