{"id":347,"date":"2015-01-28T21:34:13","date_gmt":"2015-01-28T21:34:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.candelalearning.com\/englishforbusiness\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=347"},"modified":"2016-09-05T15:43:47","modified_gmt":"2016-09-05T15:43:47","slug":"1-2-what-is-communication","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-mcc-businesscommunication\/chapter\/1-2-what-is-communication\/","title":{"raw":"What Is Communication?","rendered":"What Is Communication?"},"content":{"raw":"<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-highlight\">\r\n<h3>LEARNING OBJECTIVES<\/h3>\r\nBy the end of this section, you will be able to:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Define communication and describe communication as a process.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Identify and describe the eight essential components of communication.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Identify and describe two models of communication.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"im_section\">\r\n<div id=\"mclean-ch01_s02_n01\" class=\"im_learning_objectives im_editable im_block\">\r\n<p class=\"im_title\">Many theories have been proposed to describe, predict, and understand the behaviors and phenomena of which communication consists. When it comes to communicating in business, we are often less interested in theory than in making sure our communications generate the desired results. But in order to achieve results, it can be valuable to understand what communication is and how it works.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"im_section\">\r\n<h2>Defining Communication<\/h2>\r\nThe root of the word \u201ccommunication\u201d in Latin is <em class=\"im_emphasis\">communicare<\/em>, which means to share, or to make common (<span id=\"fwk-mclean-fn01_005\" class=\"im_footnote\">Weekley, 1967).<\/span>\u00a0<span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">Communication<\/span><\/span> is defined as the process of understanding and sharing meaning\u00a0(<span id=\"fwk-mclean-fn01_006\" class=\"im_footnote\">Pearson &amp; Nelson,\u00a02000,\u00a0p. 6).\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nAt the center of our study of communication is the relationship that involves interaction between participants. This definition serves us well with its emphasis on the process, which we\u2019ll examine in depth across this text, of coming to understand and share another\u2019s point of view effectively.\r\n\r\nThe first key word in this definition is <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">process<\/span><\/span>. A process is a dynamic activity that is hard to describe because it changes (<span id=\"fwk-mclean-fn01_006\" class=\"im_footnote\">Pearson &amp; Nelson,\u00a02000).\u00a0<\/span>Imagine you are alone in your kitchen thinking. Someone you know (say, your mother) enters the kitchen and you talk briefly. What has changed? Now, imagine that your mother is joined by someone else, someone you haven\u2019t met before\u2014and this stranger listens intently as you speak, almost as if you were giving a speech. What has changed? Your perspective might change, and you might watch your words more closely. The feedback or response from your mother and the stranger (who are, in essence, your audience) may cause you to reevaluate what you are saying. When we interact, all these factors\u2014and many more\u2014influence the process of communication.\r\n\r\nThe second key word is <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">understanding<\/span><\/span>: \u201cTo understand is to perceive, to interpret, and to relate our perception and interpretation to what we already know\u201d (<span id=\"fwk-mclean-fn01_008\" class=\"im_footnote\">McLean, 2003).<\/span>\u00a0If a friend tells you a story about falling off a bike, what image comes to mind? Now your friend points out the window and you see a motorcycle lying on the ground. Understanding the words and the concepts or objects they refer to is an important part of the communication process.\r\n\r\nNext comes the word <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">sharing<\/span><\/span>. Sharing means doing something together with one or more people. You may share a joint activity, as when you share in compiling a report; or you may benefit jointly from a resource, as when you and several coworkers share a pizza. In communication, sharing occurs when you convey thoughts, feelings, ideas, or insights to others. You can also share with yourself (a process called intrapersonal communication) when you bring ideas to consciousness, ponder how you feel about something, or figure out the solution to a problem and have a classic \u201cAha!\u201d moment when something becomes clear.\r\n\r\nFinally, <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">meaning<\/span><\/span> is what we share through communication. The word \u201cbike\u201d represents both a bicycle and a short name for a motorcycle. By looking at the context the word is used in and by asking questions, we can discover the shared meaning of the word and understand the message.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"im_section\">\r\n<h2><\/h2>\r\n<h2>Eight Essential Components of Communication<\/h2>\r\nIn order to better understand the communication process, we can break it down into a series of eight essential components:\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li>Source<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Message<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Channel<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Receiver<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Feedback<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Environment<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Context<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Interference<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/div>\r\nEach of these eight components serves an integral function in the overall process. Let\u2019s explore them one by one.