Introduction to Communication

Our Lady of Fatima University

College of Nursing

NCM101 – Human Behavior

Definition of Communication

This is the basic element of human interaction; the act or action of imparting or transmitting; non-verbal or verbal behavior in a social context; according to Reusch, it comprises all modes of human behavior.

This is the reason why the communication topic is included in Human Behavior Subject: 1) by communication, a person can tell one’s emotion. A person can tell if one is happy, sad, afraid and etc. 2) a person can also tell one’s intelligence or level of intelligence. This is the reason why there’s a question and answer portion in a beauty pageant. The real beauty of a person not only lies by the fairness of our skin, how tall are the persons and how attractive are their face and body, but on how a person think rationally. 3) a person can tell one’s motivations and desires consciously or unconsciously.

Modes of Communication

A person can communicate by 2 modes. 1) Verbal communication is the use of spoken words or languages.

Examples of these are talking with your seatmate, conducting lectures, talking via phone or cellular phone or speaking thru a videophone. With today’s technology, we can make our world a small place to live in. We can get connected with our love one in any part of the world because of the availability of the communication technology.

Another means of verbal communication is in the form of writings.

Examples of these are jotting notes, writing love letters to your sweetheart, texting SMS messages to other people thru your cellular phone, typing and sending e-mail. Sound produced by the moorse code is also a verbal type of communication because the sounds that it produced convey a meaning, which are letters.

Another mode of communication is non-verbal communication. Action speaks louder than words. They add meaning to what are said. These non-verbal type are grouped into 3 main categories: kinesics, proxemics and paralanguages.

Kinesics are bodily actions or movement.

Examples are bodily languages movements, postures, gestures, eye contacts and facial expression.

Proxemics pertains to the distance between person communicating. We have different distances.

From 0-½ ft is the intimate distance.

Examples are whispering, kissing, cuddling a child or infant, taking vital signs, administering medications, assisting patient to stand or turning patient side-to-side are examples of these.

From 1½-4 ft is the personal distance. This is ideal for nurse-patient relationship.

From 4-12 ft is the social distance. Examples are taking to a small group of friends, conducting nurses’ rounds, waving ‘hi’ to a person met.

The last is the public distance, which is >12 ft.

Paralanguages ate the quality of the spoken words delivered. It may be soft, loud, with impact, the pitch of the voice varies, or a person may have stuttered voice.

These verbal and non-verbal communication are closely bound together. We speak not in a monotonous voice and talk without an action. The nurse should be aware of the verbal and non-verbal messages made by the client.

Levels of Communication:

Intrapersonal communication occurs within an individual. These only involves an person speaking with himself, either thru ones mind or speak it out. But we seldom communicate with ourselves loudly, because of the reason that other persons might misinterpret what we are doing.

Interpersonal communication is face to face interaction between 2 people or small group.

Examples are having a chit-chat with your seatmate or within peers. Joining a group of chatters in a chat room via mIRC or Yahoo! Messenger, conducting nurses rounds is also an interpersonal communication. So, interpersonal communication is the heart of the nursing practice. By taking a simple vital sign. Before we insert the thermometer to the patient we have to communicate with your patient. Referring results to the doctor also an example of interpersonal communication.

Public communication is interaction with large group of people.

Examples are conducting lectures, symposium, seminars, reporting in front of the class or conducting health teaching among group of pregnant women.

Before you talk to your seatmate, you first talk within yourself on what you are going to say. Before I enter your class, is speak within myself on what topic I’m going to discuss to you. The prerequisite to interpersonal and public communication is the intrapersonal communication.

Elements of Communications:

Referent is what motivates a person to communicate with one another. This is the purpose or the objective of a person why a person is communicating.

The sender is person who initiates the interpersonal communication. The sender is the encoder of messages.

The message is the information that is sent or expressed by the sender.

These information runs thru channels. Channels are conveying messages such as through visual, auditory and tactile senses on how we receiver or perceive messages.

The receiver is the person whom the message is sent. The receiver is the decoder of messages.

Now, what are these codes? During exams a student thump his ball pen on his desk in various of times. Without the idea of the proctor, the student is already relaying messages to the other student the answer to the exams by means of sounds that it produced. The receiver can decode the messages sent by the encoder, which is the sender. Language are defined as the sounds produce that convey a meaning. If a person talked to me in Spanish or in French, I cannot decode his messages. We are communicating, Yes! But we are communicating ineffectively.

The feedback is the response or reaction made by the receiver.

The interpersonal Variables pertains to perception, values, cultural backgrounds, knowledge, and roles and the setting of interaction come into play to influence the content of message and manner in which it is shared. So the whole communication process is influenced by the variables. For example, persons are communicating in a very noisy environment. It’s very difficult to communicate in that kind of place.

Factors influencing Communications:

The level of development influence the manner of communication because the approach on different age group varies. If we are talking to a child, we should talk in a slow paced, the choice of words should be easily comprehended by the person you are talking to. The values & socio-cultural background of person also affect your communication. There are certain group of people that are very sensitive. There are certain topics that are taboo in their community, so, be careful. The emotions may it be the sender or the receiver can affect the quality of the communication. If the sender is depressed, the delivery of the message will be affected. Same thing is true if the receiver is angry. Its easy to talk to a person who is happy or jolly rather to a person who is angry or mad. Persons level of knowledge is also influence the manner of communication. In the use of vocabulary, we must consider the level of intellect of the person we are communicating with. Rather than we say to our patient “I will auscultate your lungs” it is better to use “I will listen to your lungs”. Because not all patient understand the meaning of the word auscultate. Based on roles and relationship examples are student to teacher, child to parents, student to student or sibling to sibling. The manner of delivery of messages change if a person have a role or authority, rather than persons who are in the same level, in which they are communicating casually. Environment examples are noisy environment can affect the understanding between persons talking. There are certain topics that need special environment, like proposing to someone. He want it to be done in a romantic place.

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