Download Communication Contexts

Communication Contexts
Communication
Communication is the process of using
messages to generate meaning .
Context
Context is a set of circumstances or a
situation
What Are Communication Contexts ?
Communication occurs in a context . Communication
occurs between two friends , between a teacher and
students in the classroom . The number of people involved
in communication affects the kind of communication that
occurs . You may communicate with yourself , with another
person , or with many others . The difference among these
situations affect your choices of the most appropriate
verbal and nonverbal codes .
Intrapersonal
Communication
Computer –
Mediated
Communication
Mass
Communication
Interpersonal
Communication
Public
Communication
Intrapersonal
Communication
Intrapersonal communication is
the process of using messages to
generate meaning within the self .
Intrapersonal Communication
is the communication that
occurs within your own mind .
Example
Suppose you and the person you have been dating for two years share the
same attitude toward education and a future career . After the two of you
finish your undergraduate degree , you plan to attend graduate school
together and then to run your own business . But one day your partner
informs you that he has decided to work in the family business . In your
opinion this action changes everything including you and your partner future
. When you begin to share your feelings with your partner , he becomes angry
and says your attitude is just another example of your inflexibility .You tell
your partner that you can not discuss the issue now and that you need to
think things over a while . You are engaged in intrapersonal communication .
Other Activities Include In
Intrapersonal Communication
Solving problems internally
Resolving internal conflict
Planning for the future
Evaluating yourself and your relationships with others
Interpersonal
Communication
Interpersonal communication is the
process of using messages to generate
meaning between at least two people in a
situation that allows mutual opportunities
for both speaking and listening .
Activities Include In Interpersonal
Communication
To solve problems
To resolve conflict
To fulfill social needs
To share information
To improve perceptions of oneself
Subsets Of Interpersonal Communication
Dyadic
Communication
Small-Group
Communication
Interpersonal
Communication
Dyadic Communication
Dyadic communication
is simply two person
communication .
Interviews
Talk with parent
Talk with child
o
o
o
Small-Group Communication
The process of using
messages to generate
meaning in a small
group of people .
Families
Work Groups
Support Groups
Religious Groups
Study Groups
o
o
o
o
o
Public
Communication
Public communication is the process of
using messages to generate meanings in a
situation in which a single source transmits
a message to a number of receivers , who
give nonverbal and sometimes , question
and answer feedback .
In public communication the source adapts the message to the
audience in an attempt to achieve maximum understanding .
Sometimes everyone in the audience understands the speakers
message , sometimes many people fail to understand .
Public communication is recognized by its formality , structure
and planning . You probably are frequently a receiver of public
communication in lecture classes , at convocations , at religious
services .Occasionally , you also may be a source , when you
speak in a group , when you introduce a guest speaker in a large
audience . Public communication most often informs and
persuades , but it can also entertain , introduce , announce ,
welcome .
Mass
Communication
Mass communication is the process of
using messages to generate meanings in a
mediated system , between a source and a
large number of unseen receivers .
When you watch your favorite TV show , the signals are going from the
broadcast studio to a satellite or cable system and then from that system to
your TV set .
“ Transmission system is a mediator between the sender and the receiver ” .
Media Convergence
Media convergence is the way that broadcasting , publishing
and digital communication are congregating .
Computer-Mediated
Communication
Computer-mediated communication (CMC)
includes human communication and
information shared through the different
communication networks .
Computer-mediated communication requires digital literacy ,
which is the ability to find , evaluate and use information that is
available via computer . The Email messages , discussion group
threads , newsgroup notes , instant messages and text
messages serve as the message while humans continue to serve
as the sources or receivers of those messages .
Technological Convergence
Technological convergence is the way that technology systems
are changing to perform similar tasks .
How Is CMC Unique As A Communication Context ?
Messages can be sent and received at different times . People
can pre-structure messages to which they give a great deal of
thought or they can quickly dash off a message with no thought
at all . CMC may allow equality among people as demographic
features and social status are removed .
How To Determined Communication Contexts ?
The various communication contexts can be determined by
several factors .
oThe number of people involved
o The level of formality
o The opportunities for feedback
o The need for restructuring messages
oThe degree of stability of roles of speaker and listener .
Differences In Perception
Perception
The process of becoming aware of
objects and events from the senses .
How Do Differences In Perception Occur ?