\r\n<div class=\"im_section\">\r\n<h2>Source<\/h2>\r\nThe <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">source<\/span><\/span> imagines, creates, and sends the message. In a public speaking situation, the source is the person giving the speech. He or she conveys the message by sharing new information with the audience. The speaker also conveys a message through his or her tone of voice, body language, and choice of clothing. The speaker begins by first determining the message\u2014what to say and how to say it. The second step involves encoding the message by choosing just the right order or the perfect words to convey the intended meaning. The third step is to present or send the information to the receiver or audience. Finally, by watching for the audience\u2019s reaction, the source perceives how well they received the message and responds with clarification or supporting information.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"im_section\">\r\n<h2>Message<\/h2>\r\n\u201cThe <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">message<\/span><\/span> is the stimulus or meaning produced by the source for the receiver or audience\u201d\u00a0(<span id=\"fwk-mclean-fn01_008\" class=\"im_footnote\">McLean, 2005, p. 10)<\/span><span id=\"fwk-mclean-fn01_009\" class=\"im_footnote\">.<\/span> When you plan to give a speech or write a report, your message may seem to be only the words you choose that will convey your meaning. But that is just the beginning. The words are brought together with grammar and organization. You may choose to save your most important point for last. The message also consists of the way you say it\u2014in a speech, with your tone of voice, your body language, and your appearance\u2014and in a report, with your writing style, punctuation, and the headings and formatting you choose. In addition, part of the message may be the environment or context you present it in and the noise that might make your message hard to hear or see.\r\n\r\nImagine, for example, that you are addressing a large audience of sales reps and are aware there is a World Series game tonight. Your audience might have a hard time settling down, but you may choose to open with, \u201cI understand there is an important game tonight.\u201d In this way, by expressing verbally something that most people in your audience are aware of and interested in, you might grasp and focus their attention.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"im_section\">\r\n<h2>Channel<\/h2>\r\n\u201cThe <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">channel<\/span><\/span> is the way in which a message or messages travel between source and receiver\u201d (<span id=\"fwk-mclean-fn01_008\" class=\"im_footnote\">McLean, 2005, p. 10)<\/span><span id=\"fwk-mclean-fn01_010\" class=\"im_footnote\">.<\/span> For example, think of your television. How many channels do you have on your television? Each channel takes up some space, even in a digital world, in the cable or in the signal that brings the message of each channel to your home. Television combines an audio signal you hear with a visual signal you see. Together they convey the message to the receiver or audience. Turn off the volume on your television. Can you still understand what is happening? Many times you can, because the body language conveys part of the message of the show. Now turn up the volume but turn around so that you cannot see the television. You can still hear the dialogue and follow the story line.\r\n\r\nSimilarly, when you speak or write, you are using a channel to convey your message. Spoken channels include face-to-face conversations, speeches, telephone conversations and voice mail messages, radio, public address systems, and voice over Internet protocol (VoIP). Written channels include letters, memorandums, purchase orders, invoices, newspaper and magazine articles, blogs, e-mail, text messages, tweets, and so forth.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"im_section\">\r\n<h2>Receiver<\/h2>\r\n\u201cThe <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">receiver<\/span><\/span> receives the message from the source, analyzing and interpreting the message in ways both intended and unintended by the source\u201d(<span id=\"fwk-mclean-fn01_008\" class=\"im_footnote\">McLean, 2005, p. 10)<\/span><span id=\"fwk-mclean-fn01_009\" class=\"im_footnote\">.<\/span>\u00a0To better understand this component, think of a receiver on a football team. The quarterback throws the football (message) to a receiver, who must see and interpret where to catch the ball. The quarterback may intend for the receiver to \u201ccatch\u201d his message in one way, but the receiver may see things differently and miss the football (the intended meaning) altogether.\r\n\r\nAs a receiver you listen, see, touch, smell, and\/or taste to receive a message. Your audience \u201csizes you up,\u201d much as you might check them out long before you take the stage or open your mouth. The nonverbal responses of your listeners can serve as clues on how to adjust your opening. By imagining yourself in their place, you anticipate what you would look for if you were them. Just as a quarterback plans where the receiver will be in order to place the ball correctly, you too can recognize the interaction between source and receiver in a business communication context. All of this happens at the same time, illustrating why and how communication is always changing.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"im_section\">\r\n<h2>Feedback<\/h2>\r\nWhen you respond to the source, intentionally or unintentionally, you are giving feedback. <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">Feedback<\/span><\/span> is composed of messages the receiver sends back to the source. Verbal or nonverbal, all these feedback signals allow the source to see how well, how accurately (or how poorly and inaccurately) the message was received. Feedback also provides an opportunity for the receiver or audience to ask for clarification, to agree or disagree, or to indicate that the source could make the message more interesting. As the amount of feedback increases, the accuracy of communication also increases\u00a0(Leavitt &amp; Mueller, 1951).