Human Communication

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Characteristics of human being Bipedalism - Human beings walk on only two limbs, and are capable of sustaining this

for extended periods of time depending on alcohol and caffeine levels. Hands - Freed from the burden of locomotion, the front limbs include the opposable thumbs which allow humans to pick things up. Tools - Humans create and use sophisticated tools to manipulate their environment, which has enabled them to construct sophisticated machines and buildings. Other animals have also been known to make and use tools. For example, chimpanzees have been observed removing the leaves from branches, then using those branches to draw termites from termite mounds. However, humans are the only animals so far who create tools and use them to create other tools. Large brains - Admittedly, this is a bit subjective, but relative to their body mass, humans have more brain cells than many other kinds of animals. Language - This is the big one. Language allows humans to communicate with each other, not just about the present (which things like mating calls and pheromones can do as well) but also about the past and the future.

Essential of human being to live in society Society is an aggregate of the people within a community, bound together by some common ties. Maclver has defined it as a "web of social relationships". These relationships are bound together by relations of interdependence. Human beings live together in a society because of the following reasons: (a) Man is a social animal and cannot live in isolation. He needs the company of his fellow human beings to share his joys and sorrows. (b) Human emotions like love, affection, hatred, jealousy, etc. can only be expressed within a society.

(c) For the fulfillment of their basic needs like food, clothing and shelter, human beings are interdependent on each other. (d) For the intellectual and mental development of human species and the growth of civilization, it is essential to live in a society. (e) For security, preservation and protection of the human race, man has lived together and moved in groups since primitive times. (f) Members live together in a society for the transmission of culture and traditions. CONCEPT OF SOCIETY Society and manboth are changeable identities. They keep on changing according to values, principles and conditions. Principles and conditions are socialized, so they have a comprehensive effect. Values are subjective, so they effect the individual alone. An individuals life is effected by three factors - values, principles and conditions while two factors- principles and conditions effect the society. The main principle of social life is - mutual inter-dependence. Mutual dependence means giving and taking cooperation. Those who dont know giving and taking co-operation are unsociable. Sympathy cannot originate in unsociable environmental and so moral development cannot prosper. The simple way to reach to the public is social co-operation. Earlier the word Seva was in practise. Today, its expression has changed slightly and is being replaced by co-operation, which means placing the one expecting and the one fulfilling together, neither above nor below. Co-operation has mainly, four scopes -1. Livelihood 2. Education 3. Health 4. Fearlessness. Ancient Acharyas call them as four types of donations 1. Donation of food 2. Donation of knowledge 3. Donation of medicine 4. Donation of fearlessness. These areas i.e. food, knowledge etc are the primary needs of life. Along with them, since feeling of service, donations, etc associated, so they could not stay as an inseparable part of society. The way of expressing and gaining sympathy from man is social cooperation. Society refers to system of human relations, on the basis of which, people are united. According to Levi Strauss, Family and community are examples of society system.

\\Characteristics of society\\ For language, work division and living in society, food, air, and water are essential. Some requisites are inevitable for systematic and regulated co-ordination of society. It is necessary to have different roles and conditions of people in any society. Language is necessary for communication between them. Nature, style and grammar of language may vary. The statements of Robert Bearsted also indicate this fact that, The past of sociology is quiet ancient and long. McIver and page written in their book Society that every active member of the society is also a sociologist because he has some information about society for residing in it and for participating in its activities. On the basis of this knowledge, he thinks about his social life, about his family, neighbourhood, city, village and nation, becomes a member of a group, participates in religion, tradition, custom and culture and solves day-to-day problems of life. Explaining the characteristics of society in the book Sociology of India, it is said that every human society appears similar to other human societies and basically social interaction and social relations to appear the same in all-human societies. Any type of societies primitives, rural, urban, tribal of civilized are identified different from other society due their unique characteristics. A number of outcome of culture appear different in two similar societies. In this way for the study and analysis of every society, different concepts and principles are made. In this way, society is the basis of human life, saviour of culture and basis of progress. The nature and necessities of man force him to search the company of other people. Therefore, it is clear that man has an inseparable relationship with society. But to understand the nature of this relationship, there are three theories The Contract Theory of Society : According to this, man form society. This theory was developed in the age of renaissance of Europe when many scholars refuted the theory that society is created by God. According to Thomas Hobbes, This situation was of continuous war and the life of man was isolated, inferior, hateful, wild and short timed. According to John Lock, Natural stage was the stage of good will, co-operation security. According to J.J. Rosseau The natural age was a golden age. But all these scholars are agreed on one point that in this natural stage there were some uncomfortabilities. To solve these uncomfortabilities, the people compromised to form society. This was the birth of the society. In this

