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CHAPTER THREE:
Communication Principles
for Small Groups
WHAT IS “COMMUNICATION”?
The transactional process of
simultaneously creating,
interpreting, and negotiating
shared meaning through
interaction
CHARACTERISTICS OF
COMMUNICATION

Symbolic


Abstract, arbitrary
Mostly words
 Personal


Meanings are in people
Transactional
Multidirectional
 Meaning between people

Shared meaning
 Content and relational dimensions

“what”
 “how”

LISTENING
The process that involves
perceiving, interpreting, and
responding to messages
Is listening the same as hearing??
 Activity
 Effective
listening
 Influencing factors
 Listening between the lines
LISTENING PREFERENCES
Identify,
and shift
People-oriented listeners
Action-oriented listeners
Content-oriented listeners
Time-oriented listeners

ACTIVE LISTENING
Listening to understand a
message before critically
judging it
Paraphrase
Confirm
Sensitive or controversial issues

VERBAL
COMMUNICATION
Actual spoken words to
communicate a message
Bypassing
 Organizing
 Being sensitive
 Group rules

NONVERBAL
COMMUNICATION
Anything in a message that is
NOT a word
Ambiguous
 Cannot not communicate
 Nonverbals reign!

Functions
Emotions
 Supplement
 Substitute
 Regulate
 Contradict

NONVERBAL
CATEGORIES
Appearance
Space
& seating
Facial expressions
Eye contact
Body movement
Voice
Timing
NONVERBAL
CATEGORIES
Appearance
Space
& seating
Facial expressions
Eye contact
Body movement
Voice
Timing