\r\n\r\nFor example, suppose you are a sales manager participating in a conference call with four sales reps. As the source, you want to tell the reps to take advantage of the fact that it is World Series season to close sales on baseball-related sports gear. You state your message, but you hear no replies from your listeners. You might assume that this means they understood and agreed with you, but later in the month you might be disappointed to find that very few sales were made. If you followed up your message with a request for feedback (\u201cDoes this make sense? Do any of you have any questions?\u201d) you might have an opportunity to clarify your message, and to find out whether any of the sales reps believed your suggestion would not work with their customers.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"im_section\">\r\n<h2>Environment<\/h2>\r\n\u201cThe <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">environment<\/span><\/span> is the atmosphere, physical and psychological, where you send and receive messages\u201d\u00a0(<span id=\"fwk-mclean-fn01_008\" class=\"im_footnote\">McLean, 2005, p. 11).\u00a0<\/span>The environment can include the tables, chairs, lighting, and sound equipment that are in the room. The room itself is an example of the environment. The environment can also include factors like formal dress, that may indicate whether a discussion is open and caring or more professional and formal. People may be more likely to have an intimate conversation when they are physically close to each other, and less likely when they can only see each other from across the room. In that case, they may text each other, itself an intimate form of communication. The choice to text is influenced by the environment. As a speaker, your environment will impact and play a role in your speech. It\u2019s always a good idea to go check out where you\u2019ll be speaking before the day of the actual presentation.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"im_section\">\r\n<h2>Context<\/h2>\r\n\u201cThe <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">context<\/span><\/span> of the communication interaction involves the setting, scene, and expectations of the individuals involved\u201d (<span id=\"fwk-mclean-fn01_008\" class=\"im_footnote\">McLean, 2005, p. 11).<\/span>\u00a0A professional communication context may involve business suits (environmental cues) that directly or indirectly influence expectations of language and behavior among the participants.\r\n\r\nA presentation or discussion does not take place as an isolated event. When you came to class, you came from somewhere. So did the person seated next to you, as did the instructor. The degree to which the environment is formal or informal depends on the contextual expectations for communication held by the participants. The person sitting next to you may be used to informal communication with instructors, but this particular instructor may be used to verbal and nonverbal displays of respect in the academic environment. You may be used to formal interactions with instructors as well, and find your classmate\u2019s question of \u201cHey Teacher, do we have homework today?\u201d as rude and inconsiderate when they see it as normal. The nonverbal response from the instructor will certainly give you a clue about how they perceive the interaction, both the word choices and how they were said.\r\n\r\nContext is all about what people expect from each other, and we often create those expectations out of environmental cues. Traditional gatherings like weddings or quincea\u00f1eras are often formal events. There is a time for quiet social greetings, a time for silence as the bride walks down the aisle, or the father may have the first dance with his daughter as she is transformed from a girl to womanhood in the eyes of her community. In either celebration there may come a time for rambunctious celebration and dancing. You may be called upon to give a toast, and the wedding or quincea\u00f1era context will influence your presentation, timing, and effectiveness.\r\n\r\nIn a business meeting, who speaks first? That probably has some relation to the position and role each person has outside the meeting. Context plays a very important role in communication, particularly across cultures.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"im_section\">\r\n<h2>Interference<\/h2>\r\nInterference, also called noise, can come from any source. \u201c<span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">Interference<\/span><\/span> is anything that blocks or changes the source\u2019s intended meaning of the message\u201d\u00a0(<span id=\"fwk-mclean-fn01_008\" class=\"im_footnote\">McLean, 2005, p. 11).\u00a0<\/span>For example, if you drove a car to work or school, chances are you were surrounded by noise. Car horns, billboards, or perhaps the radio in your car interrupted your thoughts, or your conversation with a passenger.\r\n\r\nPsychological noise is what happens when your thoughts occupy your attention while you are hearing, or reading, a message. Imagine that it is 4:45 p.m. and your boss, who is at a meeting in another city, e-mails you asking for last month\u2019s sales figures, an analysis of current sales projections, and the sales figures from the same month for the past five years. You may open the e-mail, start to read, and think, \u201cGreat\u2014no problem\u2014I have those figures and that analysis right here in my computer.\u201d You fire off a reply with last month\u2019s sales figures and the current projections attached. Then, at five o\u2019clock, you turn off your computer and go home. The next morning, your boss calls on the phone to tell you he was inconvenienced because you neglected to include the sales figures from the previous years. What was the problem? Interference: by thinking about how you wanted to respond to your boss\u2019s message, you prevented yourself from reading attentively enough to understand the whole message.\r\n\r\nInterference can come from other sources, too. Perhaps you are hungry, and your attention to your current situation interferes with your ability to listen. Maybe the office is hot and stuffy. If you were a member of an audience listening to an executive speech, how could this impact your ability to listen and participate?