FOREWORD

This compilation of learning materials was prepared in compliance with one of the new
directions teaching-learning approaches designed by the Commission on Higher Education
(CHED) to answer the needs of the learners in the “new normal” time brought about by the COVID-
19 pandemic. The subject Purposive Communication goes beyond language skill development
and will now focus on communication behaviors for various purposes, in a variety of media and
situations.

Specifically, the learning material has the following parts:

Lesson 1 equips the students with a basic knowledge of the communication process and
the elements of communication and how to use this knowledge in fulfilling their dual role as a
speaker and listener.

Lesson 2 focuses on intercultural communication, the barriers that prevent or hinder

understanding between two persons or among people of different cultures, and the registers and
varieties of language. It aims to help students acquire cultural knowledge and attitudes and teach
them how cultural and global issues affect communication.

Lesson 3 provides techniques on how to evaluate messages and images based on the
topic, subject, purpose, and target audience. This part of the instructional material also teaches
ways of presenting messages and identifying the strategies used in conveying messages.

Lesson 4 teaches the students how to prepare audio-visual and web presentations for
different target audiences and explains the vital role of communication and technology for them,
as students and as graduates.

Lesson 5 showcases the various purposes of communication and the ways of delivering
a speech. It also provides discussion on how to design or compare a text or message to provide
the correct information for a desired audience.

Lesson 6 discusses the importance of communication and its direction or flow in a

business setting. In detail, the characteristics of an effective business are explained. This part of
the instructional material will also equip the students with the differences between letters and
memorandums and the steps and tips for writing the minutes of a meeting.

Lesson 7 brings to focus the steps and strategies in the writing of independent research,
particularly citation and documentation. It will also teach students how to prepare a literature
review. Special attention is given to the American Psychological Association (APA) style in the
use of citations and a list of references.

Concerned with the development of a broad understanding of communication, the faculty

of Catanduanes State University, particularly those teaching Purposive Communication, convey
sincere acknowledgment and thanks to all the authors and their publishers, and other reference
materials that inspired them to come up with this compilation of instructional material for a new
direction of instruction amidst a pandemic.
As you explore your journey in this module be reminded of the following:
1. Read and analyze the lessons presented before answering the given activities.
2. Read the directions carefully before doing each task.
3. Observe honesty and integrity in doing the tasks or activities. Avoid copy and paste
from the internet or other references. Plagiarism is a crime.
4. Cite properly your sources, and indicate in-text citations and reference lists (you may
use the 7th Edition of APA Citation).
5. Answer the activities within the time frame given for each lesson.
6. If you encounter any difficulty in answering the tasks in this module, do not hesitate to
consult your teacher or facilitator. Always bear in mind that you are not alone.

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 CHAPTER 1
COMMUNICATION PROCESS, PRINCIPLES,
AND ETHICS

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 OVERVIEW:

It is said that man is a talking animal who is endowed with the power of speech
for communication. Therefore, communication is undeniably integrated into all parts of our daily
lives. In academics, the workplace, the community, and even in our personal lives, communication
is tied to success. As part of our daily lives, we cannot deny the fact that communicating become
challenging for everyone since we are living in a diverse society, faced with different people, who
come from different places with diverse cultures, beliefs, attitudes, values, and societal
backgrounds.
Communication processes, ethics, and principles become necessary in real-world
scenarios. One should engage oneself in interacting with different people. If one does not have
the necessary communication skills, he will have a hard time relating and establishing a
relationship with others. Therefore, the goal of communication is to become a successful
communicator. Striving to move up the ladder of success and to be a successful communicator,
one should be equipped with the mastery of the communication process, ethics, and principles.
Thus, being able to communicate leads to a harmonious relationship, and blending with
others is a satisfying endeavor. This can only be done if one can effectively communicate his
ideas.
In this lesson, you will learn the different communication processes, ethics, and principles
that will show you how communication works or what happens when one is engaged in
communication.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Charting your journey in this lesson, you are expected to:

1. Describe the nature, elements, and functions of verbal and non-verbal communication
in various multicultural contexts.

