Understanding Communication: Types and Levels
Communication is a process in which an individual interacts through verbal and nonverbal language, where information is exchanged. Effective communication requires a sender, receiver, channel, code, and, most importantly, the message. It’s the “process by which information is transferred from one subject to another.”
- Zorin: Social interaction through symbols and message systems. Includes any process in which the conduct of a human being acts as a stimulus for the conduct of another human being.
- Roiz: Process of transmission of meanings.
- Fiske: Social interaction through messages.
- González Rey: The process of social interaction through signs and sign systems.
- Grebner: Social interaction through messages.
- Osgood: There is always communication that influences a state or action of another system.
Nonverbal communication includes: Kinesics, Iconic, Proxemics, Paraverbal, with sound.
Process: Set of successive phases of a natural phenomenon or an artificial operation.
Purpose of communication: To share, interact, transmit, modify, and motivate.
Key Functions: Report, Educate, Serve, Persuade.
Levels of Communication
- Intrapersonal: Emitter and receiver are the same person.
- Interpersonal: Between two or more persons, with immediate feedback.
- Group: Among a group of people.
- Organizational: A type of interpersonal communication that is hierarchical, depending on decisions.
- Mass: Through media, to an unidentifiable mass, which can be heterogeneous or homogeneous.
Types of Communication
- Verbal: Through language, oral signs, and written signs.
- Nonverbal: Through gestures and movements.
Nonverbal communication makes up 80% of the communication process, including language, physiotherapy, meta-signals, para-signals, and proxemics.
Nonverbal Communication Details
- Kinesics (expressed through movement).
- Paralinguistic (expressed through the voice).
- Proxemics (related to personal space).
Kinesics
a) Posture
- Position: Disposal of the body (open/closed).
- Orientation: Steering angle.
- Movements: Body actions.
b) Gestures
- Emblems: Represent a word or set of words. They are intentional and can take place without verbal communication.
- Illustrators: Used to illustrate what is being said.
- Patographers: Express emotional states.
- Interaction Regulators: Used to regulate operations.
- Adapters: Used to manage emotions and moods when they are incompatible with the situation.
c) Facial expression:
- Regular interaction, reinforce the caller.
- Visible facial movements.
- Imperceptible facial movements.
Look: Projection. Regulates the communicative act (indicating interest or disinterest). It is a source of information (supplementing hearing), expresses emotions (moods), and communicates the nature of the interaction.
Smile: To express sympathy, joy, or happiness in positive interactions. Used for irony in negative situations.
Paralinguistic: Tone, volume, rhythm.
Proxemics
Relating to personal space.
Personal space: Regulatory staff “territorial” barrier. It is maintained more forward than sideways or backward.
Intimate Distance (15 – 45 cm)
- Is the most guarded.
- Space of trust.
- Can be generated by touch.
Personal Distance (45 – 120 cm)
- Offices, meetings, parties, etc.
- Area for friendship, dating, family.
- Touch.
Social Distance (121 – 360 cm)
- Separates us from strangers.
- We use it when there is no relationship.
Public Distance (More than 360 cm)
- Suitable for addressing a group.
- High voice.