Communication.

Introduction to
Basic Notions
Objectives
1. Define communication.

2. Forms of communication (intrapersonal,

interpersonal, vertical, horizontal).

3. Types of communication: verbal and nonverbal;

formal and informal.
Business letters. The 7 cs. Layout. Formats.
Communication styles: passive; aggressive, passive-
aggressive; assertive.

4. Nonverbal communication and its subcategories.

1. MATHEMATICAL THEORY OF COMMUNICATION /
MOTHER OF ALL MODELS
(CLAUDE SHANNON AND WARREN WEAVER, 1949)
 2. FORMS OF COMMUNICATION

CRITERIA:

Partners involved: intrapersonal, interpersonal, group,

public

Organizational, status of interlocutors: vertical and

horizontal

Finality: accidental, subjective, instrumental

INTRAPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
 Thoughts, feelings, image of self

S and R simultaneously

Is influenced by all the other types of communication

and influences all acts of com.
E.g. what would a painter, lifeguard, hydro engineer say
while watching an agitated white water course
 Introducing Saundra Hybels and Richard Weavers
scheme for the components of the self that regulate
intrapersonal communication;

Task 1: Characterize yourself based on the aspects

presented in the Hybels-Weaver scheme.

Task 2: You have just found out that you are ruined, you
have lost your job and your spouse has left you. What are
all the positive consequences that derive from this
situation? (positive thinking as a specific form of
intrapersonal communication)
 VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL COMMUNICATION

Vertical: ascending or descending; (rigid gatekeeper)

Horizontal: lateral and serial

Any danger as far as serial communication in a company

is concerned?
Scenario: the secretary as gate keeper. When did the
manager make a mistake? What solution can you offer?
 3. VERBAL COMMUNICATION and
NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION

Verbal (sounds, words, speaking and language):

Written
Oral (face-to-face or not)

Non-verbal:
Body language (facial expressions, gestures, posture,
movements), pictures or diagrams
 VERBAL COMMUNICATION

Ritual function of verbal communications adequacy

(according to context)
e.g. saying Our deepest condolences at a funeral, or Happy
anniversary/ Many happy returns of the day on someones birthday

Specialization of language (dictated by interlocutors and

register with family, friends, professors)

Style unique; functions as either an enhancer or an inhibitor

If you were to compare oral and written communications, can you think of
advantages and disadvantages for each in relation to the other?
Oral communication:
Fast
Reduces confusion (access to body language clarification)
Immediate feedback
Adjust formality (allows informality)
No written record (sometimes) means no proof

Written communication:
Repeated access to information
Not under the impact of emotions
Has greater impact
Non-interactive
Requires planning, minding style and format
KEY ASPECTS OF WRITING
1. Purpose
What are you trying to communicate?
2. Audience
To whom are you writing?
3. Exploration
What ideas should you consider?
4. Patterns and Outlines
How can you best arrange your ideas?
5. Details and Examples
How can you support your points?
Think P A S S:
Purpose: what to achieve
Audience: reception, understanding
and/or response
Structure: content, emphasis, order and
format
Style: vocabulary, sentence structure,
visual elements and tone of voice
Think K I S S:
Keep It Short & Simple
Check for logical errors:

Either/or thinking: Either this company buys new

equipment, or it faces a long and inevitable decline.

Circular reasoning: The sales managers poor social

skills prevented him from working successfully with
people.

False causality: Johnson joined this company in 1998,

and weve had nothing but problems since then.
Eliminate unnecessary words that contribute little or nothing
to the message

Repetitious language: We trusted the unfounded

misrepresentations.

Meaningless language: It was the manager who decided which

plan to accept.

Wandering language/digressions: My uncles company (founded

in 1937 by my uncle together with Al Bennett, an insurance
salesman) earned $.98 per share last quarter.
 Check your Word Choice for Power and Propriety Some
words may be too weak to use
(e.g.: nice pales in comparison to more descriptive words: The
corporate HQ were nice The corporate HQ were luxurious.

