Chapter 1 An Overview of Everyday Communication

Defining Communication Not just sending messages Communication is affected by context Communication is affected by relationships between a speaker and listeners Communication is affected by nonverbal communication

Examining Everyday Communication Relationships and communication work together to create ‘worlds of meaning’ Communication is both content- and relationship- based

What We Accomplish by Communicating We reveal our cultural background, assumptions, and knowledge We establish or ‘perform’ a relationship with the other party/parties involved

Three Perspectives on How Communication ‘Works’ Communication as action Communication as interaction Communication as transaction

Properties of Communication 1. Communication involves the use of symbols Symbol: Object or idea whose meaning is arbitrary (e.g. $ means “dollar”) Signs are directly connected to an object or idea (smoke = fire)

Properties of Communication 2.Communication requires meaning Different symbols can be used to establish the same meaning Symbols can have multiple meanings in different contexts Meanings can change over time

Properties of Communication 3.Communication is both presentational and representational Symbols reveal not only what is true (factual/representational) but also what a speaker thinks or wants others to think (personal/presentational)

Properties of Communication 4.Communication takes much for granted ‘Social frames’ help us define rules of communication for given settings Social frames help to make communication more efficient

Properties of Communication 5.Communication involves intentionality Taking meaning from another person’s message implies that the message was sent with intention Random communication does not have the same meaning

Four Types of Communication 1.Successful (intended and interpreted accurately) 2.Miscommunication (intended but not interpreted accurately) 3.Accidental (not intended, but interpreted accurately) 4.Attempted (intended but not received)

Defining Communication Communication is: “the transactional use of symbols, influenced, guided, and understood in the context of relationships, taken-for-granted understandings, meanings, and reality that it presents and creates as ways for people to share an understanding of the world that they inhabit together.”