Part I.

The Communication Process

Lesson 3 - The Functions of Communication

Introduction:

Being a two-way process, communication occurs in an orderly and Systematic

sequence wherein human beings are able to see and hear what transpires in their
environment.
As a process, communication is dynamic, adaptive and continuous. Being a
survival mechanism, communication helps us develop to be unique persons, relating
and cooperating with others. It satisfies our physical, ego, social and practical needs.
It is indeed essential in life.

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the lesson, you should be able to do the following:

 Determine the different functions of communication;

 Acknowledge the importance of the functions of communication in our daily
lives.

Learning Content:

a. Physical Needs
b. Ego Needs
c. Social Needs
d. Practical Needs

A. Physical Needs
 Personal communication is essential for our wellbeing. Sufficiency or
absence of communication has a bearing on one's state of physical
health. For one, stress is heightened or dissipated depending on
communication or lack of it and the nature of its content.
 Although it might not feel like it, your vocal cords are muscles. Like any
muscle with more use they grow stronger, and with less they grow
weaker. "So, if you stopped speaking, the laryngeal muscle would
atrophy," Lalwani writes in an email. "The vocal cords would not be as
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 taut." (Rousseau, 2017 -What Would Happen If You Just Stopped
Talking — Forever?)

B. Ego Needs
 Communication is the only way to learn who we are. If we are too
deprived of the chance to communicate with others, we would have no
sense of identity. It is through communication that one gets the chance
for affirmation of self-concept and sharing of views about a variety of
things, among others.

C. Social Needs
 We relate socially to others through communication. Three types of
social needs we strive to fulfill are identified by Wiliam Schutz, a
psychologist, by means of communication:
o Inclusion is the need to belong to a personal relationship. It may
be satisfied with formal relationships (having a job or career,
belonging to a religious organization, marriage) and informal
relationships (friends who go together, friendly neighbors).
o The desire for control is each one's desire to have an influence
on others and to feel a sense of domination or power over the
world. An example is the coach of a basketball team pioneering
his boys to championship.
o The need for affection is the desire for others to care for us and
a desire to care for others.

D. Practical Needs
 Abraham Maslow, a psychologist, identified five categories of practical
needs; (1) Physiological Needs, (2) Security and Safety Needs, (3)
Social Needs, (4) Esteem Needs and (5) Self-Actualization Needs.
These needs can be procured or obtained either through or with
communication itself.’
o Physiological Needs
 The basic physiological needs are probably fairly
apparent—these include the things that are vital to our
survival. Some examples of physiological needs include:
 Food
 Water
 Breathing
 Homeostasis
 In addition to the basic requirements of nutrition, air and
temperature regulation, the physiological needs also
include such things as shelter and clothing. Maslow also

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 included sexual reproduction in this level of the hierarchy
of needs since it is essential to the survival and
propagation of the species.

Figure 1. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (Verywell / Joshua Seong)

o Security and Safety Needs

 As we move up to the second level of Maslow’s hierarchy
of needs, the requirements start to become a bit more
complex. At this level, the needs for security and safety
become primary.
 People want control and order in their lives. So, this need
for safety and security contributes largely to behaviors at
this level. Some of the basic security and safety needs
include:
 Financial security
 Health and wellness
 Safety against accidents and injury
 Finding a job, obtaining health insurance and health care,
contributing money to a savings account, and moving into
a safer neighborhood are all examples of actions
motivated by the security and safety needs.

o Social Needs
 The social needs in Maslow’s hierarchy include such
things as love, acceptance, and belonging. At this level,

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 the need for emotional relationships drives human
behavior. Some of the things that satisfy this need include:
 Friendships
 Romantic attachments
 Family
 Social groups
 Community groups
 Churches and religious organizations
 In order to avoid problems such as loneliness, depression,
and anxiety, it is important for people to feel loved and
accepted by other people. Personal relationships with
friends, family, and lovers play an important role, as does
involvement in other groups that might include religious
groups, sports teams, book clubs, and other group
activities.

o Esteem Needs
 At the fourth level in Maslow’s hierarchy is the need for
appreciation and respect. When the needs at the bottom
three levels have been satisfied, the esteem needs begin
to play a more prominent role in motivating behavior.
 At this point, it becomes increasingly important to gain the
respect and appreciation of others. People have a need to
accomplish things and then have their efforts recognized.
In addition to the need for feelings of accomplishment and
prestige, esteem needs include such things as self-
esteem and personal worth.
 People need to sense that they are valued and by others
and feel that they are making a contribution to the world.
 Participation in professional activities, academic
accomplishments, athletic or team participation, and
personal hobbies can all play a role in fulfilling the esteem
needs. People who are able to satisfy the esteem needs
by achieving good self-esteem and the recognition of
others tend to feel confident in their abilities.
 Those who lack self-esteem and the respect of others can
develop feelings of inferiority. Together, the esteem and
social levels make up what is known as the psychological
needs of the hierarchy.

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 o Self-Actualization Needs
 At the very peak of Maslow’s hierarchy are the self-
actualization needs. "What a man can be, he must be,"
Maslow explained, referring to the need people have to
achieve their full potential as human beings.
 According to Maslow’s definition of self-actualization, "It
may be loosely described as the full use and exploitation
of talents, capabilities, potentialities, etc. Such people
seem to be fulfilling themselves and to be doing the best
that they are capable of doing. They are people who have
developed or are developing to the full stature of which
they capable."
 Self-actualizing people are self-aware, concerned with
personal growth, less concerned with the opinions of
others, and interested in fulfilling their potential.

Supplementary Reading Learning Materials and Resources:

 https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-maslows-hierarchy-of-needs-4136760
 https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html

Flexible Teaching-Learning Modality (FTLM) adopted:

 Synchronous
o Facebook messenger
 Asynchronous
o Learning Module

Teaching and Learning Activities / Assessment Tasks:

Activity 1
Directions: Answer the questions given below and briefly justify your
answers.
1. In your opinion, which of the functions of communication discussed is the most
important?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
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 2. Briefly explain the importance of each function of communication. Incorporate
personal experiences to support your answer.
Physical Needs:
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

Ego Needs:
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

Social Needs:
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

Practical Needs:
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

References:

 Padilla, M.M., et. al. (2003). Speech For Effective Communication.

Meycauayan, Bulacan: Trinitas Publishing, Inc.
 Rousseau, S. (2017). What Would Happen If You Just Stopped Talking —
Forever?. Retrieved from https://digg.com/2017/can-you-stop-talking

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