\r\n\r\nNoise interferes with normal encoding and decoding of the message carried by the channel between source and receiver. Not all noise is bad, but noise interferes with the communication process. For example, your cell phone ringtone may be a welcome noise to you, but it may interrupt the communication process in class and bother your classmates.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"im_section\">\r\n<h2>Two Models of Communication<\/h2>\r\nResearchers have observed that when communication takes place, the source and the receiver may send messages at the same time, often overlapping. You, as the speaker, will often play both roles, as source and receiver. You\u2019ll focus on the communication and the reception of your messages to the audience. The audience will respond in the form of feedback that will give you important clues. While there are many models of communication, here we will focus on two that offer perspectives and lessons for business communicators.\r\n\r\nRather than looking at the source sending a message and someone receiving it as two distinct acts, researchers often view communication as a <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">transactional<\/span><\/span> process (<a class=\"im_xref\" href=\"#mclean-ch01_s02_s03_f01\">Figure 1.3 \"Transactional Model of Communication\"<\/a>), with actions often happening at the same time. The distinction between source and receiver is blurred in conversational turn-taking, for example, where both participants play both roles simultaneously.\r\n<div id=\"mclean-ch01_s02_s03_f01\" class=\"im_figure im_large im_medium-height im_editable im_block\">\r\n\r\n<span class=\"im_title-prefix\">Figure 1.3<\/span> Transactional Model of Communication\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/textimgs.s3.amazonaws.com\/buscomm\/section_05\/c08cc636e40196770be4d9289678f8ae.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/299\/2015\/01\/20165617\/image1.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nResearchers have also examined the idea that we all construct our own interpretations of the message. As the State Department quote at the beginning of this chapter indicates, what I said and what you heard may be different. In the <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">constructivist<\/span><\/span> model (<a class=\"im_xref\" href=\"#mclean-ch01_s02_s03_f02\">Figure 1.4 \"Constructivist Model of Communication\"<\/a>), we focus on the negotiated meaning, or common ground, when trying to describe communication. \u00a0(Pearce &amp; Cronen, 1980; Cronen &amp; Pearce, 1982).\r\n\r\nImagine that you are visiting Atlanta, Georgia, and go to a restaurant for dinner. When asked if you want a \u201cCoke,\u201d you may reply, \u201csure.\u201d The waiter may then ask you again, \u201cwhat kind?\u201d and you may reply, \u201cCoke is fine.\u201d The waiter then may ask a third time, \u201cwhat kind of soft drink would you like?\u201d The misunderstanding in this example is that in Atlanta, the home of the Coca-Cola Company, most soft drinks are generically referred to as \u201cCoke.\u201d When you order a soft drink, you need to specify what type, even if you wish to order a beverage that is not a cola or not even made by the Coca-Cola Company. To someone from other regions of the United States, the words \u201cpop,\u201d \u201csoda pop,\u201d or \u201csoda\u201d may be the familiar way to refer to a soft drink; not necessarily the brand \u201cCoke.\u201d In this example, both you and the waiter understand the word \u201cCoke,\u201d but you each understand it to mean something different. In order to communicate, you must each realize what the term means to the other person, and establish common ground, in order to fully understand the request and provide an answer.\r\n<div id=\"mclean-ch01_s02_s03_f02\" class=\"im_figure im_large im_medium-height im_editable im_block\">\r\n\r\n<span class=\"im_title-prefix\">Figure 1.4<\/span> Constructivist Model of Communication\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/textimgs.s3.amazonaws.com\/buscomm\/section_05\/e18dc3e43bf86801e44729d6497ca5c1.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/299\/2015\/01\/20165618\/image2.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nBecause we carry the multiple meanings of words, gestures, and ideas within us, we can use a dictionary to guide us, but we will still need to negotiate meaning.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-success\">\r\n<h3>Key Takeaway<\/h3>\r\n<section>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\nThe communication process involves understanding, sharing, and meaning, and it consists of eight essential elements: source, message, channel, receiver, feedback, environment, context, and interference. Among the models of communication are the transactional process, in which actions happen simultaneously, and the constructivist model, which focuses on shared meaning.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/section><\/div>\r\n<h3><\/h3>\r\n<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-info\"><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-highlight\">\n<h3>LEARNING OBJECTIVES<\/h3>\n<p>By the end of this section, you will be able to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Define communication and describe communication as a process.<\/li>\n<li>Identify and describe the eight essential components of communication.<\/li>\n<li>Identify and describe two models of communication.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"im_section\">\n<div id=\"mclean-ch01_s02_n01\" class=\"im_learning_objectives im_editable im_block\">\n<p class=\"im_title\">Many theories have been proposed to describe, predict, and understand the behaviors and phenomena of which communication consists. When it comes to communicating in business, we are often less interested in theory than in making sure our communications generate the desired results. But in order to achieve results, it can be valuable to understand what communication is and how it works.