Communication - Definition, Fundamentals, Models, Importance, and Myths

This article discusses the definition, fundamentals, models, importance, and myths of communication. It also provides examples and explanations of how communication is critical to developing self-concept.

Running head: COMMUNICATION
Communication
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

1COMMUNICATION
1. According to Communication: Principles for a Lifetime (2013), what is the definition
of communication? What are the fundamentals of communication? What does
communication mean to you personally? Provide an example.
As per Communication: Principles for a Lifetime (2013), the definition of communication
is- the process in which one acts on information. Communication can be everything. It is a
form in which one express oneself to others in verbal or non-verbal context. It is fundamental
in the manner in which people guide their interpersonal relationships. For instance, if a
married couple stops talking or feeling each other, their relationship is likely to end very
soon. Similarly, it is important to the businesses and governments and if there is any
breakdown in the process of communication, things can turn into wrong. For example, in case
of political communication, if the involved parties are unwilling to communicate effectively
and talk and discuss about their idea and thoughts, it is likely that the ultimate decision over
the issue would be poor. Hence, it is important to ensure that all the lines of communication
are open to ensure the survival of long-term relationship, be it personal or professional.
2. Describe the differences between linear, interactional, and transactional communication.
Linear, interactional and transactional are the three models of communication that are
used for explaining the process of human communication. The linear model comprise of the
sender encoding a message that is to be sent through a channel to the receiver in presence of
noise. It is a “one-way communication that does not display the feedback element that
indicate continuous exchange of information (Ganah & John, 2015). On the other hand, the
interactional model of communication, which is although similar to the linear model, is said
to be a bit more complex and technical model, that is equal to two different linear models
from the opposite directions that are stacked together. In this model, the sender sends a
message to the receiver through a channel and the receiver then becomes sender and channels
a message to the real sender. It has also added feedback and here communication is not one-

2COMMUNICATION
way process, rather, is a two-way process. Lastly, transactional communication model does
not indicate any sender or receiver. Instead, it labels interlocutors as the communicators-
either A or B. It represents face-to-face communication and here, communicators could
simultaneously be the sender and receiver, both, as in a negotiating manner.
3. Why is communication critical to developing self-concept? Provide an example of
how communication has helped you to develop your self-concept.
It is to note that self-concept refers to the beliefs, values and attitudes of an individual.
The individuals who are aware of themselves reflect a very confident personality and at the
same time, are seen as a good communicators. Human beings cannot live in isolation and
each and every one has the right of speaking out their view-points. Human beings usually
think of themselves and what others think of them by means of making interactions. No one
can form their own conceptions unless it is compared to any other person and this is why
human beings are often referred to as social animals. Communication is important for
developing self-concept as of the fact that it allows an individual for creating the premise for
the foundation to be expound and explored upon throughout the passage of life (Seobuk-gu,
2014). One of the examples to showcase how communication has helped in developing self-
concept is to see how effectively people work with other people are their workplaces who
belong from different walks of life. People often learns from the mistake of others and
through trial and errors. In this way, communication help in developing self-concept.
Myth or Reality?
1. You communicate only when you consciously and deliberately choose to
communicate.
Myth or Reality

3COMMUNICATION
It is a Myth. We communicate all the time either consciously or subconsciously
(Baumeister & Bargh, 2014). Communication can take place either by moth or our body
language. There are different ways of communicating, good or bad, and we all have them.
Even if we choose not communicating verbally, we do communicate non-verbally and
unconsciously.
2. Words do not mean the same things to the listener as they do to the speaker.
Myth or Reality
It is a reality. This is due to the fact that everyone interprets different things in different
ways and each and everyone has their own perception, definition and meaning of what is
being said to them. An individual interpret words in his or her own unique way (Li et al.,
2017). However, it is to note that while interpreting, one need to think about the things like
emotional state, culture, language etc. if the speaker could communicate clearly, the words
would mean the same thing to the listeners. It depends on how effectively the speaker is
communicating and how clear it is.
3. You communicate primarily with words.
Myth or Reality
It is a myth. It is to note that communication can take place by actions and words. People
often are seen to be speaking with their bodies (non-verbal, signs), without uttering a single
word. Also, one can speak out words and his body language could give off a complete
different visual. So, it is not that people communicate primarily with words and they have to
learn communicating with both. Actions of people need to match what they are actually
trying to say. Also, there are many forms of communications that have absolutely nothing to
do with words.

4COMMUNICATION
4. Nonverbal communication is not perceived solely through sight.
Myth or Reality
It is a reality as one can communicate through touching, tasting and even through making
sounds. The non-verbal communication can be done through using gestures and also
paralinguistic. Human beings makes use of all their senses for communication (Dicks, 2014).
They can look funny, happy, moving in a certain type, and also, breathing could initiate or
indicate that something is going on or someone is speaking. It is our body language that can
brush someone off and at the same time, let them know that we are not interested in them.
With the same, heavy breathing also indicates that we are feeling uncomfortable and nervous.
5. Communication is not a one-way activity.
Myth or Reality
It is a reality as of the fact that communication is more than just speaking as a delivered
message. Every communication has a sender and a receiver and it depends on both the sender
and receiver to make an effective communication. It is in fact any way activity. Whether one
is receiving a message, sending a message or is talking to anyone, he or she is communicating
in either one way or many ways. One-way communication is where the information is
transferred in one way only, that is, from the sender to the receiver. There is not any
opportunity for the receiver to provide feedback. On the other hand, two-way is where
discussions are done in between receiver and sender.
6. The message you send is identical to the message received by the listener.
Myth or Reality
It is a myth. The message one send may not be identical to the message received by the
listener. One should never assume that the person with whom one is communicating does

5COMMUNICATION
understand what he or she saying (Caballero & Paradis, 2015). As mentioned above, words
can mean different things to different people. It all depends on the way in which people
interprets the meaning of the shared message. For example, “I love you” can be received and
acknowledged by the receiver, but they might not be accepted as him or her as he or she
might not feel in the same way.
7. You can never give someone too much information.
Myth or Reality
It is a myth. One can send myriad of information and can even overload information.
It all depends on the capacity of the receiver, how much he or she can take. But sender can
continue giving information as much as he or she want to. According to Chia (2014), “silence
is where change takes place. Change occurs in mind, not in words”. Silence can be powerful
and if it is used in correct way.

6COMMUNICATION
References:
Baumeister, R. F., & Bargh, J. A. (2014). conscious and Unconscious. Dual-process theories
of the social mind, 35.
Caballero, R., & Paradis, C. (2015). Making sense of sensory perceptions across languages
and cultures. Functions of Language, 22(1), 1-19.
Chia, R. (2014). Reflections: in praise of silent transformation–allowing change through
‘letting happen’. Journal of Change Management, 14(1), 8-27.
Dicks, B. (2014). Action, experience, communication: three methodological paradigms for
researching multimodal and multisensory settings. Qualitative Research, 14(6), 656-
674.
Ganah, A., & John, G. A. (2015). Integrating building information modeling and health and
safety for onsite construction. Safety and health at work, 6(1), 39-45.
Li, C. C., Dong, Y., Herrera, F., Herrera-Viedma, E., & Martínez, L. (2017). Personalized
individual semantics in computing with words for supporting linguistic group decision
making. An application on consensus reaching. Information Fusion, 33, 29-40.
Seobuk-gu, C. S. (2014). The relationship between problem solving ability, professional self
concept, and critical thinking disposition of nursing students. International journal of
Bio-Science and bio-technology, 6(5), 131-142.