1.2 What is communication?

Summary

The script explores the multifaceted nature of communication, defining it as the act of transmitting information encompassing thoughts, ideas, and emotions. It highlights various forms of communication, from non-verbal gestures to media channels like television and the internet, which serve to amplify messages. The 'science of communication' emerges from interdisciplinary studies, with the script introducing the pyramid of communication to illustrate different levels, from societal to intrapersonal, and their connections to fields like sociology, psychology, and cultural anthropology.

Takeaways

• 📣 Communication is the act of transmitting information, encompassing thoughts, ideas, and emotions.
• 💐 Non-verbal gestures, such as giving a bouquet of flowers, are a form of communication that conveys a message.
• 🗣 Adding verbal communication, like a compliment, to a non-verbal act creates a separate act of communication.
• 😳 Emotional responses, such as blushing, also serve as a form of communication.
• 🤝 As social beings, humans communicate constantly using spoken words, non-verbal gestures, signs, and symbols.
• 📡 Media refers to the channels used to communicate, including technical media like television and broader definitions like body language.
• 🔍 Scholars have varying definitions of 'media,' but generally, it involves tools that amplify communication.
• 🔬 The study of communication channels and forms has led to the development of the 'science of communication'.
• 🌐 Different scientific disciplines contribute to the understanding of communication, sharing theories and methods.
• 🏛 The 'pyramid of communication' illustrates different levels of communication and their connection to various scientific disciplines.
• 🌍 Societal communication is aimed at large audiences and is studied by historians, political scientists, and sociologists.
• 🏢 Institutional communication involves organizations like political parties and corporations, falling under sociology and cultural anthropology.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Group communication is characterized by a strong sense of group identity, also within the realm of sociology and cultural anthropology.
• 👥 Interpersonal communication is the interaction between individuals, studied by both sociologists and psychologists.
• 🤯 Intrapersonal communication is self-communication, including internal information processing and is primarily a psychological domain.

Q & A

What is the simplest definition of communication according to the script?

The simplest definition of communication is each act of transmitting information, which includes thoughts, ideas, and emotions.

Can non-verbal actions be considered as forms of communication?

Yes, non-verbal actions such as giving someone a bouquet of flowers or blushing can be considered as forms of communication as they convey certain messages.

What is the role of media in communication?

Media are the channels used to communicate messages. They can be technical, like television and the internet, or more personal, like our hands, voice, and eyes.

What is the broader definition of media according to the script?

The broader definition of media includes not only technical channels but also our hands, voice, and eyes, which are all used to communicate in some way.

How does the script describe the study of communication channels over the years?

The script describes the study of communication channels as being conducted by scientists from different disciplines, with their results forming the basis of the relatively new 'science of communication'.

Why is it useful to be aware of how other disciplines are connected to the study of communication?

It is useful because scholars in other disciplines often study the same communication phenomena, share theories, models, and use the same methods to analyze and describe the field.

What is the 'pyramid of communication' mentioned in the script?

The 'pyramid of communication' is a conceptual model that illustrates different levels of communication and how they are connected to other scientific disciplines.

What are the levels of the 'pyramid of communication' described in the script?

The levels are societal communication, institutional communication, group communication, interpersonal communication, and intrapersonal communication.

Who typically studies societal communication according to the script?

Societal communication is mainly studied by historians, political scientists, and sociologists.

What is intrapersonal communication and which discipline does it lean heavily on?

Intrapersonal communication is the communication you have with yourself, including information processing, thinking, internalizing information, and giving meaning to the world around us. It leans heavily on psychology.

How does the script differentiate between institutional and group communication?

Institutional communication is performed by entities like political parties, organized religions, and large corporations, while group communication involves audiences that feel a high level of group identification, such as a family or a fan club.

Outlines

00:00

🗣️ The Essence of Communication

This paragraph delves into the fundamental concept of communication, defining it as the act of transmitting information in its broadest sense, encompassing thoughts, ideas, and emotions. It illustrates communication through various examples, such as giving flowers, verbal compliments, and even blushing, which are all forms of non-verbal cues. The paragraph emphasizes that as social beings, humans communicate constantly using spoken words, gestures, signs, and symbols. It also touches on the use of media as channels to amplify communication, mentioning television, the internet, and mobile phones as examples. The paragraph introduces the 'science of communication' as a relatively new field of study that draws from multiple disciplines, highlighting the interconnectedness of communication with other scientific areas.

Keywords

💡Communication

Communication is the central theme of the video, defined as the act of transmitting information which can include thoughts, ideas, and emotions. It is the process that enables interaction among individuals and groups, forming the basis of societal and individual functioning. The script illustrates this through various examples, such as giving flowers or verbal compliments, which are all acts of communication conveying different messages.

💡Information

Information in the context of the video is broadly defined to encompass thoughts, ideas, and emotions. It is the content that is shared or exchanged through communication. The script emphasizes that communication is not limited to verbal exchanges but also includes non-verbal cues and expressions, such as blushing after receiving a compliment.

💡Media

Media refers to the channels or tools used to facilitate communication. The script discusses the varying definitions of media, ranging from technical devices like television and mobile phones to more abstract concepts like the human voice and eyes. Media is essential for amplifying communication and reaching wider audiences.

💡Non-verbal gestures

Non-verbal gestures are a form of communication that does not involve spoken words. The video script mentions these as part of the wide array of communication methods humans use, such as facial expressions and body language, which can convey emotions or reactions just as powerfully as spoken language.

