Communication

The process of using messages to generate meaning

process - an activity, exchange, or set of behaviors that occur over time
Messages - include verbal and nonverbal symbols, signs and behaviors
Meaning - the understanding of the message
Negotiation - asking questions; important for the proper discernment of a meaning
Components of Communication
People - as the source and receive of messages
Source - initiates a message
Receiver - intended target of the message
The Message - the verbal and nonverbal form of the idea, thought, or feeling that one person (the
source) wishes to communicate to another person or group of people (the receiver)
The Channel - the means by which a message moves form the source to the receiver of the message
The Feedback - the receivers verbal and nonverbal response to the sources message
The Code - a systematic arrangement of symbols used to create meanings in the mind of another person
or persons
Encoding - the process of translating an idea or thought into a code
Decoding - the process of assigning meaning to the idea or thought in a code
Noise - any interference in the encoding and decoding processes that reduces the clarity of a message
Principles of Communication
Communication begins with the self
Communication involves others
Dialogue - the act of taking part in a conversation, discussion, or negotiation
Communication has both content and a relational dimension
Communication quantity does not increase communication quality
Communication is inevitable, irreversible, and unrepeatable
Nonverbal communication - How behaviors are used to replace or substitute for verbal messages.
Nonverbal communication occurs in many forms: through the tone and sound of your voice, your facial
expressions and other body gestures, and your use of space, touch, time, and objects.
Vocalics, or vocal characteristics, accompanies everything we say.
Facial expressions and other body movements such as gestures, posture, and eye behavior are referred
to as Kinesics.
Proxemics, or the use of space
Haptics, or touch, is the use of nonverbal cues that demonstrate perceptions of warmth and liking.
The use of time, or Chronemics
Group membership and identity is often expressed through Artifacts, or the use of clothing, jewelry, and
other accessories
Verbal and nonverbal communications are intertwined. However, the two message systems are not
always in agreement
receivers are more likely to believe the nonverbal message.

Lexical Processes in Reading
Lexical access - the identification of a word that allows us to gain access to the meaning of the word
from memory
Word-superiority effect - Letters are read more easily when they are embedded in words than when
they are presented either in isolation or with letters that do not form words
Sentence-superiority effect (Sentence context effect)
- When a word (e.g. window) is standing by itself it is more difficult to recognize than when it is
preceded by a sentence context such as There were several repair jobs to be done. The first was to fix
the ________.
Differences between Languages
Linguistic universals - Characteristic patterns across languages of various cultures