This document presents a model for understanding communication. It describes communication as purposeful, with intentions coded verbally and non-verbally. What is intended and what is received can differ. Noticing responses helps improve communication. The model involves production, coding, reception, decoding, and a feedback loop. It discusses applying this model to social work by examining general, work, situational, and immediate intentions and how they are coded and received.

1. A helpful model for understanding communication Mark Allenby Senior Lecturer in Social Work University of Northampton Prepared for Social Work Skills – Level 1 – SWK1007 January 2010

2. Overview of the Model Communication is purposeful Our purposes are coded verbally and non-verbally What we intend and what others receive are different Noticing the responses to our communications helps us communicate better

3. Production Coding Production Coding A B Intention Intention Reception Reception Decoding Decoding The Communication Cycle

4. Intentions in social work practice What messages do you generally try and communicate? – general intentions What messages do you convey in your work? – work intentions What are you trying to achieve in this interaction as a whole? – situational intentions What are you trying to achieve right now? – immediate intentions

5. General Intentions What messages do you give generally? About yourself? About your values and beliefs? About you place in society?

7. Work Intentions What are you trying to achieve in your work? Empowerment Social Justice Liberation Well-being How do you communicate these?

8. Situational Intentions Consider your intentions when interviewing A child who says that they have been abused A teenager with an eating disorder An adult with a disability about to move into supported accommodation A woman with post-natal depression An older adult to complete a Community Care Assessment Are you trying to achieve different things? Yes and No

9. Immediate Intentions Moment-by-Moment Process v Content Process I’m listening I understanding I respect you We can make a difference It’s your turn

10. Immediate Intentions Content Specific Questions or messages Questions What is the problem? What, where, when, who, how and why? What are your strengths How do you see things? Messages I believe you You can do this I don’t understand

11. Intentions Communication is purposeful Know your purpose Aim to communicate it clearly

12. Coding and Production Coding – what you meant to say Production – what you actually said “It sounded so good in my head!”

13. Coding and Production Words Tone of voice Body language, gestures and actions Timing, spaces and silence Clothes The venue

14. Production and Reception What was said and what was heard Can you be heard? Can you be seen? External noise Failing to receive Attunement and synchronicity

15. Decoding Reverse engineering Why did they say that? What you meant, what they think you meant Expect to be misunderstood

16. Decoding and internal noise How do we know what others mean? Perceptual filters Internal working models Mutual model building Reflecting, paraphrasing and summarising

17. Intentions, coding and production The Liverbirds 1970’s situation comedy Opening credits Him - Yeh dancing? (Are you dancing?) Her - Yeh asking? (Are you asking me?) Him – I’m asking Her – I’m dancing

18. Him Her Intention – I fancy her and want to get to know her. Coding and production – Yeh dancing? Him – reception – She asked if I was asking. Decoding – She must think I’m alright, time to risk a bit more. Coding and production – I’m asking Reception – He asked if I was dancing? Decoding – He possibly likes me Intention – I need to check if he was serious. Coding and production – Yeh asking? Intentions, coding and production