Communication

PROJECT ON INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICATION

Submitted to : by:

Submitted Kanchana

Arandhara

M.Sc. Electronic Media 1st Semester

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT BETWEEN THE CONCEPTION AND THE CREATION, BETWEEN THE EMOTION AND THE RESPONSE, BETWEEN THE HARD WORK AND THE RESULT, LIES MY THANKS TO YOU. .

There are many persons who have contributed their knowledge, insight and guidance creating this project. This is an occasion to express our heart-felt gratitude to all of them. We are heartily thankful to _____________________ for his kind support and guidance We are also thankful to our friends for their support, cooperation and guidance.

KANCHANA ARANDHARA

Table of Contents

➢

What is communication?

➢ Importance of communication ➢ Types of communication ➢ Models of communication ➢ Theories of Communication ➢

Elements of Communication

➢ Communication Process ➢ Barriers of Communication ➢ Tools of Communication ➢ Essential of Effective Communication ➢ Effective Written Communication ➢ Conclusion ➢ Bibliography

WHAT IS COMMUNICATION? The word communication is derived from the Latin noun ‘communis’ and the Latin verb ‘communicate’ that means ‘to make common’. Communication is a process of transferring information from one entity to another. Communication processes are sign-mediated interactions between at least two agents which share a repertoire of signs and semiotic rules. Communication is commonly defined as "the imparting or interchange of thoughts, opinions, or information by speech, writing, or signs". Although there is such a thing as one-way communication, communication can be perceived better as a two-way process in which there is an exchange and progression of thoughts, feelings or ideas (energy) towards a mutually accepted goal or direction (information). Communication is a process whereby information is enclosed in a package and is channeled and imparted by a sender to a receiver via some medium. The receiver then decodes the message and gives the sender a feedback. All forms of communication require a sender, a message, and a receiver. Communication requires that all parties have an area of communicative commonality. There are auditory means, such as speech, song, and tone of voice, and there are nonverbal means, such as body language, sign language, paralanguage, touch, eye contact, and writing.

IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION Communication is important for both for an individual and also for the society. A person’s need for communication is as strong and as basic as the need to eat, sleep and love. Communication is the requirement of social existence and a resource in order to engage in the sharing of experiences, through ‘symbol mediated interaction’. Isolation is in fact the severest punishment for human being.

The basic human need for communication can perhaps be traced to the process of mankind’s evolution from lower species. Animals, for instance, have to be in sensory communication with their physical and biological surroundings to find food, protect themselves and reproduce their species. A loss of sensation-the inability to hear a predator for instance can mean loss of life. Essentially, the primary function of communication is to inform, educate, entertain and persuade people. Following are the basic functions of communications: •

Education and Instruction – This function of education starts early in life, at home and in school and continues throughout life. Communication provides knowledge, expertise, and skills for smooth functioning by people in the society. It creates awareness and gives opportunity to people to actively participate in public life.

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Information - Quality of our life will be poor without information. The more informed we are the more powerful we become. Communication provides information about our surroundings. Information regarding wars, danger, crisis, famine etc. are important for the safety and well being of our life.

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Entertainment - To break the routine life and divert our attention from the stressful life we lead today, entertainment is an essential part of everybody’s life. Communication provide endless entertainment to people through films, television, radio, drama, music, literature, comedy, games etc.

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Discussion – Debates and discussions clarify different viewpoints on issues of interest to the people. Through communication, we find out reasons for varying viewpoints and impart persons through certain signs and symbols.

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Persuasion - It helps in reaching for a discussion on public policy so that it is helpful to govern the people. Though it is possible, that one can resort to persuasion for a bad motive. Thus, the receiver must be careful about the source of persuasion.

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Cultural promotion - Communication provides an opportunity for the promotion and preservation of culture and traditions. It makes the people fulfill their creative urges.

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Integration - It is through communication that a large number of people across countries come to know about each other’s traditions and appreciate each other’s ways of life. It develops integration and tolerance towards each other.