Consider both the denotative meaning (dictionary

meaning) and connotative meaning (emotional
shading) of the language you use
(e.g. single female president NOT spinster)
Spelling Apostrophes

Sentence structure Quotation marks

Dangling sentence parts Italics

Subject-verb agreement Dashes

Correct parts of verbs Parentheses

Pronoun agreement Hyphens

Pronoun form Capitalization

Commas

Semicolons

Colons
 FORMAL COMMUNICATION
Instances where communication occurs in a formal context.
Can you name a few?
Business or corporate communications, such as: written memos,
corporate letters, conferences.
Guidelines and rigid rules must be observed.
 INFORMAL COMMUNICATION
Free, unrestrained communication between people.
It occurs between friends and family members.
Does not have rigid rules and guidelines.
Informal conversations do not have boundaries of time, place or
subject matter.
 BUSINESS LETTERS

How should business letters be, in terms of style? Can they

be informal? What things do you need to pay attention to
when writing a business letter?
 BUSINESS LETTERS. THE 7 CS

Correctness proper grammar, punctuation and spelling

Clarity getting the meaning from your head into the head of your
reader
Concreteness being specific, definite, solid and vivid rather than
vague
Conciseness complete without being wordy
Completeness provide all necessary information (Who? What?
When? Where? Why? How?); answer stated and implied questions
Courtesy politeness, tact, avoid being blunt
Consideration keep in mind the receiver, putting oneself in the
others place, empathy, human touch
LAYOUT OF BUSINESS LETTERS. TYPES OF FORMATS

Identify the numbered items in

this letter, saying what they
represent.
Full block format

1. What type of letter is this?

2. Identify the sender and the receiver.

What position is sought?
What is the writers work experience?

3. What information is conveyed

by each paragraph?
Semi block format

1. What type of letter is this? What is its

purpose?

2. Identify the sender and the receiver.

3. What information is conveyed

by each paragraph?
Dear [property manager name],

I am writing you to inform you that we wish to terminate our lease early due to the
ongoing dissatisfaction with the quality of life provided to us by the [apartment name]
apartments. While we have always been pleased with the cooperation and
understanding of you and the apartment management to our situation, the fact remains
that the environment in our apartment is substandard, specifically with regard to the
noises generated by neighboring units. Our complaints, and those of other tenants, of this
prohibitive conduct as specified in section 20 of the Apartment Lease Contract, have not
changed the situation, nor have they provided the peace and quiet enjoyment the
[apartment name] is committed to providing (Section 11, Rules and Regulations). Try to modify this letter into one
that breaches:
It is our desire to be released from our lease without fault on [desired early lease
termination date]. You can expect our full cooperation in showing the apartment during a) correctness;
our remaining occupation to facilitate its immediate rental and prevent the [apartment b) concreteness
name] from any financial losses. I hope that our immediate rental payment history and c) consideration and courtesy
good standing account sufficiently indicates our continued accountability and sincerity.

Again, we appreciate all the attempts that you have done as property manager to
alleviate our dissatisfaction but have decided that it is in both parties best interests for us
to vacate the unit. Please let us know the feasibility of our request and if we can do
anything to make the process proceed smoothly and to your satisfaction. Also, please let
us know if you would like us to speak directly with any other management parties about
our request.

Thank you, again, for the consideration.

Sincerely,
COMMUNICATION STYLES: PASSIVE; AGGRESSIVE,
PASSIVE-AGGRESSIVE; ASSERTIVE

Can you guess what is the typical behavior of people in the case of
each style?

Which of these styles do you think is the best?

 Aggressive Communication

You choose and make decisions for others.

You are brutally honest.
You are direct and forceful.
You are self enhancing and derogatory.
You are a win-win business partner.
You feel righteous, superior, controlling, later possibly feeling guilt.
Others view you as angry, vengeful, and fearful
e.g.:

I dont know why you cant see that this is

the right way to do it.