Perception is subjective , active and creative . Differences in
perception may be the result of physiological factors ,
people’s past experience and roles , their cultures and cocultures and their present feelings and circumstances .
Physiology
Physiology is the scientific study of function in
living systems . Its focus is in how organisms ,
organ systems , organs , cells , and bio-molecules
carry out the chemical or physical functions that
exist in a living system .
Physiological Factors
People are not physiologically identical to anyone else .
People differ from each other in gender , height , weight ,
body type and senses . A person may be a tall or short , have
poor eyesight or have impaired hearing , he may be
particularly sensitive to smell or his body temperature may
be colder than the rest of your family’s body temperature .
Physiological Factors
Difference in perception also may arise from temporary
conditions . A head-ache , fatigue or a pulled muscle can
cause you to perceive a critical comment when a friendly one
is being offered .
o You may not see a stop sign if your thoughts are
elsewhere .
o If you are tired , you may perceive stimuli differently than
when you are well rested .
o Hunger and thirst may also affect your perceptive skills .
The concept that explains the influence of your past
experiences on your perceptions is “ Perceptual Constancy ” .
Perceptual Constancy
Perceptual constancy is the idea that your past
experiences lead you to see the world in a way that
is difficult to change your initial perceptions persist .
Past Experiences
What happened to you in the past influences your current
perceptions . A bad experience in a given situation may cause
you to avoid that situation in the future . Your experiences
affect how you respond to professors , police , politicians , and
lawyers .
Role
Role is a part an individual plays in a group ,
an individual’s function or expected behavior .
Roles
Roles also influence perceptions . You may be a student , a
single mother or father , a political leader , or a business major .
Your roles affect your communication , whom you talk to , how
you talk to them , what language you use , and how you respond
to feedback .
A good example of how perceptual constancy and role are
related involves parent’s treatment of their children . Even
after some people become adults , their parents treat them
as they did when they were growing up .
Roles also tend to change with context . In your home you are a
son or daughter , mother or father . In the classroom you are a
student and at work you may be an editor or a manager .
Culture
Culture is a system of shared beliefs ,
values , customs , behaviors and artifacts
that the members of a society use to cope
with one another and with their world .
Culture
The ways people greet each other , position themselves when they talk , and
even eat and sleep are all influenced by culture. Marshall R. Singer (1982) ,
an intercultural communication researcher ,maintains that what people see ,
hear , taste , touch and smell is conditioned by their culture . He says that
people’s perceptions are largely learned , the greater the experiential
differences among people , the greater the disparity in their perceptions .
Conversely , the more similar their back-grounds , the more similarly they
perceive the world . People from different cultures and different countries
perceive communication differently . American speakers who are
accustomed to a certain level of feedback might find audiences in Finland
and Norway to be inexpressive . Interpersonal communication behaviors
also vary as a result of cultural differences .
Co-Culture
Co-culture is a group whose beliefs or
behaviors distinguish it from the large
culture of which it is a part and with
which it shares numerous similarities .
women and men tend to see the world differently , to
communicate about it differently and even to practice and
perceive communication itself differently . Women tend to see
talk as relational , as a way to understand feelings , whereas
men tend to see talk as instrumental as a way to achieve a task .
Feelings
It is used to describe experiences
other than the physical sensation of
touch , such as a feeling of warmth .
Circumstances
The existing conditions or state of
affairs surrounding and affecting .
Present Feelings And Circumstances
If you have ever spent a night alone in a large house , a deserted
dormitory , or an unfamiliar residence , you probably
understand that perceptions are altered by circumstances .
Most people experience a remarkable change in their hearing
at night when they are alone . They hear creaking , whining ,
scraping , cracking sounds at night but not during the day . The
lack of other stimuli including light , other sounds , and people
with whom to talk coupled with a slight feeling of anxiety
provides circumstances that result in more acute hearing .
Imagine you are talking to a classmate about an assignment
and she looks away from you , does not respond to your
attempts at conversation , but asks an occasional question .
Why Is She Acting Distant And Disinterested ?
She might be catching a cold or the flu and be uncomfortable
talking . Or , she has had the experience of helping other
classmates out with their work with no gratitude on their part .
She might feel because of her cultural background that she
should not be telling you what to do on assignment .
Consider public speaking and how this information is
important for message design . If you are going to speak on a
topic that is controversial by people of a certain age , you might
think about the demographics of your audience .
TH E EN D