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"im_section\">\n<h2>Defining Communication<\/h2>\n<p>The root of the word \u201ccommunication\u201d in Latin is <em class=\"im_emphasis\">communicare<\/em>, which means to share, or to make common (<span id=\"fwk-mclean-fn01_005\" class=\"im_footnote\">Weekley, 1967).<\/span>\u00a0<span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">Communication<\/span><\/span> is defined as the process of understanding and sharing meaning\u00a0(<span id=\"fwk-mclean-fn01_006\" class=\"im_footnote\">Pearson &amp; Nelson,\u00a02000,\u00a0p. 6).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>At the center of our study of communication is the relationship that involves interaction between participants. This definition serves us well with its emphasis on the process, which we\u2019ll examine in depth across this text, of coming to understand and share another\u2019s point of view effectively.<\/p>\n<p>The first key word in this definition is <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">process<\/span><\/span>. A process is a dynamic activity that is hard to describe because it changes (<span id=\"fwk-mclean-fn01_006\" class=\"im_footnote\">Pearson &amp; Nelson,\u00a02000).\u00a0<\/span>Imagine you are alone in your kitchen thinking. Someone you know (say, your mother) enters the kitchen and you talk briefly. What has changed? Now, imagine that your mother is joined by someone else, someone you haven\u2019t met before\u2014and this stranger listens intently as you speak, almost as if you were giving a speech. What has changed? Your perspective might change, and you might watch your words more closely. The feedback or response from your mother and the stranger (who are, in essence, your audience) may cause you to reevaluate what you are saying. When we interact, all these factors\u2014and many more\u2014influence the process of communication.<\/p>\n<p>The second key word is <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">understanding<\/span><\/span>: \u201cTo understand is to perceive, to interpret, and to relate our perception and interpretation to what we already know\u201d (<span id=\"fwk-mclean-fn01_008\" class=\"im_footnote\">McLean, 2003).<\/span>\u00a0If a friend tells you a story about falling off a bike, what image comes to mind? Now your friend points out the window and you see a motorcycle lying on the ground. Understanding the words and the concepts or objects they refer to is an important part of the communication process.<\/p>\n<p>Next comes the word <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">sharing<\/span><\/span>. Sharing means doing something together with one or more people. You may share a joint activity, as when you share in compiling a report; or you may benefit jointly from a resource, as when you and several coworkers share a pizza. In communication, sharing occurs when you convey thoughts, feelings, ideas, or insights to others. You can also share with yourself (a process called intrapersonal communication) when you bring ideas to consciousness, ponder how you feel about something, or figure out the solution to a problem and have a classic \u201cAha!\u201d moment when something becomes clear.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">meaning<\/span><\/span> is what we share through communication. The word \u201cbike\u201d represents both a bicycle and a short name for a motorcycle. By looking at the context the word is used in and by asking questions, we can discover the shared meaning of the word and understand the message.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"im_section\">\n<h2><\/h2>\n<h2>Eight Essential Components of Communication<\/h2>\n<p>In order to better understand the communication process, we can break it down into a series of eight essential components:<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<ol>\n<li>Source<\/li>\n<li>Message<\/li>\n<li>Channel<\/li>\n<li>Receiver<\/li>\n<li>Feedback<\/li>\n<li>Environment<\/li>\n<li>Context<\/li>\n<li>Interference<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<p>Each of these eight components serves an integral function in the overall process. Let\u2019s explore them one by one.<\/p>\n<div class=\"im_section\">\n<h2>Source<\/h2>\n<p>The <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">source<\/span><\/span> imagines, creates, and sends the message. In a public speaking situation, the source is the person giving the speech. He or she conveys the message by sharing new information with the audience. The speaker also conveys a message through his or her tone of voice, body language, and choice of clothing. The speaker begins by first determining the message\u2014what to say and how to say it. The second step involves encoding the message by choosing just the right order or the perfect words to convey the intended meaning. The third step is to present or send the information to the receiver or audience. Finally, by watching for the audience\u2019s reaction, the source perceives how well they received the message and responds with clarification or supporting information.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"im_section\">\n<h2>Message<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cThe <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">message<\/span><\/span> is the stimulus or meaning produced by the source for the receiver or audience\u201d\u00a0(<span id=\"fwk-mclean-fn01_008\" class=\"im_footnote\">McLean, 2005, p. 10)<\/span><span id=\"fwk-mclean-fn01_009\" class=\"im_footnote\">.<\/span> When you plan to give a speech or write a report, your message may seem to be only the words you choose that will convey your meaning. But that is just the beginning. The words are brought together with grammar and organization. You may choose to save your most important point for last. The message also consists of the way you say it\u2014in a speech, with your tone of voice, your body language, and your appearance\u2014and in a report, with your writing style, punctuation, and the headings and formatting you choose. In addition, part of the message may be the environment or context you present it in and the noise that might make your message hard to hear or see.<\/p>\n<p>Imagine, for example, that you are addressing a large audience of sales reps and are aware there is a World Series game tonight. Your audience might have a hard time settling down, but you may choose to open with, \u201cI understand there is an important game tonight.