Its going to be my way or not at all.

Youre just stupid if you think that will

work.

That kind of logic will sink the company.

Who cares what you

feel. Were talking
about making things work here.
 Passive Communication

You allow others to choose and make

decisions for you.
You are emotionally dishonest, indirect and
self denying; you are inhibited.
If you get your own way, it is by chance.
You feel anxious, ignored, helpless,
manipulated, angry at yourself and/or
others.
Others view you in the exchange as a
pushover and that you dont know what you
want or how you stand on an issue.
e.g.:

I dont know.

Whatever you think.

You have more experience than I. You

decide.

Ill go with whatever the group decides.

I dont care. It doesnt matter to me.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes . . .

 Passive-Aggressive Communication

You manipulate others to choose your

way.
You tend towards indirectness with the air
of being direct.
If you dont get your way youll make
snide comments or pout and be the victim.
You feel confused, unclear on how to feel,
youre angry but not sure why.
Your underlying belief is that you need to
fight to be heard and respected. If that
means you need to manipulate, be
passive or aggressive, so be it.
 Assertive Communication

You are direct, self-respecting, self-expressive and straightforward.

You convert win-lose situations to win-win ones.
You are willing to compromise and negotiate.
You feel confident, self-respecting, goal-oriented, valued.
Others view you with respect, trust and understand where you stand.
The outcome is determined by above-board negotiation. Your rights
and others are respected.
e.g.:

So what youre saying is. . . .

I can see that this is important to you, and it is also

important to me. Perhaps we can talk more
respectfully
and try to solve the problem.

I think. . . I feel. . . I believe that. . . .

I would appreciate it if you. . .

 Assertiveness Skills

Persistence - stay focused on the issue, do not get

distracted, defensive, or start justifying yourself; repeat
the bottom line to keep the conversation on track; no
alternative styles

Objectivity
Validation
Pumping the Negatives
 NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION:

Mimicry / facial expressions

Gestures

Body posture

Movements
 Albert Mehrabian (Nonverbal
Communication):
total impact of a message is:

Impact = 0.07 verbal + 0.38 vocal

+0.55 facial/body

7% of the message is verbal, while

93% is body language, facial
expressions and vocal elements
 Categories of nonverbal communication

Martin Hayes refers to:

1) Kinesics
2) Paralanguage
3) Proxemics

Gerald Goldhaber comes with a different division:

a) Body
b) Voice
c) Environment
 2) Paralanguage

a) Voice qualities: rhythm, pitch, volume

b) Vocal characteristics: grunts, coughs, yawns, laughs, etc.
c) Vocal quantifiers: variations in volume and tone
d) Vocal isolators: pauses and silence
Task 1:

How many animals of every species did Moses take in the ark?

Task 2:

Say I see in such a way as to express the following

a) joy; b) upset; c) anger; d) suspicion; e) fear; f) love; g) nervousness;
h) superiority; d) satisfaction; e) sympathy
3) Proxemics
 a) Body
Paul Ekman and Wallace Friesen have come up with a classification of
body language into 5 categories:

Emblems gestures with a pre-understood meaning

Illustrators body movements (emphasize words)

Affect displays facial motions

Regulators head or eye movements

Adaptors subconscious movements in uncomfortable contexts

(scratching ones nose, uncontrolled movements with the fingers, etc.)
Task: Identify the category for the body language in each picture:
 c) Environment

Hayes included here space (vital space), customs and clothing.

Tasks:
Can you think of any customs relating to gestures, posture, body
movement that are specific to certain cultures?

What are the functions of clothing?

Think of examples of connections between

(sub)cultures/mentality and clothes? For instance what was
specific clothing for: the 20s (Great Gatsby/the roaring 20s); the
80s (disco years)?
Task:

In groups, choose a subculture each and brainstorm

aspects of clothing connected to it, then say what
significations may be associated to this style. Present your
findings to the others.