TYPES OF COMMUNICATION Communication of information, messages, opinions, speech and thoughts can be done via different forms of modern communication media, like, e-mail, telephone and mobile. Some of the basic ways of communication are by speaking, singing, sign language, body language, touch and eye contact. These basic ways of communication are used to transfer information from one entity to other. There are many different types of communication but they can be classified into six basic types of communication. These six types of communication are as follows: Verbal Communication Verbal communication includes sounds, words, language and speaking. Language is said to have originated from sounds and gestures. There are many languages spoken in the world. The bases of language formation are: gender, class, profession, geographical area, age group and other social elements. Speaking is an effective way of communicating and is again

classified into two types viz. interpersonal communication and public speaking. Good verbal communication is an inseparable part of business communication. In a business, you come across people from various ages, cultures and races. Fluent verbal communication is essential to deal with people in business meetings. Also, in business communication self-confidence plays a vital role which when clubbed with fluent communication skills can lead to success. Public speaking is another verbal communication in which you have to address a group of people. Preparing for an effective speech before you start is important. In public speaking, the speech must be prepared according to the type of audience you are going to face. The content of your your speech should be authentic and you must have enough information on the topic you have chosen for public speaking. All the main points in your speech must be highlighted and these points should be delivered in the correct order. There are many public speaking techniques and these techniques must be practiced for an effective speech. Non-Verbal Communication Non-verbal communication involves physical ways of communication, like, tone of the voice, touch, smell and body motion. Creative and aesthetic non-verbal communication includes singing, music, dancing and sculpturing. Symbols and sign language are also included in non-verbal communication. Body language is a non-verbal way of communication. Body posture and physical contact convey a lot of information. Body posture matters a lot when you are communicating verbally to someone. Folded arms and crossed legs are some of the signals conveyed by a body posture. Physical contact, like, shaking hands, pushing, patting and touching expresses the feeling of intimacy. Facial expressions, gestures and eye contact are all different ways of communication. Reading facial expressions can help you know a person better.

Written Communication Written communication is writing the words which you want to communicate. Good written communication is essential for business purposes. Written communication is practiced in many different languages. E-mails, reports, articles and memos are some of the ways of using written communication in business. The written communication can be edited and amended many times before it is communicated to the second party to whom the communication is intended. This is one of the main advantages of using writing as the major means of communication in business activity. Written communication is used not only in business but also for informal communication purposes. Mobile SMS is an example of informal written communication. Visual communication The last type of communication out of the four types of communication, is the visual communication. Visual communication is visual display of information, like, topography, photography, signs, symbols and designs. Television and video clips are the electronic form of visual communication. Intra-personal communication This implies individual reflection, contemplation and meditation. One example of this is transcendental mediation. According to the experts this type of communication encompasses communicating with the divine and with spirits in the form of prayers and rites and rituals. Interpersonal communication This is direct, face-to-face communication that occurs between two persons. It is essentially a dialogue or a conversation between two or more people. It is personal, direct, as well as intimate and permits maximum interaction through words and gestures. Interpersonal communications maybe:

Focused Interactions : This primarily results from an actual encounter between two persons. This implies that the two persons involved are completely aware of the communication happening between them. Unfocused interactions : This occurs when one simply observes or listens to persons with whom one is not conversing. This usually occurs at stations and bus stops, as well as on the street, at restaurants, etc. Non verbal communication skills : This includes aspects such as body language, gestures, facial expressions, eye contact, etc., which also become a part of the communicating process; as well as the written and typed modes of communications.