way, according to these scholars, society is a means, which man has made it himself from the results of uncontrolled tendencies of man. The Organismic Theory of Society: According to this theory, the man has not formed the society but the man himself is a part of the society. Some politicians have presented the organismic theory in detail. According to them, like the human body, society also has brain, heart and lungs. British sociologist, Herbert Spencer, who was an aggressive organist of his times, has also compared the society with living organismic structure. According to other thinkers, society also passes through the biologic process of birth, adolescence, adulthood, old age and death. Some scholars have not compared the society with a big city but with a joint brain. This thought is both ancient and modern. For example the Republic of Plato and Political philosophy of Hiegal also has accepted this theory. Similarly, in modern times, famous psychologist McDougal also has accepted this theory. Famous psychologist McDougal also has accepted this theory. He accepts the group mind as realistic. According to him, whole of the society has one mind. There is a mind of total society. It is clear from these views that we accept society as a live creature or as a mental power. Interdependent Relationship between Individual and Society: It can be concluded from the description of the above theories about the inter relationship of man and society that both are isolated. Both theories have reduced the importance of natural independence of man and society. Neither is an individual nor is society all in all. Actually, man and society both supplement each other. Without man it is not possible to imagine the social life. Similarly, without society the existence of man is impossible. Therefore, individual and society are not separate from each other but they are interdependent. So McIver and Page rightly said, The relation of man and society is not isolated but both are essential to know each other. Thus man and society are interdependent. Both supplement each to grow to the summit of progress.

ESSENTIAL OF COMMUNICATION TO BUILT SOCIETY What is really the basis of communication? they said that communication is the basic information that human has, commonly defined as the sharing of the symbols over distance in space and time. Seeing that human have the ability to comprehend. The definition of Communication is the activity of conveying

meaningful information. Communication requires a sender, a message, and an intended recipient, although the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast distances in time and space. Communication improves culture of learning organizations and the behavior of individual attitude which sharpens the confidence levels of an individual, for instance, enabling one to connect with family, friends and society, finding a basis for conversation and social interaction, gaining insight into the circumstances of others(social empathy), helping to carry out social roles. finding out about relevant events and conditions in immediate surroundings, society and the world, finding out about relevant events and conditions in immediate surroundings, society and the world. Communication is easily overlooked, but the ability to communicate effectively is necessary to carry out the thoughts and visions of an organization to the people. The importance of speech and words whether through a paper or a voice is a communication medium to convey directions and provide synchronization. Without communication, there is no way to express thoughts, ideas and feelings. Communication is a necessity as we use it to network, spread ideas, and promote. Communicate effectively through well known mediums and convey it simply and precisely. The importance of communication is crucial to the success of your organization because you need to reach out in order to fulfill your mission. Communication is one of the important topics of organization behavior. Effective communication is a prerequisite for implementing organizational strategies as well as for managing day to day activities through people. What is the essence of society? Society is often understood as the basic structure and interactions of a group of people or the network of relationships between entities. In a society people developed communication which is a vital instrument used in socializing and interacting with others. More broadly, a society is an economic, social, or industrial infrastructure, made up of a varied collection of individuals since society is composed of different individuals, groups and families. How important is our society to us? Is it just something nice to have? Could we even do without it? Let's think about what proportion of the quality of life of a person depends on his own efforts and what part is due to his belonging to a society. At first sight it seems that nearly all is due to his own efforts. But if we imagine how we would live without the knowledge and the material things

accumulated by the society in which we live, we would realize that we would live without electricity and water, because we have not invented the generation and use of electricity nor build water works. Essential relationship of Communication and Society is the existence of human being. Human beings exist since they can communicate through their surroundings. Hence communication created civilization, therefore communication can build society. So, since then, communication and society are already developed and guides humans to innovation leading to an advance stage of development and communication. Not only humans use communication but also other existing species. But humans was different, humans are intellect than other existing species in view of the fact that humans taught themselves how to use their common sense by teaching and studying symbols to communicate. We are living in an age when changes in communications, storytelling and information technologies are reshaping almost every aspect of contemporary life -- including how we create, consume, learn, and interact with each other. A whole range of new technologies enable consumers to archive, annotate, appropriate, and recirculate media content and in the process, these technologies have altered the ways that consumers interact with core institutions of government, education, and commerce. SOCIALIZATION: Sociologists, social psychologists, anthropologists, as well as educationists and politicians, use the word 'socialization' to refer to a process through which people inherit the norms and ideologies of the social order in which they live. Socialization, as a process, facilitates social interaction by means of give and take of common values, customs, traditions, languages, etc. It is an ongoing process which not only leads to the all-round development of an individual but also cultivates within him, a sense of belonging with regards to his family, friends, people and society as a whole. In a society, an individual or an institution has the task of making a person worth being a part of it. These individuals or institutions are called agents of socialization. It is these agents that are responsible for educating an individual about the expectations of society from him, and how he should fulfill them. The transfer of rules, expectations and values is thus carried out by these agents,