\u201d In this way, by expressing verbally something that most people in your audience are aware of and interested in, you might grasp and focus their attention.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"im_section\">\n<h2>Channel<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cThe <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">channel<\/span><\/span> is the way in which a message or messages travel between source and receiver\u201d (<span id=\"fwk-mclean-fn01_008\" class=\"im_footnote\">McLean, 2005, p. 10)<\/span><span id=\"fwk-mclean-fn01_010\" class=\"im_footnote\">.<\/span> For example, think of your television. How many channels do you have on your television? Each channel takes up some space, even in a digital world, in the cable or in the signal that brings the message of each channel to your home. Television combines an audio signal you hear with a visual signal you see. Together they convey the message to the receiver or audience. Turn off the volume on your television. Can you still understand what is happening? Many times you can, because the body language conveys part of the message of the show. Now turn up the volume but turn around so that you cannot see the television. You can still hear the dialogue and follow the story line.<\/p>\n<p>Similarly, when you speak or write, you are using a channel to convey your message. Spoken channels include face-to-face conversations, speeches, telephone conversations and voice mail messages, radio, public address systems, and voice over Internet protocol (VoIP). Written channels include letters, memorandums, purchase orders, invoices, newspaper and magazine articles, blogs, e-mail, text messages, tweets, and so forth.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"im_section\">\n<h2>Receiver<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cThe <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">receiver<\/span><\/span> receives the message from the source, analyzing and interpreting the message in ways both intended and unintended by the source\u201d(<span id=\"fwk-mclean-fn01_008\" class=\"im_footnote\">McLean, 2005, p. 10)<\/span><span id=\"fwk-mclean-fn01_009\" class=\"im_footnote\">.<\/span>\u00a0To better understand this component, think of a receiver on a football team. The quarterback throws the football (message) to a receiver, who must see and interpret where to catch the ball. The quarterback may intend for the receiver to \u201ccatch\u201d his message in one way, but the receiver may see things differently and miss the football (the intended meaning) altogether.<\/p>\n<p>As a receiver you listen, see, touch, smell, and\/or taste to receive a message. Your audience \u201csizes you up,\u201d much as you might check them out long before you take the stage or open your mouth. The nonverbal responses of your listeners can serve as clues on how to adjust your opening. By imagining yourself in their place, you anticipate what you would look for if you were them. Just as a quarterback plans where the receiver will be in order to place the ball correctly, you too can recognize the interaction between source and receiver in a business communication context. All of this happens at the same time, illustrating why and how communication is always changing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"im_section\">\n<h2>Feedback<\/h2>\n<p>When you respond to the source, intentionally or unintentionally, you are giving feedback. <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">Feedback<\/span><\/span> is composed of messages the receiver sends back to the source. Verbal or nonverbal, all these feedback signals allow the source to see how well, how accurately (or how poorly and inaccurately) the message was received. Feedback also provides an opportunity for the receiver or audience to ask for clarification, to agree or disagree, or to indicate that the source could make the message more interesting. As the amount of feedback increases, the accuracy of communication also increases\u00a0(Leavitt &amp; Mueller, 1951).<\/p>\n<p>For example, suppose you are a sales manager participating in a conference call with four sales reps. As the source, you want to tell the reps to take advantage of the fact that it is World Series season to close sales on baseball-related sports gear. You state your message, but you hear no replies from your listeners. You might assume that this means they understood and agreed with you, but later in the month you might be disappointed to find that very few sales were made. If you followed up your message with a request for feedback (\u201cDoes this make sense? Do any of you have any questions?\u201d) you might have an opportunity to clarify your message, and to find out whether any of the sales reps believed your suggestion would not work with their customers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"im_section\">\n<h2>Environment<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cThe <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">environment<\/span><\/span> is the atmosphere, physical and psychological, where you send and receive messages\u201d\u00a0(<span id=\"fwk-mclean-fn01_008\" class=\"im_footnote\">McLean, 2005, p. 11).\u00a0<\/span>The environment can include the tables, chairs, lighting, and sound equipment that are in the room. The room itself is an example of the environment. The environment can also include factors like formal dress, that may indicate whether a discussion is open and caring or more professional and formal. People may be more likely to have an intimate conversation when they are physically close to each other, and less likely when they can only see each other from across the room. In that case, they may text each other, itself an intimate form of communication. The choice to text is influenced by the environment. As a speaker, your environment will impact and play a role in your speech. It\u2019s always a good idea to go check out where you\u2019ll be speaking before the day of the actual presentation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"im_section\">\n<h2>Context<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cThe <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">context<\/span><\/span> of the communication interaction involves the setting, scene, and expectations of the individuals involved\u201d (<span id=\"fwk-mclean-fn01_008\" class=\"im_footnote\">McLean, 2005, p. 11).