MODELS OF COMMUNICATION • Shannon and Communication

Weaver's

Model

of

Information Source ==> Message Sent Transmitter ==> Signal Sent Sources of Noise ==> Signal Received Receiver ==> Message Received Destination Claude Shannon was a research scientist at Bell Telephone Company trying to achieve maximum telephone line capacity with minimum distortion. He had never intended for his mathematical theory of signal transmission for anything but telephones. But when Warren Weaver applied Shannon's concept of information loss to interpersonal communication, one of the most popular models of communication was created. According to Shannon and Weaver's model (as seen above), a message begins at an information source, which is relayed through a transmitter, and then sent via a signal towards the receiver. But before it reaches the receiver, the message must

go through noise (sources of interference). Finally, the receiver must convey the message to its destination. Suppose you have an idea in your head (information source) that you want to tell someone about. You must first move the idea from your brain to your mouth (transmitter). Since you cannot actually share your gray matter, you must select words for your transmitter to use. Once you speak, your voice (signal) is carried through the air toward the listener's ear (receiver). Along the way, your signal is joined by a myriad of other sounds and distractions (noises). The receiver then takes everything it receives and tries to maximum the message and minimize the noise. Finally, the receiver conveys its message to the other person's mind (destination). Shannon and Weaver's model clearly demonstrates why even the simplest communications can be misunderstood. Transmitting a signal across additional media only adds to the complexity of the communication and increases the chance for distortion. It is suddenly easier to understand why other people just can't grasp what we already know.

SMCR MODEL This is the basic communications model, identified in 1949 by Shannon and Weaver, that distinguishes something of what happens between the person speaking (/writing, etc.) and the person listening (/watching, etc.). Sequence The basic sequence of the model is Source => Message => Channel => Receiver Source The source is the start of the communication, the person who encodes the message and transmits it to the receiver. Message The message is the package or packages of meaning that contain the intent from the source. The message is what the

source wants the receiver to hear and understand in a particular way. As we cannot connect minds together, we have to translate the intent of the source into an encoded message that (it is hoped) the receiver can translate with reasonable accuracy. Channel The channel is the medium through which the message is transmitted. This may be some form of controlled media such as television adverts or newspaper articles. It may also be a more direct channel, such as telephone or face-to-face. The channel can have several parts, for example where I ask someone to communicate something, who then emails a friend who tells the receiver the message. The channel must plug into the receiver's sensory system, and hence may use sight, sound, touch, taste or smell. Receiver The receiver is the person who is at the other end of the communication. They may be actively seeking to receive the message or may be surprised by it. They may be the intended target or just someone who is within receiving range. They will decode the message and create their own meaning.

Laswell Model Political scientist Harold Laswell, writing in 1948, posed the question, “Who says what in which channel with what effect?” His model includes considerations of a variety of factors being considered to determine the impact of a communication. Considering that the previous ten years had witnessed such speakers as Adolph Hitler and Winston Churchill communicating both live and over radio, it is not surprising that a more sophisticated model would appear, nor that a political scientist would deliver it. To illustrate the significance of each element of the model, try visualizing what effect some dynamic speaker would have if the medium were print, or what would happen if the audience didn’t speak the same language.

Schramm’s Models The models previously introduced were all created by individuals interested in communication as an element of some other field of study. Wilbur Schramm (1954) began studying communication as an independent discipline. He developed several models for addressing different questions. One contribution Schramm made was to consider the fields of experience of the sender and receiver. The sender encodes the message, based upon the sender’s field of experience. The user’s field of experience guides decoding. If there is no commonality in the sender’s and receiver’s field of experience, then communication does not take place. The extent to which the signal is correctly decoded (that is, decoded so that it is the same as the original message prior to decoding) depends on the extent of the overlap of the two fields of experience.

For instance, a lecture on neurophysiology delivered to an audience of sixth graders may result in little or no communication. The lecturer has background knowledge of chemistry and biology, and beyond that very specialized knowledge of biochemical processes in the nervous system. The audience would lack the vocabulary, if nothing else, to make sense of the information. There are many ideas in this model that should apply for examination of communication under a wide variety of circumstances. Figure Four illustrates this model—the colored overlapping ovals represent the fields of experience of the sender and receiver.

