Lecture 2: ELEMENTS OF COMMUNICATION

• 1. SENDER-RECEIVER – in most situations a person/human; also Communicator
• is often regarded as two different elements of communication: Sender and Receiver. But basically, a communicator CAN simultaneously perform sending and receiving. For instance, a teacher explaining a certain concept to the class is SENDING. And while it is happening, he/she can hear students mumbling something in relation to the topic or see them showing nonverbal cues. And all those are feedback. In that case, the teacher is also RECEIVING while sending.
• 2. MESSAGE – consists of thoughts feelings, ideas, attitudes, sentiments, etc
• 2. MESSAGE – consists of thoughts feelings, ideas, attitudes, sentiments, etc

  This pertains to the meaning a communicator wants to convey. It could be VERBAL (word-based - written or spoken) or NON-VERBAL (wordless - facial expressions, posture, gestures, touch, tone of voice, appearance, etc)
• Channel in communication refers to the means, direction, or route of the message to reach the other participants.
• Channels can also be referred to as conduits or pathways, which are the light and sound waves that enable us to see and hear each other, respectively.
• The rest of the five senses, apart from seeing and hearing, are considered as channels of communication according to David Berlo’s concept in the SMCR Model of Communication.
• Channels can also be referred to as a mode of transmission or communication media, which can be verbal or nonverbal.
• Verbal communication is word-based communication that can be either spoken or written.
• Nonverbal communication is a mode of transmission that is wordless and may involve any or a combination of the following: facial expression, gesture, body language, proximity, touch, personal appearance, silence, etc.
• Channels can also be referred to as guided and unguided transmission media, which is the technological transfer of information.
• Guided transmission media are those where the data are directed along a physical path, such as phone lines, twisted pair cables, coaxial cables, and optical fibers.
• Unguided transmission media, also known as wireless, are those where data in the form of electromagnetic waves are transferred without using any physical medium, including radio signal, infrared, Bluetooth, wifi, etc.
• 4. FEEDBACK – response of the receiver (verbal or non-verbal) to the sources’ message
• Context in communication refers to the interrelated conditions that affect how people understand the message.
• Physical context in communication includes the setting where the communication takes place, the time of the day, the environmental conditions such as temperature, lighting, noise level, etc, distance between or among the communicators, and so much more.
• Social context in communication refers to the nature of the relationship/s existing between or among the communicators.
• Social context affects the formality of interaction and how messages are formed, shared, and understood.
• Psychological context in communication involves the communicator’s feelings, personality, needs, desires etc.
• Cultural context in communication pertains to the beliefs, values, and norms shared with a large group of people.
• Historical context in communication involves the background provided by previous interactions between or among communicators which affect the understanding of the current exchange of information.
• Physical Context - includes the setting where the communication takes place, the time of the day, the environmental conditions such as temperature, lighting, noise level, etc, distance between or among the communicators, and so much more
• 6. NOISE – anything that blocks or interferes with the meaning of a particular message