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 READING

Communication and Its Nature

by Maria Teresa Munji Antonino, Jocelyn S. Ibones
and Maria Edna R. Iñigo

If there is one thing in this world that we cannot avoid doing, it is communicating.
Communication is the process of imparting, sharing, or exchanging ideas. We talk every day. We speak
to our families, friends, classmates, and at times to unfamiliar people we meet at a train station or in
the mall. We talk or give signals when we order food or buy goods from a store. We recite when our
teachers call us to give our views on a particular point taken in a lesson. We request the person seated
next to us in public transport to hand our payment to the driver. We need to answer the phone when it
rings. We even speak to ourselves. All these examples show that communication is very vital to our
lives.
We wake up in the morning with a mind full of thoughts or ideas – some of which, if not most,
are needed to be shared to other people. It would be difficult not to communicate because when we
do, we are able to share our thoughts and feelings, give information, make people act, and convince
others to agree with us.
When we communicate, we share some things in common. The language that we use the ideas
that we share, the experiences, the interests, the beliefs, and the culture of each one are just some of
the common things we should have, to be able to make communication successful.
If we talk to a person using a language that he does not know and speak, would he be able to
understand us? If we talk to our friends about a movie, we have watched which they have not, can
they be able to relate and give their share of input? We may be speaking the same language, but if the
person we are communicating with is not interested to listen or has not experienced what we are talking
about because he has a different culture than ours, communication will be a failure.
Communication is derived from two Latin words communis (commonness) and communicare
(to share). It is defined as a process by which we assign and convey meaning in an attempt to create
shared understanding (Tendero, 2014). It is a systematic process in which individuals interact with and
through symbols to create and interpret meanings (Wood, 2004, as cited in Padilla, 2016). Business
Dictionary defines it as a two-way process of reaching mutual understanding, in which participants not
only exchange information, news, ideas and feelings, but also create and share meaning.
Based from the definitions above, it can be concluded that communication involves at least two
people, where one acts as the sender of the message, and the other/s as the receiver, and where the
roles of the sender and the receiver shift – the sender becomes the receiver of the message (feedback
or response) and the receiver as the sender of that response. An example of this is when your mother
tells you to run her an errand. She is the sender of the message, and you are the receiver of it. If you
say yes, that would be your response or feedback, which you send to her. This time, you are no longer
the receiver of the message, but the sender. This is a shift of roles mentioned which completes the
cycle of communication. This will be given more focus in the next lessons.

COMMUNICATION – a dynamic two-way process that involves the acts of giving, imparting,
exchanging, and sharing information through verbal or nonverbal means.

COMMUNICATION AS A PROCESS
Refers to a series of actions or steps taken to successfully communicate which involves several
components or elements.

How did human communication begin?

According to scholars, the earliest human beings first heavily relied on nonverbal cues in
communicating with other people, followed by the development of speech and system of writing.
Languages were also developed as system of communication; people learned how to associate
words and symbols with meanings. Technological advancements gave rise to newer and more
sophisticated tools of communication, like internet, social media, and artificial intelligence, that we
enjoy and utilize nowadays.

