GE1711
01 Handout 1 *Prope rty of STI
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Communication Processes, Principles, and Ethics
I. Definition of Communication
• According to Axley (1984) cited in Dainton & Zelley (2015), communication is the flow of information
from one (1) person to another. Deetz (1994) viewed it as one (1) activity among many others, such
as planning, controlling, and managing.
• It is a complex process associated with sending, receiving, and interpreting messages.
• It is the art and process if creating and sharing ideas (McPheat, 2010).
II. Communication Principles (Adler & Elmhorst, 2012)
A. Communication is unavoidable
It is impossible for a person not to communicate. Our facial expression, posture, gesture, clothing,
etc. offer cues about our attitude. Interesti ngly, even absence has a power to imply a message.
Because of this principle, it is important to consider the unintentional message you send.
B. Communication operates on two levels
There are two (2) kinds of messages that is sent every time people communicate. First are the
content messages or the information about the topic under discussion. Second, is the relational
messages or signals that indicates how a person feels about one (1) another.
There are three types of relational message: (1) affinity, which refers to the degree to which a
communicator likes the other person or a particular message that is being sent; (2) control, or
the amount of influence in that situation; and lastly (3) respect for other person.
C. Communication is irreversible
You could not take back words you regretted uttering because our words and deeds are recorded
in others’ memories. The more you try to erase an act, the more it stands out.
D. Communication is a process
You should not view communication as if sending and receiving a message were an isolated event.
Rather, ever communication event needs to be examined as part of its communication context.
E. Communication is not a panacea
Though it can smooth out bumps in relationships, comm unication is not a remedy for all ills or
difficulties. Misunderstandings and ill feelings can increase when people communicate badly.
III. Elements and Models of Communication
A. Elements
1. Sender
The communication process begins with the sender, who can also be called as source. The
sender has some kind of information that s/he wants to share with others and has the
responsibility to encode it in a form that can be understood.
2. Receiver
The person whom a message is directed is called a receiver. S/he decodes or interprets
the message that was received.
3. Message
It is the information that the sender wants to relay to the receiver.
4. Medium
Also called the channel, it is the means by which a message is transmitted.
5. Feedback
It is the response that is given after the message has been successfully transmitted,
received, and understood. Feedback indicates comprehension and can be done through
written or verbal response or in a form of action.
6. Noise
It is the interference that affects the message being sent, received, or understood. A static
over a phone line, misinterpreting a local custom, or language differences are examples of
noise.
7. Context
It is the setting and situation in which communication takes place.
