GROUP 1

THE NATURE OF COMMUNICATION

WHAT IS COMMUNICATION?

 It is our ability to communicate that makes us different from all other living things.

 It is our instrument for human interaction.

 It is our means of understanding.

Explain:
“The words which we speak are reflections of your personality; they are the products of our feelings and
thoughts, your values and attitudes.”
“Communication is indispensable to us!”

Functions of Communication

1. Communication connects one person with another.

2. Communication develops high mental processes.

3. Communication regulates speech itself.

4. Communication serves as an important factor in the preservation of one’s heritage.

Essential Characteristics of Communication

1. Communication is purposive.

2. Communication involves interaction.

3. Communication is transitory.

4. Communication occurs in specific settings.

5. Communication is influenced by the fields of experience of the communicator/speaker.

6. Communication does not contain the usual cues of writing.

Views on Communication

1. Communication connects people.

2. Communication starts relationship.

3. Communication involves sharing.

Basic Functions of Communication

1. For interaction

2. For increasing our store of information

3. For better understanding of our self and the world which we live

4. For changing people’s attitudes, beliefs, opinions, and actions

5. For making decisions

GROUP 2

Barriers to Effective Communication

The barriers can be overcame with patience and practice, but first they must be identified.

A. Insufficient Preparation. Communication is irrevocable. Once the idea has been expressed, its effect remains.

B. Obscure Instructions. Insufficient preparation leads to obscure, indefinite, and confusing instructions.

Guidelines of Giving Instructions

C – onceptualize an overall picture

L – imit the number of words used

E – liminate wordy or trite expressions

A – ccompany ypur explanation with transitional devices or sign posts

R – epeat some bits of information

C – reate a simple design of comparison

U – se good delivery techniques

T – ry to be simple, specific, and accurate

C. Poor Listening Habits. Poor listening habits occur because of the following:

1. Poor listeners show their unwillingness to listen by declaring the speaker’s topic uninteresting.

2. Poor listeners make fun of the speaker’s mannerisms, clothes, voice, grammar, dialectal influence, etc.

3. Poor listeners usually react immediately in a negative manner.

4. They oftentimes sit at the back where they can talk to each other.

5. Poor listeners are good pretenders. They pretend to listen while doing other things.

D. Semantic Barriers. Problems occur when the speakers use different words but actually mean the same things. In like
manner, speakers use vague terms that create different meanings for different people.

E. Self-Image. This includes negative self-esteem indifferent behavior, poor social skills and negative thoughts over how
people view us.

F. Perceptions toward others. Our perception of others can create obstacles such as insulting people, stereotyping, or
by just ignoring them; we can avoid those by remembering that each person is unique and
does not observe any preconditioned nations.

G. Noise
a. Channel Noise

a.1. External Noise (e.g. noise coming outside the room)

b.1. Internal Noise (e.g. headache, burden)

GROUP 3

THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS

 Communication is a continuous process that we cannot possibly manipulate or predict.

 It is also unrepeatable and irreversible.
 It is both dynamic and ever changing.

ELEMENTS OF COMMUNICATION
NOISE

SENDER MESSAGE CHANNEL

FEEDBACK RECEIVER

SITUATION

TYPES OF COMMUNICATION

1. Intrapersonal Communication – communicating within yourself

2. Interpersonal Communication – communication among a relatively small number of people

a. Dyadic Communication

b. Small Group Communication

3. Public or Audience Communication – involves speaking with the audience

4. Mass Communication – Communication via the use of mass media system

5. Communication Technology – communication through the use of Information technology

6. Organizational Communication – communication within the workplace between and among members in order
to carry out an organization’s objectives and purposes.

7. Intercultural Communication – communication between and among cultural communities and nations to
promote understanding and goodwill.

8. Development Communication – Communication between progressive nations and developing societies of the
world in order to facilitate the total development of individuals and
nations.

FORMS OF COMMUNICATION

1. Verbal Communication – makes use of linguistic symbols, uses written or spoken language.
2. Non-verbal Communication – makes use of non-linguistic symbols
GROUP 4

ROLES OF NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION

1. Communication can reflect their emotions through their nonverbal cues/actions in public.
2. Communicator’s nonverbal cues enhance his/her message.
3. Nonverbal cues/messages create a two-way interaction sent from the speaker to the listener (receiver) and vice-
versa.

