Friday, June 29, 2007

Communication Theory


Interactive multimedia is a communication tool. It therefore seems reasonable to begin our quest for theory upon which to base investigations concerning the effectiveness of design and development decisions in the realm of communications theory.

Communication encompasses a great deal of human (and animal) activity. Reading, writing, listening, speaking, viewing images, and creating images are all acts of communication. There are as well many more subtle communication activities that may be conscious or unconscious, such as expression, gesture, “body language” and nonverbal sounds. The process of communication has been the subject of study for thousands of years, during which time the process has come to be appreciated with increasing complexity.

There is much discussion in the academic world of communication as to what actually constitutes communication. Currently, many definitions of communication are used in order to conceptualize the processes by which people navigate and assign meaning.

We might say that communication consists of transmitting information from one person to another. In fact, many scholars of communication take this as a working definition, and use Lasswell's maxim, "who says what to whom in what channel with what effect," as a means of circumscribing the field of communication theory.






A simple communication model with a sender transferring a message containing information to a receiver.


Other commentators suggest that a ritual process of communication exists, one not artificially divorceable from a particular historical and social context. Communication stands so deeply rooted in human behaviors and the structures of society that scholars have difficulty thinking of it while excluding social or behavioral events. Because communication theory remains a relatively young field of inquiry and integrates itself with other disciplines such as philosophy, psychology, and sociology, one probably cannot yet expect a consensus conceptualization of communication across disciplines. Currently, there is no paradigm from which communication scholars may work. One of the issues facing scholars is the possibility that establishing a communication meta-theory will negate their research and stifle the broad body of knowledge in which communication functions.



Nature of Communication

Every organization has its sub-systems; there is interaction between sub-systems ; communication transmits information to sub-systems and to the total system. MIS operates effectively through communication. It involves information gathering, storage, processing and monitoring.

The purpose of communication is to make others understand and act upon it accordingly in the same sense; communication is effective when the message is shared and under stood by each other.

Process of communication

An exchange of ideas, facts and opinions by which the receiver of the message shares meaning and understanding with another. Process is a course of action. Communication enables transfer of information from one person to another, one department to another from outside the organization to within. It is an organizational process since a group of people and group activities are involved; communication is a process that uses a set of media to transmit ideas, facts and feelings from one person to another.


A good communicator must understand the receiving and understanding capabilities of the recipient not only of the transmitting message but also their effect.


Communication Process – Models and Theories.

1. Aristotle’s Model – Early simple elementary; three main ingredients of communication event- speaker, speech, and audience.

2. Mathematical theory – Shannon and weaver (1949) electronic communication model – mathematical model- identified with technological aspects- measures units of information transmitted over a technical channel.

3. Information theory (1950) Shannon :

Communication a mechanistic system consisting of 5 basic elements of information (source), transmitter (converts message into transmittable signals), channel, receiver, destination.
Other four components of the systems message are transmitted signal, received signal, noise source.

We can specifically deals with signal i.e. what type of signal are there and noise sources exist in terms of Electronics & Communcationand for that we can use this link for better understanding http://users.ece.utexas.edu/~adnan/comm-07/comm-thy.pdf . you can also look through this for more information. http://www-biba.inrialpes.fr/Jaynes/cc27d.pdf


Information theory is closely associated with a collection of pure and applied disciplines that have been investigated and reduced to engineering practice under a variety of rubrics throughout the world over the past half century or more: adaptive systems, anticipatory systems, artificial intelligence, complex systems, complexity science, cybernetics, informatics, machine learning, along with systems sciences of many descriptions. Information theory is a broad and deep mathematical theory, with equally broad and deep applications, amongst which is the vital field of coding theory. We can access this information through this links http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_theory

4. David K Berlo’s Model

Basic process theory - develops other communication models - identifies elements of communication nine components
Source, encoder, message, channel, receiver, decoder, meaning, feedback and noise.

5. Harold Lasswell Model

Four basic questions: Who? What? Whom? Which?

Behavioral aspects of sender in the communication well established; essential elements of communication ignored.

Why, What, How, Who, When.