which in turn enables society to function smoothly. The agents of socialization are as under: FAMILY For most people, the process of socialization begins in the family. Family is their first source through which they commence their social communication. As a child, a person learns to see and interpret himself and society through the eyes and understanding of his parents and other elders of the family. It is with the aid of the older family members that he/she becomes familiar with social culture. It is through family that 'socially acceptable' ways of thinking and behaving are imparted to a child. Values such as sharing, honesty, idealism, discipline, etc., are also cultivated in a person through his family. Therefore, it is vital how parents treat their children, and also how parents behave in front of them because it is through these interactions that a child will perceive and develop a sense of 'self'. However, although belonging to the same society, every family is different. This difference ranges from ethnicity to religion to preferences (while some families might give more preference to education, others might emphasize more on discipline) and many more. So, the knowledge that children gain from their families, certainly cannot be uniform throughout. Nevertheless, there is no denying the fact that family is the fountainhead of the socialization process.

PEER_GROUP A peer group is a group of people of approximately the same age, sharing similar interests and probably belonging to similar backgrounds. A person may belong to several peer groups at a single point in time. For instance, peer groups of a child may include his schoolmates, his friends at the sports' club, and the children staying in his neighborhood. Even though all these groups are different, he may mingle with them every single day. What makes a peer group an important factor in socialization is that it enables a child to engage in experiences which he/she would otherwise never experience within his/her family. Things such as competition, conflict and cooperation as well as the concepts of hierarchy and egalitarianism can be learned and imbibed through a peer group.

Peer groups also, many times, promote the idea of independence from the thought process of the family. Individuals begin to think and act in different ways which may be, sometimes, completely opposite of their family values. Nevertheless, peer groups, as agents of socialization, are important entities granting social approval and support. SCHOOLS Children spend about seven to eight hours in school. So, there is no denying the fact that school has an important and lifelong impact on their socialization process. Apart from teaching children to read and write, and initiating them in subjects such as math, languages and science (which is schools' main function), they also have a latent function of nurturing within the students, the value of teamwork, punctuality and following a set schedule. In other words, a lesson stressing on the need for discipline in doing one's day-to-day activities is pinpointed. Schools also play a major role in fostering the values of national pride and citizenship in the children. For instance, school children in the United States have to take the Pledge of Allegiance. In schools, children also learn about concepts such as gender and race, not only through their textbooks but also practically. For example, segregating the seating arrangements of boys and girls may affect their behavior with the opposite sex thus elevating gender differences. Also, school is technically the institution wherein a child is first exposed to a hierarchical bureaucratic setup under which everything takes place within a set framework of rules and regulations. This means that a child, in order to get something done, has to follow a certain procedure and that makes this kind of setup a basic factor for making the child understand the importance of social rules and regulations. Workplace Workplace is another agent of socialization. Just as the children spend a significant part of day at their school, the adults spend much of their day at their workplace. At the workplace, a person meets people of different age groups and belonging to different social and cultural backgrounds. This makes him come in close contact with different thought processes, belief systems, etc. The interaction that then happens, helps a person to broaden his/her horizons in terms of social acceptance and tolerance towards the others. It also sometimes helps in changing the notions of 'right' and 'wrong'. It makes him understand the