THEORIES OF COMMUNICATIONS I) CLASSICAL THEORIES Authoritarian Theory According to this theory, mass media, though not under the direct control of the State, had to follow its bidding. Under an Authoritarian approach in Western Europe, freedom of thought was jealously guarded by a few people (ruling classes), who were concerned with the emergence of a new middle class and

were worried about the effects of printed matter on their thought process. Steps were taken to control the freedom of expression. The result was advocacy of complete dictatorship. The theory promoted zealous obedience to a hierarchical superior and reliance on threat and punishment to those who did not follow the censorship rules or did not respect authority. Censorship of the press was justified on the ground that the State always took precedence over the individual's right to freedom of expression. This theory stemmed from the authoritarian philosophy of Plato (407 - 327 B.C), who thought that the State was safe only in the hands of a few wise men. Thomas Hobbes (1588 - 1679), a British academician, argued that the power to maintain order was sovereign and individual objections were to be ignored. Engel, a German thinker further reinforced the theory by stating that freedom came into its supreme right only under Authoritarianism. The world has been witness to authoritarian means of control over media by both dictatorial and democratic governments. Libertarianism or Free Press Theory This movement is based on the right of an individual, and advocates absence of restraint. The basis of this theory dates back to 17th century England when the printing press made it possible to print several copies of a book or pamphlet at cheap rates. The State was thought of as a major source of interference on the rights of an individual and his property. Libertarians regarded taxation as institutional theft. Popular will (vox populi) was granted precedence over the power of State. Advocates of this theory were Lao Tzu, an early 16th century philosopher, John Locke of Great Britain in the17th century, John Milton, the epic poet ("Aeropagitica") and John Stuart Mill, an essayist ("On Liberty"). Milton in Aeropagitica in 1644, referred to a self righting process if free expression is

permitted "let truth and falsehood grapple." In 1789, the French, in their Declaration Of The Rights Of Man, wrote "Every citizen may speak, write and publish freely." Out of such doctrines came the idea of a "free marketplace of ideas." George Orwell defined libertarianism as "allowing people to say things you do not want to hear". Libertarians argued that the press should be seen as the Fourth Estate reflecting public opinion. What the theory offers, in sum, is power without social responsibility. Social Responsibility Theory Virulent critics of the Free Press Theory were Wilbur Schramm, Siebert and Theodore Paterson. In their book Four Theories Of Press, they stated "pure libertarianism is antiquated, outdated and obsolete." They advocated the need for its replacement by the Social Responsibility theory. This theory can be said to have been initiated in the United States by the Commission of The Freedom Of Press, 1949. The commission found that the free market approach to press freedom had only increased the power of a single class and has not served the interests of the less well-off classes. The emergence of radio, TV and film suggested the need for some means of accountability. Thus the theory advocated some obligation on the part of the media to society. A judicial mix of self regulation and state regulation and high professional standards were imperative. Social Responsibility theory thus became the modern variation in which the duty to one"s conscience was the primary basis of the right of free expression. Soviet Media/Communist Theory This theory is derived from the ideologies of Marx and Engel that "the ideas of the ruling classes are the ruling ideas". It was thought that the entire mass media was saturated with bourgeois ideology. Lenin thought of private ownership as

being incompatible with freedom of press and that modern technological means of information must be controlled for enjoying effective freedom of press. The theory advocated that the sole purpose of mass media was to educate the great masses of workers and not to give out information. The public was encouraged to give feedback as it was the only way the media would be able to cater to its interests. Two more theories were later added as the "four theories of the press" were not fully applicable to the non-aligned countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America, who were committed to social and economic development on their own terms. The two theories were: Development Communication Theory The underlying fact behind the genesis of this theory was that there can be no development without communication. Under the four classical theories, capitalism was legitimized, but under the Development communication theory, or Development Support Communication as it is otherwise called, the media undertook the role of carrying out positive developmental programmes, accepting restrictions and instructions from the State. The media subordinated themselves to political, economic, social and cultural needs. Hence the stress on "development communication" and "development journalism". There was tacit support from the UNESCO for this theory. The weakness of this theory is that "development" is often equated with government propaganda. Democratization/Democratic Participant Media Theory This theory vehemently opposes the commercialization of modern media and its top-down non-participant character. The need for access and right to communicate is stressed. Bureaucratic control of media is decried.

