Process of Communication

COMMUNICATION:

Communication is a system through which we can exchange ideas, information, and feelings with one another. We used communication in our every day live as it is necessary for our survival and growth. Basically, there are two common ways of communication. It can be verbal (spoken by mouth, dialogues, and discussions) and non-verbal (gestures, sign language, action) and communication can also be through written words (letter, document, fax, mail, and text messages), drawing and graphics (cartoon script, graffiti) etc. Therefore, communication is as important as food is to body for one’s growth and survival.

COMMUNICATION PROCESS:

To have a better understanding of how communication functions, we need to know the factors that involve in communication which are called as the Communication Process. The followings steps are involved to make a complete productive communication.

Firstly, a message has to be sent by someone who wants to share an idea or feeing to another person. For example, a teacher conveys a message and expects the students to understand and gives respond.

Secondly, that message is received by the receiver and gives feedback to the sender. Example: the students answer the question of the teacher.

Thirdly, the sender receives the feedback from the receiver and he knows whether the receiver has understood the message of the sender or not. Example: the right or wrong answer of the students to the teacher.

Fourthly, the sender may send another message to the receiver on the said topic in order to make sure that the receiver has understood the message. Example: teacher gives a new explanation of the subject or topic to make sure that the students respond the right answer. Thus the process of communication is never ending; it can go on and on till the sender and the receiver agrees to come upon a conclusive decision.

However, the factors of the process of communication are best explained through the use of the following elements: Sender, Message, Receiver and Feedback.

Sender: the sender is also referred to as a Source. Because the person who begins a conversation with the other person is called the source. The source is also the initiator. The sender encode the message intend to communicate to the receiver. For the communication to be effective, the sender must have a positive attitude  in selection of words and their meaning or topic that he intends to convey to his receiver Example: the notes we collect from a particular textbook for our presentation is a source as it gives us the information we need for the topic to be presented.

Receiver: this refers to the person who receives the message, makes sense of it, understands, translates and interprets the meaning of the message. Then the receiver decides to give anappropriate response to the sender in the form of feedback. Here we can see that the receiver acts as a communicator because he gives respond to the received messages. The receiver is also the decoder as he decodes the received the message through response. Effective communication takes place with successful shared meaning and understanding. Example: watching a news channel, a movie on television or students listening to the lecture. We are the receiver because we see and hear the image and story of the particular programs.

Channel of the communication: any medium that the sender uses to present his message to his target receiver. It can be trough writing, fax, mail, telephonic call, video conferencing or chat, power point presentation, interview, gesture or even through touch etc.

Message: it is the content of the information that can include idea, opinion or feeling. It is the content of the message that enables the receiver to decide what to give in feedback. Clear message will help the receiver to give a meaningful feedback. Example: being a part of the group discussion the number of points that are presented forms the message.

Effect: any change that has brought about by the said communication or sender in the minds of the receiver is called as effect. A good communication brings a positive effect in the receiver’s mind. Example: when we develop a certain fear towards a particular teacher but after having a good talk with him/her (teacher) the result would be a positive change in the attitude towards that teacher.

Feedback: the entire aim of communication is to understand and be understood by the receiver. It requires a message to be sent to the receiver and that message to be received and understood. Communication is thus, a two-way process. Feedback is hence, a response to a communication. It is the reaction that is presented by the receiver that he has understood or sometimes do not understand the intended message. It allows the receiver of the message to comment and this leads to further dialogue. Feedback can be natural and unnatural. Natural feedback occurs in a two or more close setting where people can give a spontaneous response mostly without thinking. Whereas unnatural feedback is time consuming, not spontaneous and it involves the thinking process. 

Let us also discuss the other elements that involve in the communication process:

Context: it is the background at which communication takes place. It may be the physical context like area, place where the communication is taking place. Social context implies the relationship shared by the people taking part in the communication process and the effect cause by the communication in the form of good or bad moods. Communication changes with the change in the context. Example: meeting a Boss in the office and outside the office is two different things. Reaction and way of approach will depend on the environment setting.

Barriers: barriers can occur at any point of the communication process. There are two types of barriers – internal and external. Internal barriers are n the form of fatigue, negative attitude, poor listening skills, lack of interest n the message etc. The receiver will never understand the real intention of the message if he/she has the above attitudes towards the communicator. On the other hand, external barriers include nose, distraction, jargons, bad connectivity etc. Any interference in the process of communication is called noise, distortion. It can be a physical noise (like continuing beeping of the alarm) prevents a conversation between two communicators. It may also be a non-physical noise also called as semantic noise when cultural and linguistic differences between two people interferes in the way of understanding the message and thus prevent further communication.

                  SENDER                 MESSAGE                     RECEIVER                       FEEDBACK

                                                             

A MODEL OF THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS & its ELEMENTS

Conclusion: communication has to go through the above process in order to achieve the desired goal. Communication is important as it has its value and purpose.

Books Referred: Mass Communication & Journalism (Naresh & Suparna Rao)

                            Introducing Mass communication (Gamble & Gamble)