Background reading by
Professor Omar Hasan Kasule, Sr.
NATURE OF
COMMUNICATION
Communication is transfer of information from
the communicator to the recipient. It may be conscious or unconscious. It may
be verbal (oral or written) or non-verbal (body language & appearance). Its
basic elements are: the sender, the message, the medium, the receiver, and
feedback. Its functions are: informing, controlling, expressing emotions, and
motivating. Communication channels may be personal static such as a letter,
impersonal static such as flyers, direct interaction such as face-to-face
discussions, and indirect interaction such as a telephone conversation. Any
communication is not received as it is transmitted. It is perceived instead.
Perception is organizing and interpreting incoming information. Perception is
selective being influenced by environment, background knowledge, and background
attitudes. Thus the same information may elicit different perceptions in
different people.
COMMUNICATION
PROCESS
A communication process starts with
conceptualization of the ideas to be communicated. The ideas or messages are
then encoded (put in a transmissible form). The message is then transmitted and
is received. The receiver decodes or interprets the message before
understanding it and taking action on it. The process is completed by feedback
from the recipient to the sender. Communication is a circular process involving
a feed-back loop. Every communicator must monitor the feed-back to make sure
that the communication process is effective.
LINGUISTIC ASPECTS OF COMMUNICATION
The terminology used
restricts and determines the limits of the thought process. The language used
varies by intimacy, professional circles, age group, and gender. It is a great
mistake to communicate with everybody in the same way forgetting their special
background and peculiarities. Communication must be precise to be useful.
Precision indicates that the mind is active and is dynamic and the communicator
has clear objectives.
MODES OF COMMUNICATION
Believable
communication is emotionally honest, is evidence-based, it concentrates on
facts, and it avoids speculative talk. It is focused and has an objective.
Pleasant communication has more impact and used good words, good disposition,
friendly greetings, and a warm voice. A sense of humor helps communication. You
must however know where to draw the line. Too much or inappropriate humor
indicates lack of seriousness and is negative.
FACTORS OF SUCCESSFUL
COMMUNICATION
Your communication
style reflects your basic personality. Be genuine and be yourself. A good word
is charity. Use polite words even with people who have done wrong to you.
Always have a personal touch. Monitoring feed-back is important because
communication is a 2-way process. Understanding the target of communication
improves the communication process. Background knowledge, attitudes, and
environment affect the way the recipient perceives and interprets information.
BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE
COMMUNICATIONS:
The following are common barriers to effective
communication: prejudgment before communication, differences between
communicators (self-image, status, roles, personality, cognitive ability,
physical situation, social status, culture, vocabulary, language),
distractions, emotional resistance to being on the receiving end, time
constraints, poor listening, poor speech, bad timing, and unsuitable
circumstances. Other causes of communication failure are: multiple meanings of
words, information overlord, verbosity, value judgment, and filtering.
DISCUSSION
QUESTIONS
1.
Describe the subjective interpretation of symbols in communication
2.
What is the
difference between conscious and unconscious communication
3.
Describe the
importance of communication in medical practice
4.
Explain the purpose of selective communication
5.
How do questions help in communication
6.
Explain the
irreversibility of communication and its implications
7.
What is information
overload
8.
How does personality
affect the effectiveness of communication
9.
Explain the
degradation of information during transmission from person to person