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ELEMENTS OF COMMUNICATION
1. Source/Sender – the source is the person who sends, communicates, or transfers the
information to another person. He is the sender of the message. An example of this is
a teacher discussing the lesson with students. The teacher is the source of the
information.
2. Message–The message is the information or idea conveyed or imparted by the
source. This may consist of the source’s thoughts, ideas, feelings, sentiments, views,
suggestions, or opinions. The message can be verbal or non-verbal. Verbal
information is oral while non-verbal information is communicated through facial
expressions, gestures, body movements, tone of voice, posture, eye contact, and
many others.
3. Encoding –The process of assembling the message (information, ideas, and
thoughts) into a representative design to ensure that the receiver can comprehend it
is called encoding. It starts with the source having thoughts that need to be
communicated. As a source, s/he thinks of a way how to communicate it. This may be
in the form of language, a text message, a spoken word, or some other method of
representing and transmitting the data. The “coded” data is then transferred to the
receiver.
For example, you have done your mother wrong and you want her to know how
sorry you are. You think of a way to represent your thoughts. You may decide to write
her a letter, say it personally, hug her or buy her flowers or other ways which you think
will send her the idea that you regret your past actions.
4. Channel –The source of the message has to choose the channel for sending the
required information, ideas, thoughts, etc. The channel is the component of
communication that refers to the method or mode by which a source sends or transmits
his message.
A sender of the information may choose what channel he wants to use to convey
his thoughts. There are numerous categories verbal, non-verbal, personal, non-
personal, etc. It may be through writing or print like letters or email, or the internet
acting in the client-server model, a phone call, and other modes using airwaves, and
sound waves. A good communicator understands which channels to use under
different circumstances because not all channels may be effective, each having its
strengths and weaknesses. For example, if a man would like to propose to a woman
he loves, he should do it in person, and not just in writing or making a phone call.
5. Decoding–You have learned that encoding is the process of assembling the
information to make sure that the message is understood by the receiver and that it is
the source that does the process. Decoding is the other way around. It is the analyzing,
interpreting and converting of a coded message and it is the receiver that decodes it.
If the information sent has been processed well, meaning there were no errors in its
transmission, more so than not, communication will be successful and will result in
both the source and the receiver understanding the same information.
An example of a situation where a receiver may not be able to decode the message
is that of a student sitting in the wrong. If he attends a class thinking it to be his class
because he saw his English professor in the room, he will definitely not be able to
understand what is being discussed no matter how much attention he pays listening
to the discussion.
6. Receiver– The receiver is the person who decodes the message sent by the source
of the sender. He is the person to whom the information is meant for. His interpretation
and reaction to the information sent to him depends on his preconceptions and
knowledge. Therefore, he must be able to understand the message in the best
possible manner for the objective to be achieved.
7. Feedback– Feedback is the response or reaction of the receiver (verbal or non-verbal)
to the message sent to him by a source. It is a process of ensuring the sender of the
information and the receiver understood the message in the same manner and sense
as the sender meant it. It is important to note that the source judges the success of
the communication process based on the feedback it receives, so pay close attention.
The feedback may be right or wrong, depending on how the receiver reacts to the
message, but this will give the sender a signal as to whether he needs to modify the
information he sent to achieve his goal of making his information understood by the
receiver.

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 8. Noise– Noise is like second-hand smoke having negative impacts on people without
anyone’s consent (Carroll, 2015). It is also called interference. Noise or interference
does not only pertain to sounds that are irritating to hear but refers to anything that
hinders the transmission of the message.
There can be two categories of noise. Internal noise is the noise or anything
that goes on in your mind that hinders you from understanding what the other person
is telling you. An example of this noise is when your thoughts are occupied by what
happened in the house that morning, a problem in school, or an assignment or project
that you need to finish. External noise is the noise that you hear coming from your
surroundings like the crying of an infant or screaming of children playing in the street.
There are other types of noise, not necessarily noise that you can hear but
cause misunderstanding between or among people communicating that may occur at
any point of the communication process as follows:
• psychological (internal thoughts and feelings, preconceived notions and
biases, and emotional states)
• physiological (physical discomfort or pain, hearing or vision impairment,
fatigue or illness)
• semantic (language barriers, technical jargon, ambiguity or vagueness)
• syntactic (grammatical errors, poor organization, complex sentence structure)
• environmental (physical distractions, interruptions, technical difficulties)
• cultural (different cultural norms, stereotypes and prejudices, language
differences)

COMMUNICATION MODELS
Some portions of this topic were directly lifted from Madrunio and Martin (2018)

These are metaphorical, simplified, and systematic representations of the communication

processes (Ruben, 2001).