true difference between the 'self' and the 'other'. The 'other' is only distinct from the 'self' but both are still 'right'. Apart from imbibing punctuality (e.g. target achievement) and following procedures (e.g. whether to approach the boss directly or not), a person also becomes well-versed with the importance of regularity in work and behaving mannerisms with respect to superiors as well as juniors and subordinates. Religion Religion is one of the most powerful agents of socialization which is linked with concepts and values people identify themselves with. At the same time, it is the most sensitive agent of socialization as well. People tend to develop their own religious beliefs from their parents, right from their inception. They begin to acquire knowledge of which god to believe in (or not?); when, where and how to pray; what rituals to follow; what to consume and what to avoid; etc., right from infancy, and it is these belief systems that evolve further and remain with them for the rest of their lives. While the major function of religion in the process of socialization is teaching people, belonging to different religions, to be tolerant and respectful towards each other, things do not always work out as desired. Therefore, the power of religion as a socializing agent should be understood well, and any sort of misinterpretations need to be avoided. Government Government or state is an indirect agent of socialization. This means, though we do not come in contact with the institution directly, it does have an impact on our social life and well-being. The government sets rules and regulations (most of which often become laws), which the people of the state/country need to follow, and breach of them often becomes not only a moral wrong but a social wrong as well. For instance, prohibition of drunk driving is a law passed by the state. Any person breaking it, not only commits a punishable offense but also puts others' lives in danger. Apart from setting various laws and laying sanctions on us, the government, as a

socializing agent, also has a responsibility of assuring social security for people. Mass media Mass media is the strongest and the most argued indirect agent of socialization. It puts across to us, lot of ideas and mannerisms without having any kind of interpersonal communication. Despite this, it influences our lives to a great extent, as we tend to learn a lot from mass media, which include newspapers, magazines, radio, Internet, video games and of course, the most dominant of them all, television. However, research shows that most people, adults and children alike, often tend to get so carried away by the influence of media that they get confused between the notions of 'reality' and 'fiction'. On the other hand, the amount of violence that is involved in case of the media might have an adverse effect on the people. For instance, children might behave more aggressively towards others, and this can make them 'socially unacceptable'. Nevertheless, the fact is that mass media does help in building ideologies and beliefs of people and making them so strong and deep-rooted that they stay with them throughout their lifetime. The agents of socialization, thus have a very profound effect on our personal and conceptual development. They help us interact and communicate with society and also to understand our social roles. However, the impact these agents have on our lives, and consequently on society, also depends largely on the parameters of time and space. For instance, these agents, though performing similar functions worldwide, may have contradicting impact on the mindset of the people of a country at war, as opposed to the one at peace. PROCESS The development of an individual is a slow and steady process. Human beings are believed to be the most intelligent creatures on the earth. However, proper training, guidance and motivation is essential for them to understand what is good and bad for them. The socialization process aims at improving the knowledge of people by instilling vital values, customs and traditions. In the case of a newborn child, its parents are the first one who shoulder the responsibility of training it in the best possible way till the child becomes joining years old school. The atmosphere which the parents provide the child at home has a lot to do with the child's overall progress. It has been often observed that children who have a good environment which is conducive for learning at home,

end up being the winners in the fields which they choose in their later life. The things which are taught in the childhood remain with the children throughout their lives. The learning of values from parents can also be called primary socialization. The next phase in the life of these children is the school phase. In the school, the children interact with many more people than they do in the days before joining school. The result of this interaction is that children are able to learn new things by indulging in group activities and games. Teachers too, play a vital role in the child development process. The job of these teachers involves finding out the strengths and weaknesses in their students. They suggest innovative ways to improve the weaknesses and prepare the children for the future challenges. Apart from the academic subjects, teachers at school encourage their students to participate in non curriculum activities and programs which can bring out the best in them. This generates a lot of self-confidence, pride and ambition to chase their dreams. This process does not end here. The school can be described as a safe haven for all the children. This is because the atmosphere in schools is very protective. But, once students step out in the outside world by taking admission for higher learning, they have to deal with big challenges. These can be both-related to studies and with social life. Overcoming these challenges and difficult times becomes possible due to the stability of mind achieved over the years. However, the socialization process can be beneficial only if it is positive. The process of learning can never be successful by the use of force. The use of methods such as punishment, criticism and force will never help to make the learning simple. In fact, such kind of socialization can be termed as negative socialization. In order to do away with negative socialization, re-socialization can be extremely useful. In re-socialization, a person attempts and successfully changes his ways of behavior to suit the prevailing circumstances and situations. A person becomes ready for this process when he is convinced that what he did earlier was not the ideal behavior. The socialization process continues from childbirth till old age.