<\/span>\u00a0A professional communication context may involve business suits (environmental cues) that directly or indirectly influence expectations of language and behavior among the participants.<\/p>\n<p>A presentation or discussion does not take place as an isolated event. When you came to class, you came from somewhere. So did the person seated next to you, as did the instructor. The degree to which the environment is formal or informal depends on the contextual expectations for communication held by the participants. The person sitting next to you may be used to informal communication with instructors, but this particular instructor may be used to verbal and nonverbal displays of respect in the academic environment. You may be used to formal interactions with instructors as well, and find your classmate\u2019s question of \u201cHey Teacher, do we have homework today?\u201d as rude and inconsiderate when they see it as normal. The nonverbal response from the instructor will certainly give you a clue about how they perceive the interaction, both the word choices and how they were said.<\/p>\n<p>Context is all about what people expect from each other, and we often create those expectations out of environmental cues. Traditional gatherings like weddings or quincea\u00f1eras are often formal events. There is a time for quiet social greetings, a time for silence as the bride walks down the aisle, or the father may have the first dance with his daughter as she is transformed from a girl to womanhood in the eyes of her community. In either celebration there may come a time for rambunctious celebration and dancing. You may be called upon to give a toast, and the wedding or quincea\u00f1era context will influence your presentation, timing, and effectiveness.<\/p>\n<p>In a business meeting, who speaks first? That probably has some relation to the position and role each person has outside the meeting. Context plays a very important role in communication, particularly across cultures.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"im_section\">\n<h2>Interference<\/h2>\n<p>Interference, also called noise, can come from any source. \u201c<span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">Interference<\/span><\/span> is anything that blocks or changes the source\u2019s intended meaning of the message\u201d\u00a0(<span id=\"fwk-mclean-fn01_008\" class=\"im_footnote\">McLean, 2005, p. 11).\u00a0<\/span>For example, if you drove a car to work or school, chances are you were surrounded by noise. Car horns, billboards, or perhaps the radio in your car interrupted your thoughts, or your conversation with a passenger.<\/p>\n<p>Psychological noise is what happens when your thoughts occupy your attention while you are hearing, or reading, a message. Imagine that it is 4:45 p.m. and your boss, who is at a meeting in another city, e-mails you asking for last month\u2019s sales figures, an analysis of current sales projections, and the sales figures from the same month for the past five years. You may open the e-mail, start to read, and think, \u201cGreat\u2014no problem\u2014I have those figures and that analysis right here in my computer.\u201d You fire off a reply with last month\u2019s sales figures and the current projections attached. Then, at five o\u2019clock, you turn off your computer and go home. The next morning, your boss calls on the phone to tell you he was inconvenienced because you neglected to include the sales figures from the previous years. What was the problem? Interference: by thinking about how you wanted to respond to your boss\u2019s message, you prevented yourself from reading attentively enough to understand the whole message.<\/p>\n<p>Interference can come from other sources, too. Perhaps you are hungry, and your attention to your current situation interferes with your ability to listen. Maybe the office is hot and stuffy. If you were a member of an audience listening to an executive speech, how could this impact your ability to listen and participate?<\/p>\n<p>Noise interferes with normal encoding and decoding of the message carried by the channel between source and receiver. Not all noise is bad, but noise interferes with the communication process. For example, your cell phone ringtone may be a welcome noise to you, but it may interrupt the communication process in class and bother your classmates.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"im_section\">\n<h2>Two Models of Communication<\/h2>\n<p>Researchers have observed that when communication takes place, the source and the receiver may send messages at the same time, often overlapping. You, as the speaker, will often play both roles, as source and receiver. You\u2019ll focus on the communication and the reception of your messages to the audience. The audience will respond in the form of feedback that will give you important clues. While there are many models of communication, here we will focus on two that offer perspectives and lessons for business communicators.<\/p>\n<p>Rather than looking at the source sending a message and someone receiving it as two distinct acts, researchers often view communication as a <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">transactional<\/span><\/span> process (<a class=\"im_xref\" href=\"#mclean-ch01_s02_s03_f01\">Figure 1.3 &#8220;Transactional Model of Communication&#8221;<\/a>), with actions often happening at the same time. The distinction between source and receiver is blurred in conversational turn-taking, for example, where both participants play both roles simultaneously.<\/p>\n<div id=\"mclean-ch01_s02_s03_f01\" class=\"im_figure im_large im_medium-height im_editable im_block\">\n<p><span class=\"im_title-prefix\">Figure 1.3<\/span> Transactional Model of Communication<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/textimgs.s3.amazonaws.com\/buscomm\/section_05\/c08cc636e40196770be4d9289678f8ae.