Functions of communication

1. “ Wise men speak
because they have
something to say.”
-Plato

2. FUNCTIONS OF
COMMUNICATION
Prepared by:
Ms. Mary Joy Cabiling

3. A. Regulation and Control
 It is to control others by managing their
behavior.
 By means of the use of language,
gestures, and emotions to manage
individual or group activities.
 Verbal cues: are the specific words chosen
and used.
 Nonverbal cues: include hand gestures,
bodily action including posture, vocal tone
and eye contact.

4. 1. The regulation of self by others -
A person being controlled by others
2. The regulation of self by self – a person
is controlling him/her self
3. The regulation of others by self – a
person is controlling others
3 Development Stages of
Regulatory function

5. B. Social Interaction
 A person’s emotional expression serves as a
social expression which suggests prepared
responses in others.
 Verbal cues: are the specific words chosen and
used. The speaker and the listener should be
respectful when using verbal cues, should be
respectful of each other’s culture as well as of
their age, gender, social status, and religion.
 Nonverbal cues: include hand gestures, bodily
action including posture, vocal tone and eye
contact.

6. C. Motivation
 Speaker’s Purpose or reason in communication
 The key to communicative competence of a person is
finding motivation to communicate better than he/she
currently does.
 People are motivated to communicate in two ways – by
approach or by avoidance – which show the positive and
negative sides of motivation
POSITIVE MOTIVATION
 Communication Goals – are the speaker’s
objectives or purpose in a communication. The
speaker’s motivation to reach his/her
communication goal is the bridge to his/her self
assessment of effectiveness, confidence, skills,
knowledge, etc.

7. TYPES OF NEGATIVE MOTIVATION
1. Communication Apprehension – is the fear or
anxiety that a person experiences as a result of either real
or anticipated communication with a person or group of
persons.
Signs: shaking of the hands, sweaty palms, or a
feeling/ upset stomach
2. Context Apprehension – is the anxiety of
communicating in a particular context such as
interpersonal, small group, and public speaking.
• Social anxiety – is the anxiety present in an interpersonal
communication
• Shyness – in small group communication is a social
anxiety at an extended period.
• Public speaking anxiety – also known as stage fright. It is
a common anxiety among people who seldom speak to a
big group of listeners or audience.

8. D. Information
 This function is used when the Speaker wants to
make others aware of certain data, concepts, and
process – knowledge that maybe useful to them.