CATEGORES OF COMMUNCATION

Communication occurs in a context, a set of circumstances or situation. Communication occurs between friends, among five or more business contacts in a small setting, between lecturer and an audience.

Communication can be classified into the following categories:

Intrapersonal Communication (1)

This is the process of using messages to generate meaning within the self. This normally occurs within one’s mind. Intrapersonal communication also includes such activities as solving problems internally, resolving internal conflicts, planning for future and evaluating yourself and your relationships with others.

It involves only the self.

Each one of us is continually engaged in intrapersonal communication. (e.g. walking to class, driving to work, or talking to a shower).

Characteristics Intrapersonal Communication

i.            Number of People:                            It involves one person

ii.          Degree of Intimacy(Understanding):                      It’s most intimate.

iii.        Opportunities for feedback:             Complete feedback

iv.         Degree of Stability of the roles of the speaker and Listener: It’s highly unstable; the individual is both the speaker and the listener

   

Interpersonal Communication(2)

Interpersonal Communication is communication that occurs within your own mind and the minds of one or more persons. Therefore, Interpersonal Communication is the personal process coordinating meaning between at least two people in a situation that allows mutual opportunities for communication.

Characteristics of Interpersonal Communication

i.            Number of People: It takes from 2-10 people

ii.          Degree of Intimacy :It may generally be intimate or formal such as interviews

iii.        Opportunities for feedback: Great deal for feedback less than Intrapersonal but more than in Mass Communication.

iv.        Degree of Stability of the roles of the communicators: It is unstable, because both communicators alternate (vary) in communication.

 Public Communication.(3)

Public Communication is the process of generating meaning in a situation where a single source shares the message to a number of receivers more than 10 and receive non-verbal feedback. In Public Communication, the source adapts the message to the audience in an attempt to achieve maximum understanding. Sometimes, virtually everyone understands the speaker’s message; others sometimes may fail to understand. Public communication, or Public speaking, is recognised by its formality, structure and planning

Occasionally, you also may be the source: E.G when you speak to a group of people, when you try to convince other voters of merits of a particular candidate for an office or when you introduce a guest speaker to a large audience. Public communication most often informs, persuades, but it can also entertain, introduce, announce, welcome or pay attributes

 Characteristics of Public Communication

i.            Number of People: Usually more than 10 people

ii.          Degree of Intimacy(familiarity): Generally formal(Know/recognized)

iii.        Opportunities for feedback: more than in a mass Communication

iv.        Degree of Stability of the roles of the communicators: Highly stable because it’s one speaker speaking with many listeners.

 Mass Communication.(4)

Mass communication or communication mediated between a source and a large number of unseen receivers, always has some transmission systems (mediator) between the sender and the receiver. When you watch your favourite TV show Program, the signals are going from the broadcast studio to the satellite or cable and from that to your TV system

 This type of communication is called ‘mass’ because the message goes to newspapers, magazines readers, TV watchers, and radio listeners. It’s often taught in colleges or university’s department of mass communication, radio, Television or journalism.

Characteristics of Mass Communication:

i.            Number of people: Usually thousands of people

ii.          Degree of Formality: Generally formal

iii.        Opportunities for the feedback:  No Feedback.

iv.        Degree of Stability between the communicators: Highly stable , on-air speakers, invisible listeners