DIASS – WEEK 8

I. Objectives 1. Explain the discipline of communication.

2. Understand the goals and basic elements of
communication process.
3. Differentiate the different levels of communication.
II. Most Essential Learning Competency 1. Identify the goals and scope of communication.
2. Demonstrate comprehension of the principles of
communication.
3. Discuss the core values of communication.

III. Procedure
Communication (from Latin “communicare”, meaning “to share” is the act of conveying meanings from one
entity or group to another through the use of mutually understood signs, symbols and semiotic rules. Noise sources
such as natural forces and in some cases human activity (both intentional and accidental) begin influencing the
quality of signals propagating from the sender to one or more receivers. Communication studies which concern
human communication.
Biosemiotics which examines communication in and between living organisms in general.
Biocommunication which exemplifies sign-mediated interactions in and between organisms of all domains of life,
including viruses. The channel of communication can be visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory, electromagnetic or
biochemical. Human communication is unique for its extensive use of abstract language. Development of civilization
has been closely linked with progress in telecommunication.
Nonverbal communication explains the process of conveying a type of information in a form of non-linguistic
representations. Examples of nonverbal communication include haptic and chronemic communication, gestures,
body language, facial expressions, eye contact. It also relates to the intent of a message. Examples of intent are
voluntary, intentional movements like shaking a hand or winking, as well as involuntary, such as sweating. Speech
contains nonverbal elements known as paralanguage like rhythm, intonation, tempo and stress. It affects
communication most of the subconscious level and establishes trust. Likewise, written texts include nonverbal
elements such as handwriting style, the spatial arrangement of words and the use of emoticons to convey emotion.
Nonverbal communication demonstrates one of Paul Watzlawick’s laws: you cannot not communicate. Once
proximity has forms awareness, living creatures begin interpreting any signal received. Some of the functions of
nonverbal communications in humans are to complement and illustrate, to reinforce and emphasize, to replace and
substitute, to control and regulate, and to contradict the denotative messages.
Nonverbal cues are heavily relied on to express communication and to interpret others’ communications and
can replace or substitute verbal messages. However, nonverbal communication is ambiguous. When verbal
messages contradict non-verbal messages, observation of non-verbal behavior is relied on to judge another’s
attitudes and feelings rather than assuming the truth of the verbal message alone.
Nonverbal communication is omnipresent. They are included in every single communication act. To have
total communication, all nonverbal channels such as the body, face, voice, appearance, touch, distance, timing and
other environmental forces must be engaged during face-to-face interaction. Written communication can also have
nonverbal attributes. E-mails, web chats and the social media have options to change text font colors, stationary, add
emoticons, capitalization and pictures in order to capture nonverbal cues into a verbal medium.
Nonverbal behaviors are multifunctional. Many different nonverbal channels are engaged at the same time
in communication acts and allow the chance for simultaneous messages to be sent and received.
Nonverbal behaviors may form a universal language system. Smiling, crying, pointing, caressing and glaring
are nonverbal behaviors that are used and understood by people regardless of nationality. Such nonverbal signs
allow the most basic form of communication when verbal communication is not effective due to language barriers.
Verbal communication is the spoken or written conveyance of a message. Human language can be defined as a
system of symbols and grammars by which the symbols are manipulated. The word “language” also refers to
common properties of languages. Language learning normally occurs most intensively during human childhood. Most
of the large number of human languages use patterns of sound or gesture for symbols which enable communication
with others around them. Languages tend to share certain properties, although there are exceptions. There is no
defined line between a language and dialect. Constructed languages such as Esperanto, programming languages
and various mathematical formalisms are not necessarily restricted to the properties shared by human language.
 Language can be characterized as symbolic. Charles Ogden and L.A. Richards developed The Triangle of
Meaning model to explain the symbols (the relationship between a word), the referent (the thing it describes) and the
meaning (the thought associated with the word and the thing).
The properties of language are governed by rules. Language follows phonological rules (sounds that appear
in a language), syntactic rules (arrangement of words and punctuation in a sentence), semantic rules (the agreed of
words) and pragmatic rules (meaning derived upon context).
The meanings that are attached to words can be literal, or otherwise known as denotative; relating to the
topic being discussed, or, the meanings take context and relationships into account, otherwise known as connotative;
relating to the feelings, history and power dynamics of the communication.
Contrary to the popular belief, signed languages of the world are considered to be verbal communication
because their sign vocabulary, grammar and other linguistic structures abide by all the necessary classifications as
spoken languages. There are, however, nonverbal elements to signed languages, such as the speed, intensity, and
size of signs that are made. A signer might sign “yes” in response to a question, or they might sign a sarcastic-large
slow yes to convey a different nonverbal meaning. The sign yes is the verbal message while the other movements
add nonverbal meaning to the message.
Over time the forms of and ideas about communication have evolved through the continuing progression of
technology. Advances include communications psychology and media psychology, an emerging field of study. The
progression of written communication can be divided into three information communications revolutions: (1.) Written
communications first emerged through the use of pictographs. The pictograms were made in stone; hence, written
communications were not yet mobile. Pictograms began to develop standardized and simplified forms; (2.) The next
step occurred when writing began to appear on paper, papyrus, clay, wax and other media with commonly shared
writing systems, leading to adaptable alphabets. Communication became mobile; and, (3.) The final stage is
characterized by the transfer of information through controlled waves of electromagnetic radiation like radio,
microwave and infrared and other electronic signals.
Communication is a process by which meaning is assigned and conveyed in an attempt to create shared
understanding. Gregory Bateson called it “the replication of tautologies in the universe”. This process, which requires
a vast repertoire of skills in interpersonal processing, listening, observing, speaking, questioning, analyzing, gestures,
and evaluating enables collaboration and cooperation.
Business communication is used for a wide variety of activities including, but not limited to strategic
communications planning, media relations, internal communications, public relations (which include social media,
broadcast and written communications, and more), brand management, reputation management, speech writing,
customer-client relations and internal/employee communications.
Companies with limited resources may choose to engage in only a few of these activities while larger
organizations may employ a full spectrum of communications. Since it is relatively difficult to develop such a broad
range of skills, communications professionals often specialize in one or two of these areas but usually have at least a
working knowledge of most of them. By far, the most important qualifications communications professionals must
possess are excellent writing ability, good people skills and the capacity to think critically and strategically.
Business communication could also refer to the style of communication within a given corporate entity like
email conversation styles or internal communications styes. Communication is one of the most relevant tools in
political strategies, including persuasion and propaganda. In mass media research and online media research, the
effort of the strategist is that of getting a precise decoding, avoiding “message reactance”, that is, message refusal.
The reaction to a message is referred also in terms of approach to a message as follows:
a. In “radical reading”, the audience rejects the meanings, values and viewpoints built into the text by its
makers. Effect: message refusal.
b. In “dominant reading”, the audience accepts the meanings, values, and worldview built into the text by
its makers. Effect: obey to the message.
c. In “subordinate reading”, the audience accepts, by and large, the meanings, values and worldview built
into the text by its makers. Effect: obey the message.
Holistic approaches are used by communication campaign leaders and communication strategists in order
to examine all the options, “actors” and channel that can generate change in the semiotic landscapes, that is, change
in perceptions, change in credibility, change in “memetic background”, change in the image of movements, of
candidates, players and managers are perceived by key influencers that can have a role in generating the desired
“end-state”.
 The modern political communication field is highly influenced by the framework and practices of information
operations doctrines that derive their nature from strategic and military studies. According to this view, what is really
relevant is the concept of acting on the information. The information environment is the aggregate of individuals,
organizations and systems that collect, process, disseminate or act on information. This environment consists of
three interrelated dimensions which are physical, informational and cognitive.
Family communication is the study of the communication perspective in a broadly defined family, with
intimacy and trusting relationship. The main goal of family communication is to understand the interactions of family
and the pattern of behaviors of family members in different circumstances. Open and honest communications create
an atmosphere that allows family members to express their difference as well as love and admiration for one another.
It also helps to understand the feelings of ne another. Family communication study looks at topics such as family
rules, family roles or family dialectics and how those factors could affect the communication between family
members. Researchers develop theories to understand communication behaviors. Family communication study also
digs deep into certain time periods of family life such as marriage, parenthood or divorce and how communication
stands in those situations. It is important for family members to understand communication as a trusted way which
leads to a well-constructed family.
In simple terms, interpersonal communication is the communication between one person and another. It is
often referred to as face-to-face communication between two people. Both verbal and nonverbal communication, or
body language, play a part in how one person understands another, and attribute to one’s own soft skills. In verbal
interpersonal communication, there are two types of messages being sent:
a. content message – messages about the topic at hand
b. relational message – come across in how one says something and it demonstrates a person’s feelings
whether positive or negative towards the individual they are talking to, indicating how they feel about
the topic but also how they feel about their relationship with the other individual