In the earlier discussion, you learned about the types of communication modes, context,
purpose, and style. In this lesson, you will review the nature of the communication process and
some important communication models.
Why is it important that you know the communication models? You will realize their importance
because they will help you understand how communication works. It is only by knowing the flow
of communication that you will be able to make the communication process effective.
A model is often abstract. It is a representation of a real-world phenomenon applied to different
forms. The interplay of variables in the model is represented graphically. Try to assess later what
comprises the communication models and what variables are common to each of them.
There are many conceptual models for human communication but in this lesson, you will be
exposed to only some:

1. Aristotle’s Communication Model

Classical rhetoric dates back to ancient Greece during the time of Plato, Aristotle, and the
Greek Sophists who were great rhetoricians. Effective public speaking was an important
consideration in the study of communication. They were good at argumentation and debate and
speech was characterized by repartee.
Aristotle noted that the speaker variable is very important. Without the speaker, there will
be no speech to be produced. Depending on the profile of the audience, the speaker adjusts
his/her speech. Some considerations for the audience demographics are age, sex, background,
culture, race, religion, gender, social and economic status, and political orientation or inclination
among others. Even beliefs, views, and attitudes also play an important role when talking about
audience consideration since oftentimes, the audience brings these with them when they decode
a message in any given situation.

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 Furthermore, Aristotle stressed the importance of having qualities of ethos (character,
reputation), pathos (emotion), and logos (logic and information) in effective communication.

2. Laswell’s Communication Model

In 1948, Harold Dwight Laswell described communication as being focused on the

following Ws: Who says What in Which channel to Whom and with What effect as seen in the
model below:

The whole process of communication begins with the communicator (who) sending out a
message (what) using a medium (in which channel) for a receiver (to whom) experiencing an
effect (with what effect) afterward. The process may be analyzed through the content sent, the
medium used, as well as the effect on the recipient of the message.
While this model is similar to Aristotle’s in the sense that both are linear and have the
same components, Laswell’s also differs in that there are 5 variables involved, with the addition
of the Medium.

3. Shannon-Weaver’s Communication Model (Mother of All Communication Models)

Claude Elwood Shannon and Warren Weaver’s model of communication was introduced in
1949, a year after Laswell’s, for Bell Laboratories. Originally, it was conceptualized for the
functioning of the radio and television [and telephones] serving as a model for technical
communication and, later on, adopted in the field of communication. In this model, other
components such as noise, reception, destination, and feedback (in other editions) have been
identified. Other terms such as information source for the sender, transmitter for the encoder,
decoder (reception), and receiver (destination) were introduced.

4. Schramm’s Communication Model

Wilbur Schramm, an American scholar and an “authority in mass communication” first

published his model of communication in 1954 which includes innovations over previous models.
Because of its emphasis on communication as a circular process, the main focus of Schramm’s
model is on the behavior of senders and receivers. The participants (interpreters) in the
communicative process exchange or switch roles as senders (encoders) and receivers (decoders)

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as pieces of information are exchanged between them. Schramm sees communication as a
dynamic interaction in which two participants exchange messages. That means that the process
of communication does not end in the receiver’s mind. Communication is an endless process in
the sense that people constantly decode and interpret their environment to assign meaning to it
and encode possible responses to it.

5. Osgood-Schramm’s Communication Model

Another innovation of Schramm’s model is the role of fields of experience. It is described as

“a mental frame of reference” (Dawyer, 2012). It includes past life experiences as well as the
attitudes, values, and beliefs of the communicators (Schramm, 1960). Each participant has their
own field of experience. The more the participants are alike, the more their fields of experience
overlap. For communication to be successful, the message has to be located within both fields of
experience (i.e. in their overlap). (Schramm, 1960; Moore, 1994; Meng, 2020).

For example, an American is unable to encode their message in Russian if they have never
learned this language. And if a person from an indigenous tribe has never heard of an airplane
then they are unable to accurately decode messages about airplanes.
The theories of psychologist Charles Osgood were a significant influence and inspired
Schramm to formulate this model. According to Osgood, meaning is located not just in the
message but also in the social context.

6. Cuyno’s Star Model of Communication

In a more contemporary model, Cuyno’s Star Model suggests that all elements in a
communicative scenario are interconnected. That means, adjusting or changing one element may
have a direct effect on the others.