2) MAGIC BULLET/ HYPODERMIC STIMULUS RESPONSE THEORY

NEEDLE/

Before the first World War, there was no separate field of study on Communication, but knowledge about mass communication was accumulating. An outcome of World War I propaganda efforts, the Magic Bullet or Hypodermic Needle Theory came into existence. It propounded the view that the mass media had a powerful influence on the mass audience and could deliberately alter or control peoples' behaviour. Klapper (1960) formulated several generalizations on the effects of mass media. His research findings are as follows: "Mass-media ordinarily does not serve as a necessary and sufficient cause of audience effect, but rather functions through a nexus of mediating factors and influences. These mediating factors render mass-communication as a contributory agent in a process of reinforcing the existing conditions." The main mediating factors which he considers responsible for the functions and effects of mass communications are - selective exposure i.e., people's tendency to expose themselves to those mass communications which are in agreement with their attitudes and interests; and - selective perception and retention i.e., people's inclination to organize the meaning of mass communication messages into accord with their already existing views.

3) TWO STEP FLOW THEORY In the early 40"s, before the invention of television, Lazarsfeld, Berelson and Goudet conducted an American survey on mass campaigns. The study revealed that informal social relationships had played a part in modifying the manner in which individuals selected content from the media campaign. The study also indicated that ideas often flowed from the radio and newspapers to opinion leaders and from them to the less

active sections of society. Thus, informal social groups have some degree of influence on people and mould the way they select media content and act on it.

4) ONE STEP FLOW THEORY This theory simply stated that mass communication media channels communicate directly to the mass audience without the message being filtered by opinion leaders.

5) MULTI STEP FLOW THEORY This was based on the idea that there are a number of relays in the communication flow from a source to a large audience.

6) USES AND GRATIFICATION THEORY This theory propounded by Katz in 1970, is concerned with how people use media for gratification of their needs. An outcome of Abraham Maslow's Heirarchy of Needs, it propounds the fact that people choose what they want to see or read and the different media compete to satisfy each individual"s needs. In the hierarchy of needs, there are five levels in the form of a pyramid with the basic needs such as food and clothing at the base and the higher order needs climbing up the pyramid. The fulfillment of each lower level need leads to the individual looking to satisfy the next level of need and so on till he reaches the superior-most need of self-actualization. The Uses and Gratifications approach reminds us that people use media for many purposes. As media users become increasingly confronted with choices, this approach should direct our attention to the audience. Lull's television research found that families used television for communication facilitation, relationship building, intimacy, and for structuring the day. In general researchers have found four kinds of gratifications:

Information - we want to find out about society and the world- we want to satisfy our curiosity. This would fit the news and documentaries which both give us a sense that we are learning about the world. 1.

2. Personal Identity - we may watch the television in order to look for models for our behaviour. So, for example, we may identify with characters that we see in a soap. The characters help us to decide what feel about ourselves and if we agree with their actions and they succeed we feel better about ourselves. 3. Integration and Social Interaction - we use the media in order to find out more about the circumstances of other people. Watching a show helps us to empathize and sympathize with the lives of others so that we may even end up thinking of the characters in programme as friends. 4. Entertainment - sometimes we simply use the media for enjoyment, relaxation or just to fill time. Riley and Riley (1951) found that children in peer groups used adventure stories from the media for group games while individual children used media stories for fantasizing and daydreaming. The study thus found that different people use the same messages from the media for different purposes. Katz replaced the question "what do media do to people?" with the question "what do people do with the media?" Katz, Gurevitch & Hass found that the media are used by individuals to meet the following specific needs : Cognitive needs (acquiring information, knowledge understanding); Affective needs (emotional, pleasurable experience); Personal integrative needs (strengthening self image); Social integrative needs (strengthening self image); Tension release needs (escape and diversion)

and

McQuail, Blumler and Brown suggested the following individual needs categories:

1) Diversion (emotional release) 2) Personal Relationships (substitute of media for companionship). 3) Personal identity or individual psychology (value reinforcement, self understanding.) 4) Surveillance (information that may help an individual accomplish tasks.) B. Rubin and Bantz (1989) studied the uses and gratifications of "new technology" by examining VCR use. They found the following motives for VCR use: 1) library storage of movies and shows 2) watching music videos 3) Using exercise tapes 4) renting movies 5) letting children view 6) time-shifting 7) Socializing by viewing with others 8) Critical viewing including TV watching and studying tapes

7) SPIRAL OF SILENCE THEORY Propounded by Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann, this theory states that the media publicizes opinions that are mainstream and people adjust their opinions according to their perceptions to avoid being isolated. Individuals who perceive their own opinion as being accepted will express it, whilst those who think themselves as being a minority, suppress their views. Innovators and change agents are unafraid to voice different opinions, as they do not fear isolation.

8) CONSISTENCY THEORIES (1950s) Festinger formulated the consistency theories that talked about people"s need for consistency in their beliefs and judgements. In order to reduce dissonance created by inconsistencies in belief, judgments and action people expose

themselves to information that is consistent with their ideas and actions, and they shut out other communications.

9) McCOMBS AND SHAW"S AGENDA SETTING THEORY This theory puts forth the ability of the media to influence the significance of events in the public's mind. The media set the agenda for the audience's discussion and mentally order and organize their world. The theory is consistent with a "use and gratification" approach. McCombs and Shaw assert that the agenda-setting function of the media causes the correlation between the media and public ordering of priorities. The people most affected by the media agenda are those who have a high need for orientation

10) MEDIA DEPENDENCY THEORY Developed by Ball-Rokeach and DeFluer, the key idea behind this theory is that audiences depend on media information to meet needs and reach goals, and social institutions and media systems interact with audiences to create needs, interests, and motives in the person. The degree of dependence is influenced by the number and centrality of information functions and social stability. Some questions that this theory raised were : Do media create needs? Do people turn to media to achieve gratification and satisfy needs? Are media needs personal, social, cultural, political, or all of these? "The media are our friends"??

ELEMENTS OF COMMUNICATION •

The various elements of the communication process are : Input – The sender has an intention to communicate with another person. This intention makes up the content of the message.

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Sender – The sender encodes the message, e.g. the idea of ‘piece of furniture to sit on’ Thus he gives expression to the content. Channel – The message is sent via a channel, which can be made of a variety of materials. In acoustic communication it consists of air, in written communication of paper or other writing materials. Noise – The channel is subjected to various sources of noise. Receiver – The receiver decodes the incoming message, or expression. He “translates” it and thus receives the output. Output – This is the content decoded by the receiver. Code – In the process, the relevance of a code becomes obvious. The codes of the sender and receiver must have at least a certain set in common in order to make communication work.

COMMUNICATION PROCESS There are seven of communication process: • Source idea • Message • Encoding • Channel • Receiver • Decoding • Feedback The elaboration of each element is here under. •

The Source idea is the process by which one formulates an idea to communicate to another party. This process can be influenced by external stimuli such as books or radio, or

it can come about internally by thinking about a particular subject. The source idea is the basis for the communication. •

The Message is what will be communicated to another party. It is based on the source idea, but the message is crafted to meet the needs of the audience. For example, if the message is between two friends, the message will take a different form than if communicating with a superior.

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Encoding is how the message is transmitted to another party. The message is converted into a suitable form for transmission. The medium of transmission will determine the form of the communication. For example, the message will take a different form if the communication will be spoken or written.

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The Channel is the medium of the communication. The channel must be able to transmit the message from one party to another without changing the content of the message. The channel can be a piece of paper, a communications medium such as radio, or it can be an email. The channel is the path of the communication from sender to receiver. An email can use the Internet as a channel.

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The Receiver is the party receiving the communication. The party uses the channel to get the communication from the transmitter. A receiver can be a television set, a computer, or a piece of paper depending on the channel used for the communication.