PROBLEMS: Developing peer dependence. We all naturally want the approval of those around us. Children who are in government school are around other children most of the time. Therefore they look to other children for their main source of approval. In order to gain the approval of a group, it is necessary to conform to the behaviors and norms of that group. Thus, government school children, by the very nature of the design of government school, will grow up dependent on their peers for approval. It doesn't really matter that they are eventually told to "resist peer pressure." That would be like putting a child in a room filled with candy and letting them eat all they want. Then a few years later you start telling them not to eat it. The habits are developed and will not easily be changed. In home education, the primary source of approval is the family. The family values and behavior are transmitted. Those values are dictated and patterned by the parents. Drug abuse. Alcohol abuse. Tobacco use. Profanity. Promiscuous sex. Other antisocial behavior. The standards of the group become the standards of the individuals in the group. If a child is constantly in a place where these behaviors are exhibited then the child is likely to participate in them or at least view them as acceptable even though they are not. How many of us have heard "good" kids use bad language? If they hear it enough they become accustomed to it. It they become accustomed to it they become accepting of it. If they become accepting of it they start using it. In a home where those behaviors are not accepted or exhibited then the children are much less likely to accept or exhibit those behaviors. Cliques. There is nothing wrong with having a close group of friends. However, there is something badly wrong when the attitude becomes that of a clique. That attitude is "If you're not one of us you are nobody." All of us who attended government schools remember cliques. Some of us were in them. Some of us were not. In neither case does the child benefit. The government schools, with the patterns of behavior discussed above, are a fertile breeding ground for cliques.

Communication is a process, which involves organising, selecting and transmitting symbols in an appropriate way to ensure the listener perceives and recreates in his own mind the intended meaning of the communicator. Communication involves the initiation of meaning in the listener, the transmission of information and thousands of probable stimuli. Human beings have a compulsive urge to communicate with each other. Mutual understanding is not only based on communication but also is the core of human relations. There can be no mutual understanding without communication; mutual understanding is the core of human relations. Communication is like birth, death, breath and wanting to be loved apart of life itself. Man is a communicating animal; he alone has the power to express in words. Sight, sound, touch, smell and taste are the modes of exchange of messages. The story of man's progress is the story of his progress in communication skills. The degree to which a civilisation or culture progresses is reflected in the state of its communication process. Communication is a two-fold process between two parties- the sender and the receiver. It involves an exchange and progression of thoughts, ideas, knowledge and information towards a mutually accepted goal or direction. Here are some definitions by experts: American Society of Training Directors: Communication is the interchange of thought or information to bring about mutual understanding and confidence or global human relation. Behind Brown: Communication is the transmission and interchange of facts, ideas, feelings or course of action. Alien Louis A.: Communication is the sum of all the things one person does when he wants to create understanding in the mind of another. It involves a systematic and continuous process of telling, listening and understanding. Ordway Tead: Communicating is a composite of information given and received, of a learning experience in which certain attitudes, knowledge and skills change, carving with them alterations of behavior , of listening effort by all involved, of a

sympathetic fresh examination of issues by the communicator himself, of a sensitive interacting points of view, leading to a higher level of shared understanding and common intention. Theo Haiemann: Communication is the process of passing information and understanding from one person to another. It is the process of imparting ideas and making oneself understood by others. M.T. Myers and G.E. Myers: Communication refers to a special kind of patterning: patterning, which is expressed in symbolic form. For communication to take place between or among people, two requirements must be met: A symbolic system must be shared by the people involved (we need to speak the same language or jargon or dialects)and The associations between the symbols and their referents must be shared. The main components of communication process are as follows: 1. Context - Communication is affected by the context in which it takes place. This context may be physical, social, chronological or cultural. Every communication proceeds with context. The sender chooses the message to communicate within a context. 2. Sender / Encoder - Sender / Encoder is a person who sends the message. A sender makes use of symbols (words or graphic or visual aids) to convey the message and produce the required response. For instance - a training manager conducting training for new batch of employees. Sender may be an individual or a group or an organization. The views, background, approach, skills, competencies, and knowledge of the sender have a great impact on the message. The verbal and non verbal symbols chosen are essential in ascertaining interpretation of the message by the recipient in the same terms as intended by the sender. 3. Message - Message is a key idea that the sender wants to communicate. It is a sign that elicits the response of recipient. Communication process begins with deciding about the message to be conveyed. It must be ensured that the main objective of the message is clear. 4. Medium - Medium is a means used to exchange / transmit the message. The sender must choose an appropriate medium for transmitting the message else the message might not be conveyed to the desired recipients. The choice of appropriate medium of communication is essential for making the message effective and correctly interpreted by the recipient. This choice of communication medium varies depending upon the features

of communication. For instance - Written medium is chosen when a message has to be conveyed to a small group of people, while an oral medium is chosen when spontaneous feedback is required from the recipient as misunderstandings are cleared then and there. 5. Recipient / Decoder - Recipient / Decoder is a person for whom the message is intended / aimed / targeted. The degree to which the decoder understands the message is dependent upon various factors such as knowledge of recipient, their responsiveness to the message, and the reliance of encoder on decoder. 6. Feedback - Feedback is the main component of communication process as it permits the sender to analyze the efficacy of the message. It helps the sender in confirming the correct interpretation of message by the decoder. Feedback may be verbal (through words) or non-verbal (in form of smiles, sighs, etc.). It may take written form also in form of memos, reports, etc.