Different Aspects of Interpersonal Communication

1. Audiovisual Perception of Communication Problems
- The concept follows the idea that our world change what form they take based on the stress level or
urgency of the situation. It also explores the concept that stuttering during speech shows the audience that there is a
problem or that situation is more stressful.
2. The Attachment Theory
- This is the combined work of John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth. This theory follows the relationship that
builds between a mother and child, and the impact it has on their relationships with others.
3. Emotional Intelligence and Triggers
- It focuses on the ability to monitor one’s own emotions as well as those of other. Emotional triggers focus
on events or people that tend to set off intense, emotional reactions within individuals.
4. Attribution Theory
- This is the study of how individuals explain what causes different events and behaviors.
5. The Power of Words
- Verbal communication focuses heavily on the power of words, and how to those words are said. It takes
into consideration tone, volume and choice of words.
6. Nonverbal Communication
- It focuses heavily on the setting that the words are conveyed in, as well as the physical tone of the words.
7. Ethics in Personal Relations
- It is about a space of mutual responsibility between two individuals, it’s about giving and receiving in a
relationship. This theory is explored by Dawn J. Lipthrott in the article “What is Relationship? What is Ethical
Partnership?”

8. Deception in Communication
- The concept goes into that everyone lies, and how this can impact relationships. This theory is explored by
James Hearn in his article Interpersonal Deception Theory: Ten Lessons for Negotiators.
9. Conflict in Couples
- This focuses on the impact that social media has on relationships, as well as how to communicate through
conflict. This theory is explored by Amanda Lenhart and Maeve Duggan in their paper “Couples, the internet and the
Social Media”.