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Decoding is the process where the message is interpreted for its content. It also means the receiver thinks about the message's content and internalizes the message. This step

of the process is where the receiver compares the message to prior experiences or external stimuli. •

Feedback is the final step in the communications process. This step conveys to the transmitter that the message is understood by the receiver. The receiver formats an appropriate reply to the first communication based on the channel and sends it to the transmitter of the original message.

BARRIERS OF COMMUNICATION Planning, preparation and practice of communication will be incomplete and unsuccessful unless one identifies and understands the barriers of communication. These barriers are physical, sociological and psychological obstacles that interfere with the planning, organization, transmission and undertaking of the message. These are a number of such obstacles that can occur in the process of communication. The natural result of such obstacles or interfering factors is the misunderstanding of the message. Below noted are the barriers of communication.

1. Physical barriers Physical barriers in the workplace include: • marked out territories, empires and fiefdoms into which strangers are not allowed • closed office doors, barrier screens, separate areas for people of different status • large working areas or working in one unit that is physically separate from others.

Research shows that one of the most important factors in building cohesive teams is proximity. As long as people still have a personal space that they can call their own, nearness to others aids communication because it helps us get to know one another.

2. Perceptual barriers The problem with communicating with others is that we all see the world differently. If we didn't, we would have no need to communicate: something like extrasensory perception would take its place.

3. Emotional barriers One of the chief barriers to open and free communications is the emotional barrier. It is comprised mainly of fear, mistrust and suspicion. The roots of our emotional mistrust of others lie in our childhood and infancy when we were taught to be careful what we said to others. "Mind your P's and Q's"; "Don't speak until you're spoken to"; "Children should be seen and not heard". As a result many people hold back from communicating their thoughts and feelings to others. They feel vulnerable. While some caution may be wise in certain relationships, excessive fear of what others might think of us can stunt our development as effective communicators and our ability to form meaningful relationships.

4. Cultural barriers When we join a group and wish to remain in it, sooner or later we need to adopt the behaviour patterns of the group. These are the behaviours that the group accept as signs of belonging.

The group rewards such behaviour through acts of recognition, approval and inclusion. In groups which are happy to accept you, and where you are happy to conform, there is a mutuality of interest and a high level of win-win contact. Where, however, there are barriers to your membership of a group, a high level of game-playing replaces good communication.

5. Language barriers Language that describes what we want to say in our terms may present barriers to others who are not familiar with our expressions, buzz-words and jargon. When we couch our communication in such language, it is a way of excluding others. In a global market place the greatest compliment we can pay another person is to talk in their language.

6. Gender barriers There are distinct differences between the speech patterns in a man and those in a woman. A woman speaks between 22,000 and 25,000 words a day whereas a man speaks between 7,000 and 10,000. In childhood, girls speak earlier than boys and at the age of three, have a vocabulary twice that of boys. The reason for this lies in the wiring of a man's and woman's brains. When a man talks, his speech is located in the left side of the brain but in no specific area. When a woman talks, the speech is located in both hemispheres and in two specific locations. This means that a man talks in a linear, logical and compartmentalised way, features of left-brain thinking; whereas a woman talks more freely mixing logic and emotion,

features of both sides of the brain. It also explains why women talk for much longer than men each day.

7. Interpersonal barriers There are six levels at which people can distance themselves from one another: 1. Withdrawal is an absence of interpersonal contact. It is both refusal to be in touch and time alone. 2. Rituals are meaningless, repetitive routines devoid of real contact. 3. Pastimes fill up time with others in social but superficial activities. 4. Working activities are those tasks which follow the rules and procedures of contact but no more. 5. Games are subtle, manipulative interactions which are about winning and losing. They include "rackets" and "stamps". 6. Closeness is the aim of interpersonal contact where there is a high level of honesty and acceptance of yourself and others. Working on improving our communications is a broad-brush activity. We have to change your thoughts, your feelings, and your physical connections. That way, one can break down the barriers that get in your way and start building relationships that really work.

TOOLS OF COMMUNICATION In tools of communication one experiences the components of effective communication. They are reflective listening, identifying non verbal cues, and responding with understanding and using effective problem solving techniques.

