Communication: Elements, Analysis, Language, and Neurological Basis
What is Communication?
Communication is a notable difference between humans and other living beings. It involves the use of references and language, while most animals communicate only through stereotyped patterns that transmit information.
Elements of Communication
Communication can be defined as verbal communication or language, which is done through a set of arbitrary symbols and rules for combining these symbols to represent ideas about the world.
Nonverbal communication uses elements that are not fully symbolic, meaning they have some relation to the referent beyond arbitrary convention in a single community of users and/or lack rules for combining them.
Personal integration involves nonverbal communication, such as gaze and facial expressions, which allow for more transparent communication between people.
Body language, including movements of the body, arms, hands, and head, also helps us to understand messages.
Voice tone and rhythm of speech allow words to express different ideas and personal feelings.
Analysis of Communication: The Johari Window
The Johari Window is a model that analyzes communication by examining how a person expresses and/or receives information about themselves and others.
There are four quadrants:
- Open Quadrant: Information is known by the individual and those around them.
- Hidden Quadrant: Feelings and experiences that are known to the person but not to others.
- Blind Quadrant: Feelings that are known by others but not by the individual.
- Unknown Quadrant: Repressed impulses and motivations that are unconscious to both the individual and others.
Language: Human Language
Human language is a systematic means of communication through the use of vocal sounds, signs, or gestures.
Features of Language:
- Creativity: Language allows for the expression of feelings and ideas that depend on brain processing of stimuli.
- Form: Language is formed by a small set of sounds that can be combined into predictable sequences.
- Content: Language can communicate abstractions and meanings that are independent of the immediate situation.
- Use: Language organizes our sensory experience, expresses our sense of identity, and is a means of social communication.
Language Functions
- Referential or Representative Function: Describes objects and events in the world.
- Expressive or Emotive Function: Allows the speaker to express their ideas and feelings.
- Conative or Appellative Function: Aims to produce an effect on the listener or suggest a course of action.
- Faticar Function: Maintains or cuts off communication between people.
- Metalinguistic Function: Confirms that the sender and receiver are using the same code.
- Poetic Function: Selects and combines linguistic units for expressive value.
Neurological Basis of Language
Neuropsychology aims to discover where higher mental functions are located in the brain.
Broca’s Area: Controls the production of speech.
Wernicke’s Area: Processes auditory input and is important for understanding speech.
Evolutionary Development of Language
- 6 Months: Babbling with a clear trend towards the introduction of consonants.
- 1 Year: Begin to understand language, expressions of one word.
- 12-18 Months: Words used separately, still cannot join in sentences.
- 18-24 Months: Two-word phrases arranged by syntactic rules.
- 2-5 Years: New words every day, three or more words combined in many ways, has a good understanding of language.
- 3 Years: Complete sentences, few errors in a vocabulary of about 1000 words.
- 4 Years: Close to the language ability of an adult.