CATEGORIES OF NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION

The primary elements of nonverbal communication can be categorized as follows:

1. Sign Language – these are words and numbers which are transmitted as messages through the use of gestures.
2. Object Language – this represents the showing of material objects like clothes, shoes, tools, or art objects.
3. Action Language – this refers to all movements which are not frequently used as signals or cues (e.g. walking)

Functions of Nonverbal Communication

a. Repeating
b. Contracting
c. Substituting
d. Complementing
e. Accenting
f. Relating and regulating

Types of Nonverbal Communication

1. Time – time-related nonverbal is a form of interpersonal communication (e.g. punctuality)

2. Proxemics – this is the use of space when people communicate in relation with other people.

Kinds of Space

a. Intimate Space – approximately 1 to 1.5 feet

b. Personal Space – approximately 1 to 2.5 feet

c. Public Space – from 12 feet and extends as far as is feasible in an auditorium or lecture hall.

3. Territoriality – nonverbal associated with geographic location, where people are in relation to one another (e.g. The
arrangement of the furniture in an office influences the communication situations)

4. Body Movement and Gestures – body language including hand signals which connote meanings.

5. Posture – the position on bearing of the body; this is involuntary in nature but communicate important signals which
can be friendly or hostile.

6. Facial Expressions – the changes in eyes, mouth, etc. which send communication messages to other speakers.

7. Eye Movements – play a significant role in sustaining the flow of interaction, it helps us immensely in communicating
with others and it enhances the overall process of communication.

8. Artifacts – objects or things in contact with the communicators that may serve as nonverbal stimuli. (e.g. perfume,
bags, clothes, shoes, eye glasses)

9. Silence – a technique used to send meaning either consciously or unconsciously.

10. Paralanguage – refers to how something is said and not what is said.

11. Tactile Communication - (touch/haptics) one of the first modes of communication of the human being (e.g. hugging,
holding)
GROUP 5

Basic Considerations for Effective Communication

1. Loudness or Volume of the Voice

 An effective voice must be as loud as the speaking situation requires.
 A well-modulated voice is an important attribute of an effective speaker.
 If one is speaking to a group, every member of the audience with normal hearing and concentration
should be able to understand the speaker without straining his ears or without getting irritated because
of the speaker’s excessively loud voice.
2. Pitch
 Pitch is the slope of the voice.
 We think of pitch as being high, medium, or low.
3. Intonation
 This refers to the tone and accent of the voice.
 This is the variation in pitch levels, and stress.
 It is an intrinsic feature of English and many other spoken languages.
 It is the rise and fall of the voice, the combination of tunes on which we pronounce the syllables that
makes up our speech; it is the indicative meanings on a specific syllables, word or phrase.
4. Duration, Rate or Tempo
 The three rates in speaking is slow, average and fast.
 To show solemnity, sorrow or depression, one should speak slowly.
 Joy, elation, excitement, happiness or anger should be spoken by a marked increase in rate.
 Important and intellectually significant words or phrases are pronounced more slowly and more
emphatically.

Styles of Communication

1. Passive Communication – a person prioritizes the needs, wants, and feelings of others, even at their own
expense. The person does not express their own needs, or does not stand up for them. This can lead to being
taken advantage of, even by well-meaning people who are unaware of the passive communicator’s needs and
wants.

-Soft spoken/quiet -poor eye contact/ looks down or away

-allows others to take advantage -does not express one’s own needs or wants

-prioritizes needs of others -lack of self-confidence

2. Aggressive Communication – a person expresses that only their own needs, wants, and feelings matter. The
other person is bullied, and their needs are ignored.

-easily frustrated -use of criticism, humiliation, and domination

-speaks in a loud or overbearing way -frequently interrupts or does not listen
-unwilling to compromise -disrespectful toward others

3. Assertive Communication – emphasizes the importance of both people’s needs. A person stands up for their
needs, wants, and feelings but also listens to and respects the needs of others. It is defined by confidence, and a
willingness to compromise.

-listens without interruption -stands up for own right

-clearly states needs and wants -confident tone/body language

-willing to compromise -good eye contact

E.g.

Scenario A friend asks to borrow your car. This will be a big inconvenience for you.
Passive Umm, yeah, I guess that’s fine. Do you need me to fill the tank?
Aggressive No way! Why would I let you borrow my car? You’re crazy to even ask.
Assertive I need my car that day, but I’ll have time to drop you off.