There are many different theories of what communication is. In one analysis (Anderson, 1996), there were as many as 249 communication definitions covered in seven textbooks on the subject. While communication has been thoroughly examined by different disciplines, there is not yet one comprehensive field of study which brings all the schools of thought together and answers the question of "what is communication" definitively.
Due to rapid technological advancements, communication is changing all the time but let’s look at the basics first.
Communication Definition
The answer to what constitutes communication is obvious on the one hand but, on the other, so difficult that it requires entire books to define it properly. Obviously, communication is any kind of social interaction. There is a message which is delivered and a response which is given. But within this seemingly simple process, there are many subtexts.
To take this definition, then, means that a hermit living alone in his cave on a remote mountain does not communicate, as there is no one to hear him should he decide to speak. But communication is not only verbal but non-verbal as well. The hermit could be said to be communicating his desire to live alone by his actions. It is also possible to learn a lot about him by looking at the way he dresses, his hairstyle and the open-armed gesture he uses to greet each new day. These are all non-verbal types of communication that often give more information than the spoken or written word.
But here again, there is a difficulty. If there is no-one to see the gesture at dawn or judge the hairstyle, is there communication taking place? According to Thoreau, "It takes two to speak – one to speak and another to hear." However, aren’t thoughts also a form of communication even if it is to oneself? It is also possible to communicate with nature, isn’t it? Now it is becoming clear as to why books are needed to answer the question ‘what is communication’ properly.
What are Communication Skills?
To be human is to communicate, and this takes place from the moment we are born. Babies communicate very effectively through crying, making eye contact and,eventually, smiling and so communication skills could be said to be inherent. Somehow we know right from the start that survival depends on others understanding and meeting our needs. While this may be enough to get started however, efficient communication requires the building of communication skills. Someone who communicates badly will not meet with the same success as someone who communicates efficiently and well.
Communication skills can be broken down into the "encoder" skills of speaking and writing and the "decoder" ones of listening and reading.It is not enough to be a proficient orator and author but successful communicators also have to be adept listeners and intuitive readers. Encoding and decoding can also be applied to non-verbal communication skills which are just as important.
Effective Communication is a Key to Success
Effective communicators have been found to be more successful in life. This is true not only in a business or career sense but also in their personal lives. As technology progresses, communication is made easier in that it is so quick and immediate but it is also made more difficult as it is now more important than ever before to be good at it.
Bibliography:
Craig, Robert T. "Communication Theory as a Field." Communication Theory 9.2 (1999): 119-161.
Fiske, John. Introduction to Communication Studies. 2nd ed. London: Routledge, 1990.
Honeck, Richard P. A Proverb in Mind: The Cognitive Science of Proverbial Wit and Wisdom. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1997.
Marlene de Wilde - Marlene has a BA in journalism and psychology. She teaches English as a Second Language in Crete.
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