CHAPTER 6

THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS

‘Communicate’ Comes Form Communicare (Latin) – To Share, To Make Common.

Based Upon This Root, Communication Should Be A Two-way Process, A Sharing Of Ideas.

SOURCE OF INFORMATION – ULTIMATELY THE HUMAN BRAIN

THE MESSAGE ENCODER – INCLUDED FACTORS ARE

BODY LANGUAGE AND OTHER NONVERBAL SIGNSUNDERSTANDING THE VERBIAGEUNDERSTANDING OF MEANINGS BY SENDERCOMMON FEELINGS OF SENDER AND RECEIVER REGARDING WORD USAGEEASE OF MESSAGE DECODINGNATURE OF CLUES IN THE MESSAGEHOW THE ENCODER EXPRESSES THE MESSAGEPARALLEL MESSAGES – THE CORRELATION OF WORDS AND NONVERBAL MEANINGS

Source Encoder Channel Decoder Receiver

Feedback

Concepulazation of the Message

Form of the Message

Device orSignal

Preception and Interpretation of

Message

Concepulazation of the Message

The Channel The Message Decoder

Distinguish between dictionary meaning and connotative meaning

Do not make the decoding process too Difficult

The Message Receiver – Usually The Decoder

Source Encoder Channel Decoder Receiver

Feedback

Concepulazation of the Message

Form of the Message

Device orSignal

Preception and Interpretation of

Message

Concepulazation of the Message

LIONBERGER’S PERSUASIVE STAGES(SEE CHART, PAGE 74)

AWARENESS -- THE INTRODUCTION OF A NEW IDEA

INTEREST – PERIOD WHERE THE INDIVIDUAL BECOMES INTERESTED ENOUGH TO SEEK ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

EVALUATION – DETERMINATION IF THE PRODUCT IS GOOD FOR HIM

TRIAL ADOPTION – CONTINUED USE OF THE

PRODUCT OR IDEA

SOME FACTORS IN EFFECTIVE OF PERSUASION ARE:

Confidence In The SourcePeople in leadership roles are

effectiveSeeing the sender as similarRelated expertise known to the

receiver helpsSleeper Effect -- Idea Becomes

Effective After Source Is Forgotten

Relationship Of Message To Personal Views People tend toward communication with which they

agree When doubt is cast on their position people often

disregard or distort views they do not agree with to make them fit their views.

People often hear or read what they expect to hear or read, as though the message reflected their own point of view

People remember that with which they agree and forget that which with they disagree

Information is received based on interest and previous conviction—the uninterested pay little or no attention

At the level of controversy, people tend to ignore information unless it agrees with their position

In an area where few opinions are held, communication can succeed, however where opinions are formed communication has only limited effect

Benefit To Receiver – Messages Need To Appeal To The Receivers Self Interest – For A Message To Cause A Change, There Must Have Been A Predisposition To Change.

Group Influences – Even Messages Received Individually Are Subject To Group Influences And Values – If Received Within The Group, The Group Influence Is Even Greater

Presentation Of Issues – Must Decide Whether To Present One Side Or Two Sides (See The List Of Considerations Page 78)

Fear-arousal Messages – Low To Moderate Levels Of Messages Designed To Arouse Fear Can Be Effective – Very Loud Fear Arousal Messages Tend To Bring Our Resistance In The Receiver

Repeating The Message Use A variety of media Use careful timing Repetition must have variation to be positive Repetition of a negative message causes an

opposite effect

Personality And Gender VariablesPeople with low self-esteem are more

easily swayed by weaker argumentsPeople with high self-esteem are

persuaded by complex well substantiated arguments

Like other stereotypes, the though that women are more persuadable fails under scientific examination – (page 79 for more findings)

THE MASS MEDIA “It Would Be Impossible To Overstate The

Effects Of The Media In Today’s World”

Large Groups Can Be Affected Without Contact Among The People

These Messages And The Response To Them Are Still Effected By The Group Associations Of The Receivers

Some Outcomes Of Communication With Mass Media It is possible to deliver messages to large groups in a

relatively short period of time It can effectively create awareness It can reinforce, but is not very effective in changing

feeling Most people get ideas from more than one channel Repeating a message only helps to gain acceptance if

there is variation in the presentation Limitations Of Mass Media Messages

There is a lack of feedback Because of the volume of media exposure we receive,

only those which are attractive in appearance and skillful in design are effective

Words o Successful communication is tied to the use of words

and other symbolso Never lose sight of the variations in the use of words –

the context is as important as the word choseno Knowing the predisposition of the receiver is a great

help in communicationso Use of a certain word can be either positive or negative

to the receivero The use of mass communication media requires the

use of numeral wording unless it is directed at a particular audience, through a particular media

“This Absurd Hypersensitivity Toward Areas Such As Gender Specificity Gets On My

Nerves”

CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS

It Is An Unfortunate Fact That Many School Boards And Schools Only Communicate In Times Of Crisis. It Is Usually Too Late By The Time A Crisis Occurs. On Going Communications Is Important, And Can Aid In Preventing Many Crises.