Thus, these techniques of communication are useful to increase our personal effectiveness at home, at work, in the community, in relationship, and with yourself. Opening up yourself to your feelings of others requires practice. All forms of life upon the planet earth were granted one great and wondrous gift: the gift of communication. Instead of being forced to exist in solitude, this gift allows interaction, a sharing of feelings. Humans are especially fortunate because they have developed many ways to utilize their gift. These include music, dance, art, theater, literature, gestures, the written word, and word of mouth. The creation of different ways to communicate does not mean we can sit back and take our gift for granted. We must use our gift of communication effectively through calcification, patience, understanding, sympathy, intelligence, compassion, and tact, we must exercise self-control so others can use the gift of communication be careful, effective listening. By sharing this gift of communication mankind is exalted. The following tools of communication should be sharpened and polished for effective communication. Diction: – The extent of vocabulary and choice of appropriate words – Colloquial and slag words – Efficacy of word Sentence: – Variety in sentence structure is very essential – Repetition of word, phrases, and clauses should be avoided – A short sentence can be a means of effective expression if it is used properly.

– The communicator should have a positive communication tone. Paragraph: – Every paragraph should have organized thoughts and ideas – There must be logical relation between any two successive paragraphs, which consists two different phases of thoughts. – The length of each paragraph in a letter, memo, or report can have its visual impact on the reader.

ESSENTIAL OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION The essentials of effective communication are: 1. Positive and pleasant approach 2. Appropriate tone, pitch quality, force and intensity of voice. 3. Clarity of purpose and objective of communication 4. Clarity of thought and expression 5. Adequate knowledge of the subject 6. Adequate knowledge of the communication receiver 7. Objective and realistic approach 8. Self confidence and conviction 9. Organization of message 10.Proper selection and use of the media 11.Proper selection and use of the channel 12.Appropriate formality 13.Patience in listening 14.Adaptability 15.Attentiveness 16.‘You’ attitude 17.Courtesy 18.Time consciousness 19.Conciseness and relevance 20.Correctness

21.Completeness

EFFECTIVE WRITTEN COMMUNICATION Written communication occupies an important position in the communication sphere, so written communication has to pay adequate attention on certain principles of necessity. The essentials of every written communication are principles of unity, coherence, and emphasis. These principles along with other essentials of effective communication, like language, planning, and organization make the written communication effective. The 7 C’s of written communication: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Clarity Completeness Coherence Conciseness Credibility Correctness Continuity

Written communication occupies an important position in the communication sphere, so written communication has to pay adequate attention on certain principles of necessity. The essentials of every written communication are principles of unity, coherence, and emphasis. These principles along with other essentials of effective communication, like language, planning, and organization make the written communication effective.

The receiver should carefully listen to the message to feel the pulse of the sender, to understand the mood and reactions and to create a congenial atmosphere for listening, which allows freedom of expression to the speaker. Lack of good listening can create the embarrassing situations, which result in the lack of co-ordination and mutual understanding. All the language units must be pronounced properly and clearly. The message cannot be intelligible without proper articulation of sounds.

CONCLUSION Communication is any process in which people share information, ideas, and feelings. It involves not only the spoken and written words, but also body language, personal mannerism and style, and the physical environment anything that adds meaning to a message. Communication is a dynamic process involving a series of actions and reactions with a view to achieving a goal. The theories and assumptions that mass media have enormous and direct influence upon society, but subsequent research shows that there are no direct cause an effect relationship between the two. The theory helps in understanding the relation between mass communication and society. The process of communication discusses the various process of communication and the essential elements of communication facilitate the communication process. Each element plays an important role in making the communication effective. The barriers of communication interfere with the selfconfidence, self disclosure, and self-consciousness of the communication senders and receivers. They are dangers to any organization if they are not removed on time. We must use our gift of communication effectively through clarification, patience, understanding, sympathy, intelligence, compassion, and tact; we must exercise self-control so others can use the gift of communication by careful, effective listening. By sharing this gift of communication mankind is exalted. The tools of communication should be sharpened and polished for effective communication.

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