Communication is the process of exchanging information through symbols and behaviors to create shared meaning and understanding, develop relationships, and achieve goals. It is symbolic, requires a shared code, and occurs through various channels in a transactional process as depicted in models of communication. Perception involves interpreting experiences through schemas that organize information and can be influenced by factors like culture, which relates to values, beliefs, organizations, gender, and location that shape communicative behaviors. Effective intercultural communication involves listening, thinking before acting, empathy, and doing the right thing.

1. Communication
Essential to Human Behavior

2. What IS communication?
Definition Outcomes
 Communication is the  Create shared meaning
process by which
individuals use symbols and  Create understanding
behaviors to exchange
information  Develop relationships
 O’Hair and Wiemann (2009)

3. Why do we communicate?
 To express affiliation
 To achieve goals
 To influence other

4. How we communicate…
 Communication is symbolic
 Communication requires a shared code
 Encoding and decoding
 Communication is linked to culture
 Communication need not be intentional
 Interpersonal vs Intrapersonal
 Communication occurs through various channels
 Communication is a transactional process

5. Models of Communication
The Linear Model

6. Models of Communication
The Interaction Model

7. Models of Communication
The Competent Communication Model

8. Perception
 A cognitive process through
which we interpret our
experiences and come to
our own unique
understandings
 To gather, organize, and
evaluate the information
we receive we use schemas

9. Schemas: organizing perceptions
Schemas are… Types of schemas…
 Mental structures that put  Prototype
together related bits of
information  Stereotype
 Help you understand how  Script
things work and how they
should proceed
 Evolve and change over
time

10. Challenges to perception
 Selective perception
 Undue influence
 Attributions

11. Changing perceptions
 Understand ourselves
 Understand how we manage our own circles or influence
and identities; this changes over time
 Words crystalize perceptions
 Check with others
 Distinguish between facts and inference
 Monitor the self-serving bias

12. Communication and culture
 Culture is defined as a  Culture relates to:
person’s beliefs and  Values
attitudes about their world.  Beliefs
Their spirituality, their
 Organizations
sense of status and
 Gender
hierarchy, their use of time
and physical space, and  Physical ability or disability
their relationships to one  Location
another. …all shape our communicative
 Samovar & Porter, 2003) behaviors.

13. Individualism-Collectivism
Dimension
Individualistic Collective
 Personal goals and  Collective goals take
achievements are more priority over individual
important than collective goals

14. Effective and appropriate
intercultural communication
 Listen effectively
 Think before speaking or acting
 Be empathic
 Do the right thing

15. End