Principles of Communication Communication is complex. While listening to or reading someone else's message, we often filter what is being said through a screen of our own perceptions. Thus our preconceived notions and opinions become one of the major barriers to communication. There is an old communications game- telegraph, that is played in a circle. A message is whispered around from person to person. What the exercise usually proves is how profoundly the message changes as it passes through the distortion of each person's inner "filter". Communication, when effectually conducted, can assist in building sturdy relationships and harmonious working conditions. It also simplifies the process of sharing the best of ourselves with others. There are certain basic principles that need to be followed while conversing informally with a colleague, addressing a conference or meeting, writing a newsletter article or formal report; they are as follows: Identify your audience. Discern the purpose. Know your topic. Anticipate objections. Present a complete picture.

Achieve credibility with your audience. Follow through on what you say. Communicate a little at a time. Impart information in several ways. Formulate a practical, useful way to receive feedback. Use multiple communication techniques. Communication is largely non-verbal. Context affects communication. Meanings are in people, not in words. Communication is irreversible. Noise affects communication. Communication is circular. Creating common ground is essential.

NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION It is communication of feelings, emotions, attitudes, and thoughts through body movements / gestures / eye contact, etc. The components of Non Verbal Communication are:

Kinesics: It is the study of facial expressions, postures & gestures. Did you know that while in Argentina to raise a fist in the air with knuckles pointing outwards expresses victory, in Lebanon, raising a closed fist is considered rude? Oculesics: It is the study of the role of eye contact in non verbal communication. Did you know that in the first 90 sec - 4 min you decide that you are interested in someone or not. Studies reveal that 50% of this first impression comes from non-verbal communication which includes oculesics. Only 7% of comes from words - that we actually say. Haptics: It is the study of touching. Did you know that acceptable level of touching vary from one culture to another? In Thailand, touching someone's head may be considered as rude. Proxemics: It is the study of measurable distance between people as they interact. Did you know that the amount of personal space when having an informal conversation should vary between 18 inches - 4 feet while, the

personal distance needed when speaking to a crowd of people should be around 10-12 feet? Chronemics: It is the study of use of time in non verbal communication. Have you ever observed that while AN employee will not worry about running a few minutes late to meet a colleague, a manager who has a meeting with the CEO, a late arrival will be considered as a nonverbal cue that he / she does not give adequate respect to his superior? Paralinguistics: It is the study of variations in pitch, speed, volume, and pauses to convey meaning. Interestingly, when the speaker is making a presentation and is looking for a response, he will pause. However, when no response is desired, he will talk faster with minimal pause. Physical Appearance: Your physical appearance always contributes towards how people perceive you. Neatly combed hair, ironed clothes and a lively smile will always carry more weight than words.

BERLOS SMCR MODEL OF COMMUNICATION

Berlos model lives a number of factors under each of the elements : Source: The source is were the message originates.

Communication skills It is the individuals skill to communicate (ability to read, write, speak, listen etc) Attitudes The attitude towards the audience, subject and towards one self for e.g. for the student the attitude is to learn more and for teachers wants to help teach. Knowledge- The knowledge about the subject one is going to communicate for e.g. whatever the teacher communicates in the class about the subject so having knowledge in what you are communicating. Social system The Social system includes the various aspects in society like values, beliefs, culture, religion and general understanding of society. It is were the communication takes place. For e.g. class room differs from country to country like behaviors, how we communicate etc. Culture: Culture of the particular society also comes under social system. All to this model, only if you have the above in the proper or adequate proportion v can communicate. Encoder: The sender of the message (message originates) is referred as encoder, so the source is encoding the message here. Message Content The beginning to the end of a message comprises its content for e.g. From beginning to end whatever the class teacher speaks in the class is the content of the message. Elements It includes various things like language, gestures, body language etc, so these are all the elements of the particular message. Content is accompanied by some elements. Treatment It refers to the packing of the message. The way in which the message is conveyed or the way in which the message is passed on or deliver it.