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TYPES OF COMMUNICATION
According to delivery

1. Verbal Communication – Communication using words

Spoken/Oral Communication – Involves the use of spoken words to convey messages

Examples: speeches and public addresses, interviews, phone calls, teleconferencing
Written Communication – involves the use of written words or symbols to convey messages
Examples: office papers, letters, reports, notes, essays, diaries, books, publications, email

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
• Not sufficient for businesses or
• High level of understanding and
institutions
transparency
• Less authentic than written
• Flexibility
• Unproductive and time-consuming (in
ORAL • Feedback is spontaneous
terms of long speeches/meetings)
• Time-saving
• Misunderstandings may arise
• Best in problem resolution
• Requires attentiveness from the
• Better for transfer of private info
receiver
• May be costly (printing expenses,
• Permanent means/useful for
manpower)
record maintenance
• Less spontaneous
WRITTEN • For proper delegation of
• Poor writing skills have a negative
responsibilities
impact
• More precise and explicit
• Time consuming

2. Nonverbal Communication
by Jenalyn B. Pagay and Marlon B. Santos

Nonverbal communication refers to messages people send to others that do not contain
words. This aspect of communication includes tone of voice, body movements (e.g., facial
expressions, postures, and gestures), clothing, appearance, and so forth, and communicates just
as strong a message as our choice of words. Without nonverbal communication, our interaction
with others would be boring. Nonverbal communication adds life to our exchanges by
complementing, repeating, and accenting what we have to say (Neulip, 2014).
Studies have revealed some fascinating facts about our use of nonverbal communication.
For example, estimates show that the average person speaks for only 10 to 11 minutes per day
and that the average spoken sentence spans about 2.5 seconds. Other data suggest that in a
normal two-person conversation, the nonverbal component conveys approximately 93 percent of
the social meaning (Birdwhistell, 1970, in Civickly, 1981).
Meanwhile in Louder than Words: Nonverbal Communication, Koneya and Barbour (1976)
say that the total impact of a message during interpersonal communication breaks down like this:
7 percent verbal (words); 38 percent vocal (volume, pitch, rhythm, etc.); and 65 percent body
movements (mostly facial expressions).
The above statistics indicate that the most situations, we spend more of our time
communicating nonverbally than verbally. In addition, it also indicates that nonverbal
communication skills are essential for effective communication. Effective communication entails
a harmonious combination of verbal and nonverbal actions.

Characteristics of Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal communication has certain characteristics that make it unique. Pearce and
Cronen (1980, in Pease and Pease, 2004; also, in Neulip, 2014) identify the following
characteristics:

1. Nonverbal communication exists. Nonverbal language is evident when we

communicate. Nonverbal behaviors may repeat verbal messages. For example, you might
say “yes” while nodding your head. We can see and interpret other people’s behavior and
feelings. Politicians often accent their speeches by pounding their fists on the podium.
When asked how many minutes are left to complete an exam, the instructor might simply
raise five fingers to substitute for the word “five minutes.”

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 2. Nonverbal behavior has communicative value. When communicating, verbal and
nonverbal messages are sent simultaneously although the nonverbal language is
communicated less consciously. Every nonverbal act that we do communicates a
message. Verbal communication represents the literal content of the message, whereas
the nonverbal component communicates the style or how the message is to be interpreted.
Hence, the nonverbal code often complements, accents, substitutes, repeats, or even
contradicts the verbal message.
3. Nonverbal communication is primarily relational. Nonverbal language compliments
our verbal communication. The nonverbal aspects of our communication. The “said” or
“verbalized” words that contradict the “actions” or “actuations” communicate the
insincerity, artificiality, or pretense of the source. The person may use false words to hide
his/her feelings and real intentions, but his/her actions communicate more than what
he/she says. Nonverbal messages are often less conscious and therefore perceived as
more honest.
4. Nonverbal communication is ambiguous. These are categories of body language that
are vague and general. The same nonverbal can have multiple meanings. For example,
when a person laughs, it doesn’t mean that he is automatically happy. Perhaps, he is just
releasing his stress out of the trouble he has made in school. Also, someone who is feeling
happy may not necessarily smile. We can never be sure that others understand the
meanings we intend to express with our nonverbal behavior. Thus, it is important to
understand that few convey true meaning in and of themselves, so they must be taken in
context. In addition, nonverbal communication is sent via multichannel. For example, while
watching someone’s eyes, you may miss something significant in a hand gesture.
Everything is happening at once, and therefore, it may be confusing to try to keep up with
everything. They happen quickly and very spontaneously.
5. Much nonverbal communication is culture-bound. Universal body, language, such as
crying, smiling, and laughing holds essentially the same meaning within most cultures
around the world. However, other forms of nonverbal communication are culture-specific
they exist within different cultures but hold different meanings. For example, the Japanese
are not a touch-oriented society, so avoid open displays of affection, touching, or any
prolonged form of body contact. On one hand, the Filipinos, in general, are a touch-
oriented society. People of the same sex may be seen holding hands in public places,
which is simply a gesture of friendship.