💡Symbols

Symbols in the video are used to represent ideas or qualities, serving as a form of communication. They can be objects, signs, or even gestures that carry specific meanings within a culture or context. The script does not provide specific examples but implies that symbols are part of the diverse ways information is conveyed.

💡Interpersonal Communication

Interpersonal communication is the interaction between two or more individuals. The script places this at the personal level of the communication pyramid, noting that it is studied by both sociologists and psychologists. It is a key aspect of human relationships and involves the exchange of thoughts, feelings, and information.

💡Intrapersonal Communication

Intrapersonal communication, as described in the script, is the internal dialogue one has with oneself. It involves information processing, thinking, and making sense of the world. This concept is heavily grounded in psychology and is essential for understanding how individuals interpret and respond to external communication.

💡Societal Communication

Societal communication is aimed at a large mass audience and is studied primarily by historians, political scientists, and sociologists. The script places this at the top of the communication pyramid, indicating its broad impact on society and its role in shaping public opinion and behavior.

💡Institutional Communication

Institutional communication occurs within organizations such as political parties, religions, and corporations. The script mentions this as a level below societal communication in the pyramid, highlighting its role in shaping the communication strategies of these entities.

💡Group Communication

Group communication is defined by the script as interactions among audiences that identify strongly with a group, such as a family or a fan club. This level of communication is studied within the fields of sociology and cultural anthropology, emphasizing the shared identity and norms within groups.

💡Science of Communication

The science of communication is an academic discipline that has emerged from the study of various communication channels and forms. The script mentions that scholars from different fields contribute to this science, sharing theories and methods to analyze and understand communication phenomena.

Highlights

Communication is the act of transmitting information, including thoughts, ideas, and emotions.

Giving someone a bouquet of flowers is a form of non-verbal communication.

Adding a verbal compliment to a gift is another separate act of communication.

Blushing in response to receiving flowers and a compliment is a non-verbal form of communication.

Humans communicate using spoken words, non-verbal gestures, signs, and symbols.

Media are channels used to communicate messages, including television, internet, radio, and mobile phones.

The definition of media can also include natural communication channels like hands, voice, and eyes.

Mediated communication typically refers to the use of technical media for mass communication.

The science of communication is a relatively new field, built on studies from various scientific disciplines.

Scholars from different disciplines share theories and models to study communication phenomena.

The pyramid of communication illustrates different levels of communication and their connections to scientific disciplines.

Societal communication is aimed at a large mass audience and studied by historians, political scientists, and sociologists.

Institutional communication is performed by organizations like political parties and large corporations.

Group communication involves audiences with a high level of group identification, such as families or fan clubs.

Interpersonal communication is the communication between two or more people, studied by both sociologists and psychologists.

Intrapersonal communication refers to the internal processing of information and is heavily influenced by psychology.

Transcripts

What exactly is communication?

The most simple definition: Communication is each act of transmitting information.

Information in the broadest sense of the word: including thoughts, ideas and emotions.

Information in the broadest sense of the word: including thoughts, ideas and emotions.

Information in the broadest sense of the word: including thoughts, ideas and emotions.

Giving someone a bouquet of flowers is communicating a certain message.

Adding to that gift a verbal compliment,

"You're pretty" is another seperate act of communication.

Blushing 'because you've just received flowers and a compliment

is again another form of communication.

is again another form of communication.

is again another form of communication.

As social animals we communicate day in day out...

with spoken words, non-verbal gestures, signs and symbols.

with spoken words, non-verbal gestures, signs and symbols.

Sometimes we use media to communicate a message.

Media are the channels that we use to communicate.

Scholars don’t really agree on the definition of the word media.

Television, internet, radio, mobile phones, the soapbox we stand on to give a speech,

they are all technical media in a way. Things we constructed to amplify our communication.

In the more broader definition, we can include our hands, voice and eyes,

that we all use to communicate somehow, in the list of communication channels, of media.

In general however, whenever we discuss mediated communication

or the mass media, we only mean the first category.

Over the years scientists from different scientific disciplines have studied these channels

of communication and all these different forms that communication can take.

The results of their studies have formed the basis of the relatively new

'science of communication'.

Even today, many scholars in other disciplines

study the exact same communication phenomena as we do.

We share theories, models and often use the same methods to analyse & describe our field.

It is therefore useful to be aware of how these other disciplines are connected with ours.

To get an idea of the different levels of communication

and how they are connected to other scienctific disciplines,

we can look at the so-called pyramid of communication.

On the highest level of this pyramid we find societal communication,

which is by its very nature aimed at a large mass audience.

Therefore mainly historians, political scientists and sociologists studied this perspective.

Under that is the level of institutional communication,

that is performed by political parties, organized religions, large corporations and such.

Then comes the level of group communication.

Groups are audiences that feel a high level of group identification,

for instance a family or a fanclub.

Both institutional and group communication are in the field of sociology and cultural antropology.

We have now arrived to the level of interpersonal communication,

basically the communication between two or more people.

Both sociologists and psychologists study this field.

Finally there is the level of intrapersonal communication.

This would be the communication you have with yourself.

With this we mean all information processing, thinking, internalizing information

and the process of giving meaning to the world around us.

And of course this approach leans heavily on the discipline of psychology.