Structure- The structure of the message how it is arranged, the way you structure the message into various parts. Code- The code of the message means how it is sent in what form it could be e.g. language, body language, gestures, music and even culture is a code. Through this you get/give the message or through which the communication takes place or being reached. Channel- It is nothing but the five senses through this only we do. The following are the five senses which we use

Hearing Seeing Touching Smelling Tasting

Whatever communication we do it is there either of these channels. Hearing: The use of ears to get the message for e.g. oral messages, interpersonal etc. Seeing: Visual channels for e.g. TV can be seen and the message is delivered. Touching: The sense of touch can be used as a channel to communicate for e.g. we touch and buy food, hugging etc. Smelling: Smell also can be a channel to communicate for e.g. perfumes, food, charred smell communicates something is burning, we can find out about which food is being cooked etc. Tasting : The tongue also can be used to decipher e.g. Food can be tasted and communication can happen. Decoder : Who receives the message and decodes it is referred to as decoder. Receiver: The receiver needs to have all the thinks like the source. This model believes that for an effective communication to take place the source and the receiver needs to be in the same level, only if the source and receiver are

on the same level communication will happen or take place properly. So source and receiver should be similar For e.g. Communication skills on source side is good then the receiver should equally have good listening skills. We cannot say the entire message passed doesnt reaches the receiver has it is because the receiver may not good in listening, so only for the effective communication the source and the receiver to be in the same level. Criticism of berlos smcr model of communication: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. No feedback / dont know about the effect Does not mention barriers to communication No room for noise Complex model It is a linear model of communication Needs people to be on same level for communication to occur but not true in real life 7. Main drawback of the model is that the model omits the usage of sixth sense as a channel which is actually a gift to the human beings (thinking, understanding, analyzing etc).

Schramm's Model of Communication Wilbur L. Schramm was a forefather in the development of a basic model of communication. His model is a derivation of the Shannon-Weaver transmission model of communication. The Shannon-Weaver model proposed six elements of communication:

source encoder message channel decoder receiver

Wilbur Schramm's 1954 model expands on this thinking by emphasizing the process of encoding and decoding the message. Schramm envisioned this process as a two-way circular communication between the sender and receiver. Where the Shannon-Weaver model is a more mathematical and technological one, Schramm incorporates the study of human behavior in the communication process. In addition to the six elements above, Schramm has included these concepts:

Feedback - information that comes back from the receiver to the sender and tells him how well he is doing. Diagram of Schramm's feedback loop

Field of Experience - an individual's beliefs, values, experiences and learned meanings both as an individual or part of a group. Diagram of Schramm's field of experience

Dr. Schramm suggests that the message can be complicated by different meanings learned by different people. Meanings can be denotative or connotative. Denotative meanings are common or dictionary meanings and can be roughly the same for most people. Connotative meanings are emotional or evaluative and based on personal experience. A message can also have surface

and latent meanings. Other characteristics of messages that impact communication between two individuals are: intonations and pitch patterns, accents, facial expressions, quality of voice, and gestures. The successful transmission of a message depends on whether this message will be accepted over all the competing messages. Schramm's model of communication also allows for the process of interpreting the message. This process is influenced by the presence of both physical (phone, tv, sirens, etc.) and semantic (distractions, age, attitudes, etc.) noise. Dr. Schramm believed that all of these elements were important functions of communication in society. He felt that people in a society need information on their environment and methods of communicating in order to make decisions. Most importantly we need "places to store the accumulated knowledge and wisdom of a society and this is why we have libraries"

Charles Osgood's Model (1954) Osgood in his model (Figure 2) showed communication, as a dynamic process in which there is an interactive relationship between the source and the receiver of the message (M). An individual engaged in the communication process sends as well as receives messages and as such encodes, decodes and interprets messages through a number of feedback mechanisms.

M
Encoder Decoder

Interpret er

M e
M-message Figure 2 Charles Osgood's Model

Interpret er

Source
Decoder

Receiver
Encoder

Osgood stressed the social nature of communication. This model was found more applicable in interpersonal communication in which the source and receiver were physically present. For example when a teacher teaches, the learners interact by raising queries, answering questions, etc. The role of interpretation of the message has also been highlighted in this model for decoding a message.

1. a.

Dances Helical Spiral, 1967 Background

i. Depicts communication as a dynamic process. Mortensen: The helix represents the way communication evolves in an individual from his birth to the existing moment. ii. Dance: At any and all times, the helix gives geometrical testimony to the concept that communication while moving forward is at the same moment coming back upon itself and being affected by its past behavior, for the coming curve of the helix is fundamentally affected by the curve from which it emerges. Yet, even though slowly, the helix can gradually free itself from its lower-level distortions. The communication process, like the helix, is constantly moving forward and yet is always to some degree dependent upon the past, which informs the present and the future. The helical communication model offers a flexible communication process.

b.