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/299\/2015\/01\/20165617\/image1.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Researchers have also examined the idea that we all construct our own interpretations of the message. As the State Department quote at the beginning of this chapter indicates, what I said and what you heard may be different. In the <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">constructivist<\/span><\/span> model (<a class=\"im_xref\" href=\"#mclean-ch01_s02_s03_f02\">Figure 1.4 &#8220;Constructivist Model of Communication&#8221;<\/a>), we focus on the negotiated meaning, or common ground, when trying to describe communication. \u00a0(Pearce &amp; Cronen, 1980; Cronen &amp; Pearce, 1982).<\/p>\n<p>Imagine that you are visiting Atlanta, Georgia, and go to a restaurant for dinner. When asked if you want a \u201cCoke,\u201d you may reply, \u201csure.\u201d The waiter may then ask you again, \u201cwhat kind?\u201d and you may reply, \u201cCoke is fine.\u201d The waiter then may ask a third time, \u201cwhat kind of soft drink would you like?\u201d The misunderstanding in this example is that in Atlanta, the home of the Coca-Cola Company, most soft drinks are generically referred to as \u201cCoke.\u201d When you order a soft drink, you need to specify what type, even if you wish to order a beverage that is not a cola or not even made by the Coca-Cola Company. To someone from other regions of the United States, the words \u201cpop,\u201d \u201csoda pop,\u201d or \u201csoda\u201d may be the familiar way to refer to a soft drink; not necessarily the brand \u201cCoke.\u201d In this example, both you and the waiter understand the word \u201cCoke,\u201d but you each understand it to mean something different. In order to communicate, you must each realize what the term means to the other person, and establish common ground, in order to fully understand the request and provide an answer.<\/p>\n<div id=\"mclean-ch01_s02_s03_f02\" class=\"im_figure im_large im_medium-height im_editable im_block\">\n<p><span class=\"im_title-prefix\">Figure 1.4<\/span> Constructivist Model of Communication<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/textimgs.s3.amazonaws.com\/buscomm\/section_05\/e18dc3e43bf86801e44729d6497ca5c1.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/299\/2015\/01\/20165618\/image2.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Because we carry the multiple meanings of words, gestures, and ideas within us, we can use a dictionary to guide us, but we will still need to negotiate meaning.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-success\">\n<h3>Key Takeaway<\/h3>\n<section>\n<div>\n<p>The communication process involves understanding, sharing, and meaning, and it consists of eight essential elements: source, message, channel, receiver, feedback, environment, context, and interference. Among the models of communication are the transactional process, in which actions happen simultaneously, and the constructivist model, which focuses on shared meaning.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-info\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t <section class=\"citations-section\" role=\"contentinfo\">\n\t\t\t <h3>Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t <div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <div id=\"citation-list-347\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <div class=\"licensing\"><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Shared previously<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Communication for Business Success. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Anonymous. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Anonymous. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/2012books.lardbucket.org\/books\/communication-for-business-success\/\">http:\/\/2012books.lardbucket.org\/books\/communication-for-business-success\/<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/4.0\/\">CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t <\/section>","protected":false},"author":277,"menu_order":3,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Communication for Business Success\",\"author\":\"Anonymous\",\"organization\":\"Anonymous\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/2012books.lardbucket.org\/books\/communication-for-business-success\/\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by-nc-sa\",\"license_terms\":\"\"}]","CANDELA_OUTCOMES_GUID":"","pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-347","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":364,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-mcc-businesscommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/347","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-mcc-businesscommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-mcc-businesscommunication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-mcc-businesscommunication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/277"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-mcc-businesscommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/347\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1282,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-mcc-businesscommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/347\/revisions\/1282"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-mcc-businesscommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/364"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-mcc-businesscommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/347\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-mcc-businesscommunication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=347"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-mcc-businesscommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=347"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-mcc-businesscommunication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=347"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-mcc-businesscommunication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=347"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}