Introduction to Communication

Lecture_5Introduction to CommunicationBarriers to communicationThe factors which get in the way of free and full communication between people are generally called barriers.FiltersPoor perception filters communicationPsychological barriersThe basis of this filtering is in the assumptions that we make about other peopleMechanical barriersCommunication may be blocked or filtered by physical factors in the communication process.Mechanical barriers are to do with physical obstructions to communication.NoiseDeaf

Semantic barriersCommunication may be filtered by the careless use of words. Semantics is to do with the meanings of words.Semantic barriers are to do with problems in conveying, receiving and agreeing about meaning.Psychological barriersCommunications may be filtered or blocked by attitudes, beliefs and values.Psychological barriers are to do with assumptions and prejudices which cause the message to be filtered. They would affect encoding when communication is given and decoding when it is received.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrmuV2Y-n6U

Interpersonal skillsCommunication skills used between people depend on recognition of and good use of verbal and non-verbal communication.- Social skills: Social skills are used to make communication with other people effective and satisfying to those involved in the interaction.It is a skill to recognize feedback and to make a positive response to this feedback.It is a skill to be able to give signs of recognition and approval to others.It is a skill to be able to empathize with others.It is a skill to be able to listen to others.It is a skill to be able to offer self-disclosure in a manner appropriate to the occasion.It is a skill to control self-presentation, with a sense of what is appropriate to the situation.

It is a skill to perceive carefully.It is a skill to control and use non-verbal behaviour effectivelymaking an excuse to a friend for not meeting themencouraging someone who is shy to come out with you and your friendspersuading the boss where you work part-time to give you extra hours workListening skillsListening skills use non-verbal communication.Key listening skills in social situations are: to acknowledge the person who is talking; to maintain the conversation effectively; to show approval of the other person.Perceptual skillsIt is a perceptual skill to make accurate observation of the other persons words and behaviour.It is a perceptual skill to avoid jumping to conclusions about the other person.It is a perceptual skill to make careful judgements about the other person.It is a perceptual skill to make an appropriate response to what they have to say.Listening is Your Life!On average, a college student will spend over 50% of a day listening; an employee spends over 60%

However, we tend to only process HALF of what we hear..

Understand about a QUARTER of the message.

And retain even LESS of the content

Hearing vs. ListeningHearingInvoluntary, physiological processWe dont think about this

ListeningVoluntary, psychological processProcess of receiving, attending to, and assigning meaning to aural and visual stimuliAs we assign meaning to a message, we must understand, remember, interpret, and respondOften, instead of listening to others, we only hear them

Effective vs. Ineffective ListenersEffective Listeners enhance relationshipsDecrease stressEnhance knowledgeBuild trustImprove analysis and decision makingIncrease confidenceIneffective Listeners destroy relationshipsIncrease stress, minimize knowledgeDestroy trust and confidenceStages of ListeningHURIER MODEL of listening (Brownell)Listening is a system of interrelated components that includes both mental processes and observable behaviors; includes the following factors:HearingUnderstandingRememberingInterpretingEvaluatingRespondingStage One: HearingWe exist in a world filled with aural stimuliWe hear what we listen for!Attending Our willingness to focus on and organize particular stimuliIf we attend to a sound, we concentrate on it. If the sound doesnt hold our attention, we will refocus on something else.It is not enough to capture ones attention; you must maintain itInterpersonal Communication 2014 SAGE Publications, Inc. Stage 2: UnderstandingDuring this stage, you absorb the meaning of a persons statement or sound

Work to decode what is being said using our own reservoir of information

To ensure understanding, you may:Reply to personAsk questions for clarificationRephrase or paraphrase what you heardStage 3: RememberingDuring this stage, our brain assigns meaning to the spoken words; after that, we choose whether to commit the information to memory for further useMemory allows us to retain and recall information when we need to do so, but forgetting is necessary for our mental health as well!Stage 3: Remembering (cont.)Short term memoryWhere we store most of what we hearIf not used and transferred to long term memory, we will lose this informationWe remember 50% of a message immediately after listening to itWe remember 25% after a brief time lapseLong term memoryConnects new experiences to previous images and informationWe remember events of significance (birthdays, anniversaries, etc)

