Term | Definition |
communication | the process by which people use signs, symbols, and behaviors to exchange information and create meaning |
relational needs | the essential elements people seek in their relationships with others |
instrumental needs | practical, everyday needs |
model | a formal description of a process |
action model | a model describing communication as a one-way process |
source | the originator of a thought or an idea |
encode | to put an idea into language or gesture |
message | verbal and nonverbal elements of communication to which people give meaning |
channel | a pathway through which messages are conveyed |
receiver | the party who interprets a message |
decode | to interpret or give meaning to a message |
noise | anything that interferes with the encoding or decoding of a message |
interaction model | a model describing communication as a process shaped by feedback and context |
feedback | verbal and nonverbal responses to a message |
context | the physical or psychological environment in which communication occurs |
transaction model | a model describing communication as a process in which everyone is simultaneously a sender and a receiver |
channel-rich contexts | communication environments involving many channels at once |
channel-lean contexts | communication environment involving few channels at once |
symbol | a representation of an idea |
content dimension | literal information that is communicated by a message |
relational dimension | signals about the relationship in which a message is being communicated |
metacommunication | communication about communication |
explicit rules | rules that have been clearly articulated |
implicit rules | rules that have not been clearly articulated by are nonetheless understood |
intrapersonal communication | communication with oneself |
interpersonal communication | communication that occurs between two people in the context of their relationship |
small group communication | communication occurring within small groups of three or more people |
public communication | communication directed at an audience that is larger than a small group |
mass communication | using communication that is effective and appropriate for a given situation |
communication competence | using communication that is effective and appropriate for a given situation |
self-monitoring | awareness of one's behavior and how it affects others |
empathy | the ability to think and feel as others do |
cognitive complexity | the ability to understand a given situation in multiple ways |
ethics | principles that guide judgments about whether something is morally right or wrong |