Strengths

i. Mortensen: As a heuristic device, the helix is interesting not so much for what it says as for what it permits to be said. Hence, it exemplifies a point made earlier: It is important to approach models in a spirit of speculation and intellectual play. ii. Chapanis (1961) called sophisticated play:

The helix implies that communication is continuous, unrepeatable, additive, and accumulative; that is, each phase of activity depends upon present forces at work as they are defined by all that has occurred before. All experience contributes to the shape of the unfolding moment; there is no break in the action, no fixed beginning, no pure redundancy, no closure. All communicative experience is the product of learned, nonrepeatable events which are defined in ways the organism develops to be self-consistent and socially meaningful. In short, the helix underscores the integrated aspects of all human communication as an evolving process that is always turned inward in ways that permit learning, growth, and discovery. c. i. Weaknesses May not be a model at all: too few variables.

Mortensen: If judged against conventional scientific standards, the helix does not fare well as a model. Indeed, some would claim that it does not meet the requirements of a model at all. More specifically, it is not a systematic or formalized mode of representation. Neither does it formalize relationships or isolate key variables. It describes in the abstract but does not explicitly explain or make particular hypotheses testable. ii. Generates Questions, but leaves much unaswered.

Mortensen: For example, does not the helix imply a false degree of continuity from one communicative situation to another? Do we necessarily perceive all encounters as actually occurring in an undifferentiated, unbroken sequence of events? Does an unbroken line not conflict with the human experience of discontinuity, intermittent periods, false starts, and so forth? Is all communication a matter of growth, upward and onward, in an ever-broadening range of encounters? If the helix represents continuous learning and growth, how can the same form also account for deterioration and decay? What about the forces of entropy, inertia, decay, and pathology? And does not the unbroken line of a helix tacitly ignore the qualitative distinctions that inevitably characterize different communicative events? Also, what about movements which we define as utterly wasted, forced, or contrived? Along similar lines, how can the idea of continuous, unbroken growth include events we consider meaningless, artificial, or unproductive? Countless other questions could be raised. And that is the point. The model brings problems of abstraction into the open. rtificial, or unproductive? Countless other questions could be raised. And that is the point. The model brings problems of abstraction into the open.

Intrapersonal Communication Intrapersonal communication takes place within a single person, often for the purpose of clarifying ideas or analyzing a situation. Other times, intrapersonal communication is undertaken in order to reflect upon or appreciate something. Three aspects of intrapersonal communication are self concept, perception and expectation. Self-concept is the basis for intrapersonal communication, because it determines how a persona sees him/herself and is oriented toward others. Selfconcept (also called self-awareness) involves three factors: beliefs, values and attitudes. Beliefs are basic personal orientation toward what is true or false, good or bad; beliefs can be descriptive or prescriptive. Values are deep-seated orientations and ideals, generally based on and consistent with beliefs, about right and wrong ideas and actions. Attitudes are learned predisposition toward or against a topic, ideals that stem from and generally are consistent with values. Attitudes often are global, typically emotional.

Beliefs, values and attitudes all influence behavior, which can be either spoken opinion or physical action. Some psychologists include body image as an aspect of intrapersonal communication, in that body image is a way of perceiving ourselves, positively or negatively, according to the social standards of our culture. Other things that can affect self-concept are personal attributes, talents, social role, even birth order. Whereas self-concept focuses internally, perception looks outward. Perception of the outside world also is rooted in beliefs, values and attitudes. It is so closely intertwined with self-concept that one feeds off the other, creating a harmonious understanding of both oneself and ones world. Meanwhile, expectations are future-oriented messages dealing with long-term roles, sometimes called life scripts. These sometimes are projections of learned relationships within the family or society. Intrapersonal communication may involve different levels of communication activity: internal discourse, solo vocal communication, and solo written communication. Internal discourse involves thinking, concentration and analysis. Psychologists include both daydreaming and nocturnal dreaming in this category. Prayer, contemplation and meditation also are part of this category, though from a theological point of view the argument may be made that this is not solely internal to one person. In Sufi tradition, this is similar to the concept of nafs, negotiating with the inner self. Example: Consciously appreciating the beauty of a sunset. Solo vocal communication includes speaking aloud to oneself. This may be done to clarify thinking, to rehearse a message intended for others, or simply to let off steam. Example: Talking to yourself as you complain about your boss. Solo written communication deals with writing not intended for others. Example: An entry in a diary or personal journal.

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