Module 1

NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION

Introduction:

This module will help you improve your non-verbal communication, present information
precisely, and effectively convey messages to all people.

At the end of this module, you are expected to:

1. describe the nature of non-verbal communication.

Discussion:

Good communication so the foundation of any successful relationship, be it personal or professional. It

is important to recognize, though, that it is nonverbal communication (facial expressions, gestures, eye
contact, posture, and tone of voice) speak the loudest. The ability to understand and use nonverbal
communication, or body language, is a powerful tool to help one to connect with others, express the
intended information, and build better relationships (Doyle, 2018).

Nonverbal communication cues are observable through: (Source: The Importance of Effective
Communication, Edward G. Wertheim, Ph.D., 2018)

Repetition: They can repeat the message the person is making verbally.
Contradiction: They can contradict a message the individual id trying to convey.
Substitution: They can substitute for a verbal message. For example, a person’s eyes
can often convey a far more vivid message than words.
Complementing: They may add to or complement a verbal message. A boss who parts
a person on the back in addition to giving praise can increase the impact of the
message.
Accenting: They may accent or underline a verbal message. Pounding the table, for
example, can underline a message.

Nonverbal communication is a rapidly flowing back-and-forth process that requires full focus on the
moment-to-moment experience (Mehrabian, 2007). One needs to improve one’s skill to detect non-
verbal miscues. To improve nonverbal communication, one should learn to manage stress.
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Stress compromises ability to communicate. When one is stressed, s/he is more likely to misread other
people, send confusing or 0ff-putting nonverbal signals, and lapse into unhealthy knee-jerk patterns of
behaviour.

Emotional awareness enables communicator to: (1) accurately read other people, including the emotions
they are feeling and the unspoken messages they are sending; (2) create trust in relationships by sending
nonverbal signals that match up with one’s words; (3) respond in ways that show others understanding
and care; and (4) know if the relationship is meeting one’s emotional needs giving the option to either
repair the relationship or move on (Witts, 2015).

PROXEMIC (The Territory) for Non-verbal Communication

Primary This refers to an area associated with someone who has exclusive use
Territory of it.
Secondary Unlike the previous type, there is no right to ‘occupancy’ but people
may still feel some degree of ownership of a particular space.
Public This refers to an area available to all, but only for a set period, such
as a parking space or a seat in a library.
Interaction This is a space created by others when they are interacting.

Types of Nonverbal Communication

Tone of Voice and Rate and Volume of Speech

Aside from the words, voice and how one says something is considered significant.
When one speaks, others “read” the voice in addition to listening to the words. Things they pay
attention to include timing and pace (how loud one speaks), the tone and inflection, and sounds
that convey understanding such as gap fillers.

The Amount of Eye Contact

Since the visual sense is dominant for most people, eye contact is an especially important
type of nonverbal communication. The way one looks at someone can communicate many
things, including interest, affection, hostility, or attraction. Eye contact is also important in
maintaining the flow of conversation and for gauging the other person’s interest and response.
Gestures
Gestures are woven into the fabric of one’s daily life. One waves, points, beckons, and
uses hands when arguing or speaking. Expressing oneself of gestures is often without thinking.
However, the meaning of gestures can be very different across cultures and regions, so it is
important to be careful to avoid misinterpretation.

Touch
One communicates a great deal through touch such as a weak handshake, a timid tap
on the shoulder, a warm bear hug, a reassuring slap on the back, a patronizing pot on the head,
or a controlling grip on the arm.

Body Movements and Posture

The way one moves and carries herself communicates a wealth of information to the
world. This type of nonverbal communication includes posture, bearing, stance, and subtle
movements.

Space
One may feel uncomfortable during a conversation because the other person stands too close
and invading one’s space. Everyone needs for physical space, although that need differs
depending on the culture, the situation, and the closeness of the relationship. S/he can use
physical space to communicate many different nonverbal messages, including signals of
intimacy and affection, aggression or dominance.
 Module 2

VERBAL AND VOCAL COMMUNICATION

Introduction:

These lessons equip you with the basic concepts about the nature and principles of verbal and
vocal communication.

At the end of this module, you are expected to:

1. examine how communication works as applied to various situations.

Discussion:

Verbal communication is the use of sounds and words to express self in contrast to using
gestures or mannerism (non-verbal communication). An example of verbal communication is
saying “No” when one does not want to do something, or “Yes” when one wants to.

Verbal communication is a type of oral communication in transmitting spoken words or when

the sender gives words to his feelings, thoughts, ideas, and opinions and expresses them in
the form of speeches, discussions, presentations, and conversations. The effectiveness of
verbal communication depends on the tone of the speaker, clarity of speech, volume, speed
and the quality of words used in the conversation. Verbal communication is a simple process
because feedback is immediate where the transmission and receipt of the message is
simultaneous between the sender and receiver respectively (Mckay, 2018).