Stage 4: InterpretingWhen interpreting, we attempt to make sense of a message

Consider message from senders perspective

Doing this, we try not to impose our own beliefs onto the other persons message

Interpret by listening to both verbal and nonverbal cues (tone of voice, posture, facial expressions, etc)

Stage 5: EvaluatingWeigh the worth of a message and critically analyze what we have listened to, appraising what we were toldDoes message have relevance to us?Make choicesSeparate facts from inferencesWeight evidenceIdentify prejudices and faulty argumentsIf we do not make wise choices, we risk evaluating a message incorrectly

Stage 6: RespondingAffect our overall communication process

When we respond, we react and provide feedback

We communicate our thoughts and feelings about the received message

We let the person know whether we thought the message was communicated successfully

We are, in effect, the senders radarStyles of ListeningFour listening stylesPeople OrientedPreferred by those who focus on emotions and interests of others; fosters relating to others in meaningful waysAction OrientedPreferred by those who value clarity and precision; do not like to feel frustrated, but want person to be direct with themContent OrientedThose who enjoy intellectual challenges; enjoy debates, relating issues to their own viewsTime OrientedExpect speaker to get to the point quickly and efficientlyTypes of ListeningAppreciative Listening help us unwind or escape

Comprehensive Listening gain knowledge

Critical/Deliberative Listening analyze worth, validity, and soundness of messageaccept or reject

Types of Listening (cont.)Empathic Listening (focus on OTHER PERSON)when one reaches out to us for support, he/she needs us to listen with empathy.

Important to master in order to build strong interpersonal relationships

Serves therapeutic function: facilitates problem solving, lends different perspective to situations, helps us regain emotional balance

Empathic Skills and AbilitiesWhen empathizing, you activate three skills:Empathic responsivenessPerspective takingSympathetic ResponsivenessSteps to Improve your Empathy QuotientMake an effort to be other orientedTake in the whole sceneWork to understand the other persons emotionsTry to believe and identify how you feel about the persons situationActive ListeningSimilar to perception checkingInvolves explaining to a speaker your understanding of what was communicatedHolds the key to mutually understood messages Pay attention and respond using both verbal and nonverbal cuesIdentify what speaker says, what you think he/she meansLet speaker know that you understand his/her feelingsListening EthicsDo you fake attention?Do you ignore specific individuals?Do you lose emotional control? (red flag words)Do you avoid challenging content?Are you egocentric?Do you waste potential listening time?Are you overly apprehensive?Are you suffering symptoms of listening burnout?

Hurdling Listening RoadblocksListening requires your full attentionEvaluation follows does not precede receptionAppearance and delivery are not reasons to not listenDo not judge someone based on your own prejudicesHow you listen affects how others feel about youIf you feel opportunities to practice skillful listening, you will become a better listener.

Daily practice improves performance

FeedbackAttempt to return or feed back to another person our reactions to their messages; this is constant, whether intentional or notFeedback may be immediate or delayedFeedback may be person or message focusedFeedback may be low- or high-monitoringFeedback may be evaluative or nonevaluative Nonevaluative: probing, understanding, supporting feedback, or I messages

Cultures InfluenceDialogic listening occurs when responding to one another

Attitudes toward talk and silence also play rolesSome cultures prefer direct communications; others value elaboration and exaggerationThe meaning we give words varies based on experience and backgroundGenders InfluenceMenWomenComfortable with comprehensive listening (hearing messages facts)Listen to confirm relationship and person with whom they share relationshipSeek to retain power, dominanceListening goal is to reach an emotional levelSeek to listen for solutions so that they can give advice; apt to shut off listening when the encounter something they cant solve quicklyExcel at empathizing and offering supportTend to speak moreTend to listen moreListeners perceive mens speech as stronger, more active, and more aggressive than womensListeners perceive womens speech as polite, pleasing, and sweetMedia and TechnologyTelevision shows and other forms of media shorten our attention spansWe often see guests on TV talking over one another, competing for time, and acting like children when they cant speak if they choose to speakWith our use of technology (texting, internet), we listen more visually rather than aurallyWe tend to multitask when listening, so we do not solely focus on any messageGaining Communication CompetenceBecome a Better ListenerCatch yourself exhibiting a bad habitSubstitute a good habit for a bad habitListen with your whole bodyConsistently use your ears, not just your mouthSee the other sideDont listen assumptivelyParticipate activelyInterpersonal Communication 2014 SAGE Publications, Inc. 36