Who
Sender
Says what message
In which channel Medium
To whom receiver
With what effect
effect


6. Wilbur Schramm Model

Concerned with Mass communication; focus is on signal :-

Source
Encoder
Signal
Decoder
Destination


7. Robert Vogel & William Brooks model

Message Channel
Source Noise Receiver
Channel Message

Interpersonal/Interactional Model

Circular or cyclical model; feed back element introduced - makes linear models cyclical.
Elements of interpersonal model are message or idea or stimulus, sender/transmitter, encoding, channel, medium, receiver, decoder, action or behavioral change, feedback.

1. Level and Galle Communication Process

Sender Receiver
Stimulus
Interpretation /Perception
Persuasion /Motivation
Action /Response
Stimulus
Interpretation
Understanding /Perception
Persuasion /Motivation
Action /Response

Composite Model relationship:

In this model we come across dominance, affection or attraction, inclusion or involvement, (Schultz), time, situation Baird.

Theories of communication

1. Bull’s eye theory:-

Action view theory – right words to convey the right message.

2. Ping pong theory

Interaction or interpersonal interaction takes place between sender and receiver - complex theory linear cause and effect.

3. Spiral theory (Myers & Myers)

Transactional view; independence, mutual and reciprocal causality; dynamic theory

Essentials of good communication :-

Wilbur Schramm - Basic essential for effective transmission of communication

1. It must be so designed and delivered so as to gain the attention of the receiver.

2. It must use signals that are understood in the same way by the source and receiver.

3. It must arouse a need in the receiver and suggest some way to satisfy those needs appropriate to the receiver’s group situation when moved to make a desired response.

Factors / principles of communication

1. Clarity of ideas, facts, opinions Koontz O’ Donnell. - A communication possesses clarity when it is expressed in a language and transmitted in a way that can be comprehended by the receiver.
2. Information – transmitting a message in as symbolic form
3. Completeness – to understand the central theme or idea of the message
4. Emphasis on attention – propose of communication is to draw the attention of the receiver by creating interest in the message
5. Consistency – message should not be contradictory. There should be an agreement with the objectives and polices so the organization.
6. Integration – achieving common goals of thee enterprise and communication as a tool of management; should strengthen the enterprise
7. Use of informal organization – like grapevine – spontaneous- personal, group interests, highly effective and speedy - Koontz & O’Donnel. The most effective communication results when managers utilize the informal organization to supplement the formal communication channels
8. Two way communication – reaction and response of receiver are imperative to achieve the purpose of communication.
9. To know the receiver – message to be simple, clear and short ; Killian – “ communicate with an awareness of the total physical and human setting in which thee information will be reviewed”
10 Time-to be appropriate when sending - a delayed message has no importance.
11. Simplicity- Simplicity in communication produces the best and quickest understanding and response
12. Communication Network – Formal communication has a set network which determines thee fixed route for information movement
13. Use of media – oral and written; need, objective and receiver are the factors that should be kept in mind when selecting a medium.
14. Feedback – The most important or key principle to effective communication is to obtain feed back from the receiver ; knowing acceptance or rejection of a message transmitted is probably the most important method of improving communication

Ten Commandments of good communication are clarify ideas before communicating, examine the true purpose of communication, take the entire environment; - physical and human into consideration, when valuable, obtain advice from others in planning communiqués, beware of overtones as well as basic content of the message, when possible, convey useful information, follow up communication, communicate with the future as well as the present in mind, support words with deeds, be a good listener.

The seven C’s of communication are credibility, context, content, clarity, continuity and consistency, channels, capability.

The objectives of communication are human relations- promoting mutual understanding, empathy, persuasion, dialogue – promoting, information – taking and giving, influencing the behavior of the recipient, discouraging misinformation, suggestions and complaints – encourage, free exchange of information, fostering better relations, fostering attitude – motivation, corporation and job satisfaction.

Purpose of communication is instructive, integrative (unifying), informative, evaluative, directive, influencing, incidental, neutral e.g. social contact, teaching (educating workers), image projecting of organization, orientation – acquaint with co employees, superiors policies, objectives ,rules and regulations, interview, other functions like effective decision making

Communication works for those who work at it.
John Powell quotes

No comments: