Presentazione Inglese Michelassi

Communication

By Francesco Michelassi

Great communicators

Subliminal communication

Music is a form of communication

Visual communication

Channels of communication

Mass and interpersonal communication

Types of communication

What is communication

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What is communication

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People communicate to exchange information through a common system of symbols, signs, or sets of behaviour. According to D.E. McFarland, American expert on business management, "Communication may be broadly defined as the process of meaningful interaction among human beings."

Definition of communication

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Types of communication

Communication may be formal or informal.Formal communication occurs when the exchange of information is made through pre-defined channels and follows a hierarchical and defined chain of command, for example in business contexts.

Formal and informal communication

Informal communication is generally used for more personal communication, developing in all directions, free from all kind of organisational formalities and conventional rules.

In fact, when we engage with someone, our body has a language of its own..

However, there are a lot of other different ways we can use to communicate with each other, both intentionally and unintentionally:

Verbal and non verbal communication

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Universals in non-verbal communication

Six basic emotional aspects are shared around the globe using non-verbal communication. People, no matter what their culture is, display the same general expression for happiness, sadness, surprise, fear, disgust and anger.

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In general, universals in non-verbal communication do not exist, even if there are some similarities:

Mass and interpersonalcommunication

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Interpersonal communication

Mass communication

Interpersonal communication is the transfer of a message from one person to another. In fact, it is a sort of exchange since the feedback is almost immediate. It is a two-way process, where one person sends the message and the other receives it and also sends a feedback even while listening (thanks to non-verbal communication). Depending on the receiver's reaction, the sender knows how the message has been received; such feedback also allows the sender to correct, adapt or repeat the message in order to improve communication.

Mass communication has been defined as "the process whereby media organizations produce and transmit messages to large publics and the process by which those messages are sought, used, and consumed by audiences." (S. Littlejohn, K. Foss, Theories of Human Communication) Mass communication is therefore the public transfer of messages through media or technology-driven channels to a large number of recipients from large organisations. However, with the appearance of new media like YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and text messaging, this definition does not fit anymore, since individual people now have the chance to send messages to large audiences, too, thus changing the meaning and implications of the term mass communication."

Interpersonal communication

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Mass communication

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Channels of communication

A communication channel is, in fact, the medium used to transfer a message from a sender to an audience.

The answers will then help us answer another one:

The way in which we communicate is as important as what we communicate. To choose the most suitable communication channel the following questions need answering:

Choosing the best communication channel

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In the past people used to discuss about their experiences mainly face-to-face. However, many other possibilities have also taken hold, and it is possible to group them into three broad categories: print, broadcast, and media.

Types of communication channels

Visual communication

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Visual communication can be defined as the action of distributing messages employing visual elements - images, signs, posters, drawings, photographs, charts and graphs, clip art and electronic images - to convey ideas and information to an audience. Products, ideas and messages are often effectively presented to a more or less attentive public with the intention of informing, explaining, persuading or amusing. The opportunity to communicate through the use of images is a great chance, especially in presenting, in teaching and learning, in advertising and implementing SEO strategies. Modern visual communicators are familiar with a variety of types of visual technology instruments to create artistic images. The art director, the graphic designer, the advertising designer, the visual artist, the SEO specialist or the computer designer all pick from, and constantly invent, different ranges and types of visual media to communicate their ideas to their audience.

Definition

cross-cultural

pictures and charts help people memorise information better

more retainable

symbols or pictures remove language obstacles

bar charts help you to find the first and last item at a glance

more effective

in this information era and fast-moving world, pictures provide immediate comprehension

instantly understandable

visual materials are more eye-pleasing

enjoyable

when you get lost, it is easier and faster to find your way by looking at a map

simpler

Advantages of visual communication

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Music is a form of communication

In nature, music has always been used as a form of communication: birds communicate by making meaningful sounds; they "talk" in sophisticated ways, for courtship, mating and to establish territories or to warn of danger. In the early stages of mankind, music was probably used more for communication than for pleasure: drums, horns and bells were used during religious ceremonies and magical rites, and researchers suppose that early forms of human language developed through music.

Even today, music allows people to connect with each other and find common ground easily. It provides a means by which people can share emotions, intentions, and meanings even though their spoken languages are incomprehensible, and it supplies a vital lifeline to human interaction for those whose special needs make other means of communication difficult. From the drumbeats of our ancestors to today's unlimited streaming services, music is an integral part of human life.

Researches have demonstrated that music affects our mood and produces emotions. It potentially reduces anxiety and depression; it increases happiness and self-esteem; it improves the quality of life; it stimulates the emotional areas of the brain and it may take us back in time to emotions we felt.** Moreover, music training, with its pervasive effects on the nervous system's ability to process sight and sound, may play a crucial role in enhancing verbal communication skills.

A bit of history

Music and mankind

The effects of music

Subliminal communication

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Subliminal messages are perceived outside the conscious realm - by the unconscious or deeper mind - in two different ways:

Subliminal messages

A bit of history

The word subliminal comes from the Latin sub limen, literally "below the threshold". Subliminal communication goes beyond the conscious mind and information is sent "below the threshold" of conscious awareness. We are overwhelmed by lots of information daily and our conscious mind has developed the ability to filter 'non-important facts. Not noticing something doesn't mean not being aware of it: whatever can be seen or heard but is not consciously perceived is subliminal and can have an influence over us.

Definition

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Great communicators

What makes normal communicators great? Why can some phrases or speeches impress themselves firmly on our mind or arouse emotions? What is it about the persona or message of great communicators that moves people and creates action? Let's look at a couple of examples from the last century.

THANK YOU

Our verbal messages are communicated through the words (and music or pictures) that we use. The use of language to convey information is one of the most common types of communication since it is effective, and it is generally the first type of communication people tend to think about.

The way we sit, the gestures we make, the way we talk, how much eye contact we make - all of these are non-verbal ways of communicating that affect - reinforcing or disproving - the message our words are sending. For example, crossed arms or legs, or curved shoulders might display feelings like anxiety, irritation or nervousness and they are considered "closure' signs.

Winston Churchill

Though Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of Great Britain during World War II, had a major speech impediment since he had a stutter, he is considered a consummate communicator.

• Sender: the initiator of the message that needs to be transmitted. • Message: the heart of communication, the content the sender wants to convey. • Encoding: the act of transforming the message into the appropriate medium. • Channel(s): the way the message flows or the medium it is transmitted through... Receiver: the person or group who the message is addressed to. • Decoding: the act of interpreting or converting the message into comprehensible language. Feedback: the final step which confirms that the receiver has received the message.

Elements in the process of communication

• Receiver and sender don't usually know each other. • It involves a tech-based medium. • The audience tends to be far-off and diverse. • The message is most often profit-driven. • Feedback is limited and not always expressed. • It continues even if part of the large audience fails to understand the message. • One-way.

Apparently, the Ancient Greeks were the first to try and pass messages without directly attracting attention to them: they used slight, almost imperceptible emphasis on certain words or expression with different meanings to communicate in a persuasive way. This strategy has increasingly been used ever since by great communicators and nowadays subliminal messages are sometimes used in advertising to influence people without them being consciously aware of the manipulation. Different techniques are now successfully used to affect the audience at a level below their consciousness.

Communication has an important function, strongly associated with all other human activities: it overcomes the gap between individuals and groups through information. Information is its most vital aspect: it is transmitted, studied, analysed, interpreted and stored. As a result, communication helps people understand, bringing people closer and creating clarity of thoughts and expression.

Purposes of communication

The five major purposes for communication are: 1. to share knowledge; 2. to imagine unreal situations or stories; 3. to influence (e.g. advertising); 4. to meet social expectations; 5. to express feelings.

Martin Luther King

Martin Luther King was the leader of the African-American civil rights movement and was assassinated in 1968. His most famous speech was 'I have a dream", and here are the reasons why it was so powerful:

• WHO do I want to speak to? (audience);
• WHAT do I want to say? (message);
• WHY am I addressing my audience? (goal).

The process of communication

It refers to the transmission or passage of information or a message from the sender, through a selected channel, to the receiver, overcoming barriers. The process of communication is a cyclic one as it begins with the sender and ends with the sender again in the form of feedback. It is a continuous and dynamic interaction.

Depending on its audience and goal, each message works better with a different communication channel, or it can work equally well with different channels provided it is adapted to their particularities: the radio cannot use visual Images, for example, and it is difficult to target niche groups with outdoor advertising. Choosing the best communication channel is therefore crucial to communicate the right message and achieve the desired outcome.

• through visual stimuli: images flashed quickly enough to go ignored by the human eye, but registered by the subconscious;
• through auditory stimuli: audio messages embedded within a track, not audible by the listener but registered by the subconscious.

• all cultures use the same body parts;
• very often it is used in art and rituals;
• it is used to integrate situations within relationships.

• HOW can I send my message? that is, what is the best communication channel to achieve my goal with my intended audience?

• Receiver and sender know each other. • It doesn't require any media. • Receiver and sender have something in common. • The message is generally personal. · Feedback is almost always present: lack of it implies a breakdown in the communication process. • It is constantly adapted to the feedback. • Two-way.

• facial expressions
• gestures
• hands
• touch
• eye contact
• body movements and posture
• the tone of voice.