TYPES OF VERBAL COMMUNICATION

Intrapersonal Communication
This type of communication is extremely private and restricted to ourselves. It can either be
conveyed verbally to someone or stay confined as thoughts.

Interpersonal Communication
This process takes place between two individuals.

Small Group Communication

This can be taken place when there are more than two people involved. Press conferences,
board meetings, and team meetings are examples of group communication.

Public Communication
This takes place when on individual addresses a large gathering of people. Election campaigns
and public speeches are examples of public communication.

Vocal communication plays a particularly important role in the regulation of social

interactions in social groups. For dyadic interactions, one needs a signaler, its addressed
receiver and cues. Vocal cues have the power to strengthen or weaken the verbal message.
Vocal cues are sometimes confused with verbal communication. They are limited to sounds,
expressions, tone and style of the voice without the use of words. A vocal cue is a sound or
inflection of the voice used to send a particular message. Vocal is the voice of the speaker, his
or her vocal variety, quality, rate, volume, and vocalized pauses.
Vocal communication in social groups is focused on identifying the effects of additional
individuals on signalling interactions, concentrating on audience effects, eavesdropping and
group coordination. Social knowledge gained from listening in varied communicative networks
or within a group influences not only future actions, but can also provide individual benefit.
Mutual understanding within can structure cooperation and alliance formation, and, hence,
contribute to long-term group stability. Communication models should therefore consider the
composition of the entire communication network as well as the effects of repeated interactions
to fully understand signalling interactions in social groups.

SUBJECT VERBAL NON-VERBAL

COMMUNICATION COMMUNICATION
Definition It is a process of Communication without
communication through using words
words.
Formality Degree of formality is more It is less formal, infect in
than non-verbal case of non-verbal
communication. communication. No
formality is maintained.
Evidence It has legal evidence. It has no documentary
evidence.
Scope in Business Its scope is larger than Its scope is limited in
Communication non-verbal communication. business communication.
Media Face to face conversation, Facial expressions, body
conversation over language, gestures, and
telephone, meeting, video silence
conference, and interview
Consistency It is more consistent in Lack of consistency is a
nature. major feature of non-verbal
communication.
 Module 3

THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS

Introduction:

This chapter introduces you to the basics of communication: its nature, elements, framework or
models, and functions in various and multicultural context.

At the end of this module, you are expected to:

1. explain the communication process and its elements through various models; and
2. discuss the principles of communication and their ethical implications.

Discussion:

Definition of Communication

Communication is the Communication is the process of

process of using sending and receiving messages Broadly speaking,
messages to generate sometimes through spoken or communication is a
meaning. written words, and sometimes process of sharing
non-verbally through facial opinions and
(Pearson, et al., 2011, expressions, gestures, and voice information, ideas and
p. 10) qualities. feelings.
(Ober & Newman, 2013, p. 5) (Jimenez & Alparo,
2000, p.1)

Communication is a
systematic process in
which people interact
with and through symbols Communication is the
to create and interpret process of sending
meanings. information to oneself or
In its simplest form,
another entity, usually
(Wood, 2012, p.3) communication is the
via a language.
transmission of a message
from a source to receiver.
(Palta, 2007, p.1)
(Baran, 2011, p.4)

There are for key terms that should be defined to fully understand communication: process, system,
symbols and meanings (Wood, 2012).

Process implies continuity. It is dynamic as it continually changes. Communication is

considered a process because it is an activity in itself. It is not an object that you can just simply
perceive using one of your senses, but it is an activity in which you participate (Pearson et al.,
2011).
 System is defined as interrelated parts that affect one another (Wood, 2012). It is a collection
not of random parts but of organized wholes. Thus, to effectively communicate and interpret a
message, it is important to understand the system (culture, religion, ethnicity, nationality, socio-
economic status, age, sex, political affiliation, and others) within which communication takes
place.

Symbols is represented by language (Palta, 2007) and it is indicated by spoken or written

words and facial expressions, gestures, and voice qualities (Ober & Newman, 2013).

Meaning is at the heart of communication. It can be viewed as an “end” in itself. This means
that when people communicate, they attach meaning to the symbols they use (either verbal or
non-verbal) with the intent that the person/s they are communicating with share the same
meaning as intended.

ELEMENTS OF COMMUNICATION

Harold Laswell (1948) came up with a set of questions to conveniently describe what comprises
communication. The following are the questions and their corresponding components of
communication.

