The most common definition of human communication is the verbal and non-verbal interaction between humans in hopes of being able to convey meaning or messages. These often include the words that we speak, gestures we make and our facial expressions. However, the definition of human communication goes beyond the things we do with our bodies. Our actions and acts of self-expression are also part of our communication.
Communication is a difficult thing to define. Theodore Clevenger tells us that “the continuing problem in defining communication for scholarly or scientific purposes stems from the fact that the verb ‘to communicate’ is well established in the common lexicon and therefore is not easily captured for scientific use” (Clevenger, 1991, p. 351).
Contrary to Clevenger’s thoughts, Frank Dance (1970) outlines three elements used to distinguish communication. The first dimension is level of observation. The second distinction is intentionality. Some definitions include only purposeful message sending and receiving; others do not impose this limitation. The third of Dance’s (1970) distinctions is normative judgment. Some definitions include a statement of success or accuracy; other definitions do not contain such implicit judgments. (Dance, 1970, p. 201-210).
One popular model that attempts to define communication is the Shannon-Weaver model. It presents communication as a linear event. The model states that communication always involves six elements. These elements are the message, the source, the encoder, the channel, the decoder, and the receiver (Woods & Hollnagel, 2005, p. 12).
Verbal communication is the sending and receiving of messages, typically between individuals or groups, to convey meaning and understanding. This includes our language usage, phrases, words or sounds. Non-verbal communication conveys the other part of our message using hand gestures, body language and facial expressions.
Communication is the sending of messages from a sender to a receiver in a particular channel or medium. These channels can be air waves, pages of a book, newspapers, visible language such as American Sign Language or more recently developed channels such as computer screens. In our world today, which is highly technologically oriented, people have begun to communicate in new ways. These ways include, but are not limited to, telephones, cellular telephones, electronic mail, video conferencing, instant messaging or text messaging. As these new adaptations of technology appear and become more popular, senders and receivers both are required to learn how to interpret messages over new mediums and learn to use these technologies. Unfortunately, it is possible for these new technologies to negatively affect human communication. While technology often provides faster and more efficient transmission, it often can be the cause for misinterpretation by the receiver, or can result in the losing of a message in the failed delivery of electronic mail.
However, the channels of communication can extend beyond these standard or traditional written or oral communications. Communication can include expressions of self such as the bumper stickers that we affix to our cars expressing our political beliefs, body piercings and tattoos, or works of graffiti on the wall of a building. Each of the above convey a certain way that someone feels and that feeling is received by people or groups, perhaps no one specifically, much in the same way that someone who reads a book or newspaper story receives a message.
Human communication is any relay of message from sender to receiver. An important part of understanding human communication is acknowledging that it includes communications that are received or decoded correctly as well as messages that are not, due to a language barrier or a simple misunderstanding between sender and receiver. Sometimes during communication, especially during a heated argument, words or actions are misunderstood and being able to work through those is a large part of being an effective communicator. Similarly, communication also includes messages that are inadvertently sent by something we say or do, or something that we don’t say or do when the other party feels that we should have reacted differently.
Ultimately, our communication with others determines our relationships with them; whether it is a friendship, a parent or other family member, relationship with your boss, or a casual acquaintance with whom you may never communicate again. The definition or perspective of human communication will vary for each person, which is partially why it is so difficult to define accurately. It is almost a second nature for humans to be able to receive the oral messages from their fellow humans as well as being able to decode the non-verbal gestures.
In conclusion, human communication is a necessary part of day-to-day life. It is comprised of many complex aspects that most people are not even aware of and many obstacles that must be overcome. The definition of human communication will continue to evolve as long as technology continues to evolve, but it will still be necessary to understand the elements that compose communication in order to understand communication as a whole.
References
Clevenger, T. (1991). “Can one not communicate? A conflict of models.”
Communication Studies. 42. 351.
Dance, F. E. X. (1970). “The ‘concept’ of communication,” Journal of
Communication (website). 20. 201-210.
Woods, D. D., & Hollnagel, E. (2005). Joint Cognitive Systems: Foundations of
Cognitive Systems Engineering. Florida: CRC Press.