Our nonverbal communication reflects the various settings we inhabit. A Chinese person
might not appreciate the gift of a clock because clocks symbolize death in China. Giving a gift
to an Arab person at the first meeting would be interpreted as a bribe. Giving gifts can lead to
misunderstandings when the giver and recipient are from different cultures (Axtell, 1990).

CATEGORIES OF NONVERBAL CUES

• Kinesics - body movements and positions, hand gestures, including facial expressions
• Oculesics – eye movement
• Proxemics – use of space
• Chronemics – use of time
• Haptics – touch
• Paralanguage – vocal aspects like volume, pitch, stress, speed, and pause

3. VISUAL COMMUNICATION involves the use of images, graphics, symbols, charts,

diagrams, and other visual aids to convey information.
FORMS OF COMMUNICATION

1. Intrapersonal Communication – Communication within the mind of a person (e.g.

“reflecting” and daydreaming)
2. Dyadic Communication – Communication between two (2) people (e.g. interview)
3. Group Communication – Communication among three (3) or more people (e.g. team
meeting)
4. Public Communication – Communication between a person and a huge number of
people (e.g. campaign rally, holy mass)
5. Mass Communication – Communication with a very large number of people that cannot
be grouped together in one place. There is the use of mass media (television, radio,

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 newspaper, internet) in order to “connect” people from other places (e.g. a “TV Patrol”
newscast)

Your Turn!
Identify the form of communication presented in each scenario.
1. Jessie pondering on himself about what course should he pursue in college.
2. DJ Chacha in her late night radio program, narrating on-air her recent encounter with a
scammer.
3. CEO Jun Magsaysay of RBE Exports delivering his Accomplishment Report before his
employees and stakeholders during the 2023 Year-End Ceremonies at the Manila
Hotel.
4. Raymark suddenly felt sad and nostalgic while listening to Pusong Bato (song).
5. Taylor Swift being interviewed by Jessica Soho and learning Filipino expressions.
6. Anna, Tolits, and Mariz deciding where should they eat lunch.
7. Antonio doing Facebook live stream with 2K active viewers who comment on his
announcements.
8. James and Jane exchanging sweet messages through a video call.

Give a sample scenario showing Public Communication.

Give a sample scenario showing Dyadic Communication.

KEY PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNICATION

by Mely M. Padilla, Lourdes A. Dagdag & Flordelis R. Rojas

1. Interpersonal communication is inescapable. (“You cannot not communicate.”)

It is not possible for humans like you and me not to communicate. Even the very
attempt to of not wanting to communicate communicates something. Your poker face as
you listen to somebody means a lot. You communicate through both words and behavior
and as long as you are alive, you can still behave; hence, you can communicate.
You always communicate and receive communication from others not only through
words but also through tone, gesture, posture, bodily movement, facial expression, clothes
worn, and so on. Because of this fact, since people are not mind readers, you are often
judged through your behavior, not your intention or purpose.

2. Interpersonal communication is irreversible. (“Once something is communicated, it

cannot be unsaid or undone.”)
How often have you said words in anger and wished you could all take them back?
Once you have uttered something, you can never take it back, and its effect remains.
Anyone who says that apologies can heal the hurt caused by offensive remarks is lying.
Words are powerful; they can either heal or harm others. This principle of communication
is best expressed in a Russian proverb that says, “Once a word goes out of your mouth,
you can never swallow it again.”

3. Interpersonal communication is complicated.

Whenever you communicate with anyone, you simultaneously interpret both his
verbal and nonverbal language, and that is often both confounding and demanding. For
one thing, words (verbal) alone complicate things: A word does not have just one meaning,
it is usually not used in the same way, and no two people use the same word exactly alike.
Added to this complexity, nonverbal symbols are vaguer than words since they are
interpreted in many ways: They are primarily relational besides being both culture – and
gender-bound.
To make matters much more difficult, no form of communication is simple because
whenever you communicate, there are at least six “people” involved:
(a) the person whom you think you are;
(b) the person whom you think the other person is;
(c) the person whom you think the other person thinks you are;
(d) the person whom you think the other person thinks he is;
(e) the person whom the other person thinks you think you are; and

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 (f) the person whom the other person thinks you think he is.

4. Interpersonal communication is contextual.

In other words, communication is affected by several factors; it does not happen
in isolation. Many things need to be considered, such as the ones given below (King,
2000).
a. Psychological context, which is who you are, and what you as sender or receiver
bring to the interaction—your needs, desires, values, beliefs, personality, and so
on.
b. Relational context, which concerns your reactions to the other person based on
relationships—as boss, colleague, friend, sibling, parent, and the like.
c. Situational context, which deals with the psycho-social “where” you are
communicating. An interaction that takes place in a classroom, which is quite
formal, will be very different from one that takes place in a bar, which is very
informal—where communicators do not need to be guarded in their speech.
d. Environmental context, which has to do with the physical “where” you are
communicating—objects in the room and their arrangement, location, noise level,
temperature, season, time of the day.
e. Cultural context, which includes all the learned behaviors and rules that affect the
interaction. For instance, bodily movement, facial expression, gesture, distance,
and eye contact vary in different cultures. If you come from a culture (foreign or
within your own country) where it is considered rude to make long, direct eye
contact, you will out of politeness avoid eye contact. If the other person comes
from a culture where long, direct eye contact signals trustworthiness, then we have
in the cultural context a basis for misunderstanding.

PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION (THE 9 C’s)

Michael Osborn (2009) claims that communication must meet certain standards for effective
communication to take place.
1. Clarity
Clarity makes speeches understandable. Fuzzy language is forbidden, as are jargon,
cliché expressions, euphemisms, and doublespeak language.
2. Concreteness
Concreteness reduces misunderstandings. Messages must be supported by facts such
as research data, statistics, or figures. To achieve concreteness, abstract words must be
avoided.
3. Courtesy
Courtesy builds goodwill. It involves being polite in the approach and manner of
addressing an individual.
4. Correctness
Glaring mistakes in grammar obscure the meaning of a sentence. Also, the misuse of
language can damage your credibility.
5. Consideration
Messages must be geared towards the audience. The sender of a message must consider
the recipient’s profession, level of education, race, ethnicity, hobbies, interests, passions,
advocacies, and age when drafting or delivering a message.
6. Creativity
Creativity in communication means having the ability to craft interesting messages in
terms of sentence structure and word choice.
7. Conciseness
Simplicity and directness help you to be concise. Avoid using lengthy expressions and
words that may confuse the recipient.
8. Cultural Sensitivity
Today, with the increasing emphasis on empowering diverse cultures, lifestyles, and races,
and the pursuit of gender equality, cultural sensitivity has become an important standard.
9. Captivating
You must strive to make messages interesting to command more attention and better
responses.

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COMMUNICATION ETHICS
Communication ethics refers to the idea that the person’s or group’s behavior is governed
by their principles and norms which in turn affects communication. At the onset, communication
ethics pertains to the moral good present in any form of social communication. This
embraces interpersonal communication, mass-mediated communication, digital communication,
and the like. Communication ethics concerns not only the individual, but is of great concern to
businesses, corporations, and professional entities. A business with unethical communication
practices is not as effective as one with ethical communication practices.