Who A Source

Says what? Sends a message

Through what channel? Through a medium

To whom? To a eciever

With what effect? Producing some effect

Figure 1.1 Laswell’s Components of Communication

Communication is sharing of ideas or feelings with others. This takes places when two parties
in the process transmit and understand information. There is a communication when one takes
message and respond to that message.

Communication is a dynamic process that begins with the conceptualizing of ideas by the
sender who then transmits the message through a channel to the receiver, who in turn gives
the feedback in the form of some message or signal within the given time frame. Movements of
lips, the wave of hands or the wink of an eye may convey more meaning than even written or
spoken words. To better understand the concept of communication, the following elements are
discussed:
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Sender – S/he is the source of information or message or the party sending a message. The
communicator who initiates the conversation and has conceptualized the idea that he intends to
convey it to others. S/he is the speaker, issuer or writer, who intends to express or send out a
message.
Encoding – It is the process of converting the message into words, actions, or other forms that
the speaker understands.
Message – It is the information, ideas, or thoughts conveyed by the speaker in words or in
actions. The sender gets the message that he intends to convey once the encoding is finished.
The message can be written, oral, symbolic, or non-verbal such as body gestures, silence, sigh,
sounds, or any other signal that motivates the receiver’s response.
Channel – It refers to the medium or the means, such as personal or non-personal, verbal or
non-verbal, in which the encoded message is conveyed. The medium or manner in which the
message is sent must be selected carefully in order to make the message effective and
correctly interpreted by the recipient.
Receiver – S/he must be able to decode the message, which means mentally processing the
message into understanding.
Decoding – This is the process of interpreting the encoded message of the speaker by the
receiver.
Feedback – It is the message sent by the receiver back to the sender. It is essential to make
communication a successful one. It is the effect, reply or reaction of the information transmitted
to the ‘communicatee’.
Noise – It shows the barriers in communication. There are chances when the message sent by
the sender is not received by the recipient. Not only noise is considered a communication
barrier but also the ‘context’ or the environment where communication takes place.

THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS

The definition of communication and its elements can also be further understood in the light of a
framework or model to see their interrelatedness.
Linear Model – It is based on the assumption that communication is transmitted in a
straightforward manner – from a sender to a receiver. This clearly reflects that communication is
a one way process.
a. Laswell’s Verbal Model – Communication can be understood by answering the five
questions provided by Harold Laswell (1948).
 Who? Says In what channel? To whom? With what
what? effect?

b. Shannon and Weaver’s Model – It is still linear in nature. The eight components are the
source (the person whom the message come from), message (content of the transaction),
transmitter (the instrument through which the message passes like a telephone), signal
(which flows through a channel), channel (a carrier or medium such as air, light, electricity,
radio waves, postal system for written communication), noise (interference that disrupts and
distorts the understanding of thee message), receiver (receiving instruments such as
telephone lines, ears to see sounds, and eyes for gestures in face-to-face communication),
and destination (person/s who receive/s and process/es the message).

Information Transmitter Receiver Destination

or Source

Message Signal Received Message

Signal

Noise Source

Sender Message Receiver

Figure 1.2 Shannon and Weaver’s Linear Model of Communication

Interactive Model – This model is in contrast with the linear one which considers
communication as flowing only in one direction, from a sender to a receiver (Gronbeck, 19990).
In this model, the personal fields of experience, whether shared or not by the communicators,
are vital. According to Schramm, the communicator’s field of experience explain why
misunderstanding occurs. It is also presented in this model that communication is a two-way
process which involves an exchange or an interaction between the sender and the receiver.

Field of Experience Message Field of Experience

Encoder Decoder
Source Receiver
Decoder Encoder

Message
Figure 1.3 The Interactive Model of Communication
Transactional Model – This model was adopted from Wood (1997) in response to the failure of
the interactive model to portray the dynamism of human communication. It designates a person
as a sender and a receiver when both communicators can send and receive messages. One of
the shortcomings of the transactional model is that it does not depict communication as
changing over time as a result of the dynamism of transactions among people.

Communicator A’s
Field of Experience

Communicator A

Shared Field Symbolic

of Experience Interaction

Communicator B

Time Time
Communicator A’s
Field of Experience
 Figure 1.4 The Transaction Model of Communication

The key features of the transactional model are as follows:

 It has a time element which influences how people communicate.

 It depicts communication as varying (not constant) and dynamic (not static).
 The outer lines in the model indicate that communication occurs within systems that influence
what and how people communicate. This system may include culture, context, and family
background.
 The model does not label one as the sender and the other as the receiver. Instead, are
communicators who actively, equally, and simultaneously participate in the communication
process.