Laserna (2012) stressed nine principles of ethical communication:

1. Advocate truthfulness, accuracy, honesty, and reason as essential to the integrity of
communication;
2. Endorse freedom of expression, diversity of perspectives, and tolerance of decency to
achieve the informed and responsible decision-making fundamental to civil society;
3. Strive to understand and respect other communicators before evaluating and responding
to their messages;
4. Promote access to communication resources and opportunities as needed to fulfill human
potential and contribute to the well-being of families, communities, and society;
5. Promote communication climates of caring and mutual understanding that respect the
unique needs and characteristics of individual communicators;
6. Condemn communication that degrades individuals and humanity through distortion,
intimidation, coercion, and violence and expression of intolerance and hatred;
7. Commit to the courageous expression of personal conviction in pursuit of fairness and
justice;
8. Advocate sharing of information, opinions, and feelings when facing significant choices
while also respecting privacy and confidentiality; and
9. Accept responsibility for short- and long-term consequences for our own communication
and expect the same of others.

Lewis (as cited in Bernales, Balon and Biligan, 2018) provided the 10 Basics of Ethical
Communication:
1. Seek to "elicit the best" in communications and interactions with other group members.
2. Listen when others speak.
3. Speak non-judgmentally.
4. Speak from your own experience and perspective, expressing your own thoughts, needs,
and feelings.
5. Seek to understand others (rather than to be "right" or "more ethical than thou").
6. Avoid speaking for others, for example by characterizing what others have said without
checking your understanding, or by universalizing your opinions, beliefs, values, and
conclusions, assuming everyone shares them.
7. Manage your own personal boundaries: share only what you are comfortable sharing.
8. Respect the personal boundaries of others.
9. Avoid interrupting and side conversations.
10. Make sure that everyone has time to speak, and that all members have relatively equal
"air time" if they want it.

Time to reflect:
As a college student, how will you describe or apply ethical communication in
academic/college setting?

---End of Chapter---

GEC 5 PURPOSIVE COMMUNICATION | INSTRUCTIONAL USE FOR CATSU ONLY 13

 Chapter Activity:

[Per Group] Analyze the communicative scenario assigned to you by your professor. Identify
the elements that are present and refer to a communication model for the visual representation
of the communication process. Describe each element and explain how they contributed to the
whole scenario. Identify the issues present and provide solutions to improve or settle the
identified concerns. Prepare a creative presentation (e.g. role-play, video, talk show) to discuss
your output in class.

[Individually]
1. Write a short reflective essay about a recent activity or event that you have attended.
Apply the concepts that you have learned in this Chapter and analyze the activity as a
communicative scenario.
2. Look for a comic strip from a newspaper or website. Analyze the comic strip, identify all
the elements present, and provide the context of the scenario.
3. Answer the question: Why do miscommunications and misunderstandings happen?

REFERENCES

Antonino, M.T.M., Iñigo, M.E.R., & Ibones, J.S. (2018). Purposive communication. MUTYA
Publishing House Inc.

Bermudo, P.J., Galicia, L.S., Yango, A.R., Gabelo, N.C., Garay, G.A., Retanan, B. G.,
Caligayahan,. T. M., Vargas, S.O., Manaois, C.V. & Castillo, V. M. (2018). Purposive
communication. Panday-Lahi Publishing House, Inc.

Bernales, R., Balon, W. and Biligan, R., 2018. Purposive communication: In Local And Global
Contexts. Mutya Publishing House, Inc.

Bernales, R.A., Ibones, J.S., Iñigo, M.E.R., Patubo, H.R., Enriquez, D.M., Roldan, L.R., De Guia,
R., Paras, W.D., Yance, G.M.Q., Inocencio, E. R. & Cabansag, J.N. (2018). Purposive
communication. MUTYA Publishing House Inc.

Laserna, R. (2012). Ethical communication in the 21st century. Journal of Communication Ethics,
17(2), 105-124.

Madrunio, M.R. & Martin, I.P. (2018). Purposive communication: Using English in multilingual
contexts. C & E Publishing, Inc.

Mercado, Ma. Cristina et.al.(2018). Purposive communication: Connecting to the World. Mutya
Publishing House Inc.

Padilla, M.M., Dagdag, L.A., & Roxas, F.R. (2018). Communicate and connect purposive
communication. MUTYA Publishing House Inc.

Pagay, J.B., & Santos, M.B. (2015). Purposive communication: A handbook. St. Andrew
Publishing House.

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