Psychology of interpersonal relationship Unit II Communication Communication process

sender

Message

Channel

Receiver

Feed back Effective communication is composed of three basic elements, a sender, a receiver and an understood message. Though the elements are three, the channel of communication is very important. The sender and the receiver both share the responsibility for effective communication. The communication loop is complete when the receiver understands, feels, or behaves according to the message of the sender. If this does not occur, the communication process has broken down. Barriers in communication Semantics: Most people are so accustomed to using words when they communicate that they give semantics, the meanings and changes in meanings of words, little thought. Same words may give different meaning to difference people. Emotions: It is the perhaps the most powerful communication filter. Strong emotions can either prevent people from hearing what a speaker has to say or make them too susceptible to the speakers point of view. Attitudes: Attitudes are beliefs backed up by emotions. They can be a barrier to communication in much the same way emotion can altering the way people hear the message. Role Expectations: This control how people expect themselves, and other, to act on the basis of the roles they play, such as boss, customer, and employee.

Non verbal Messages: messages without words and silent messages. These are the messages we communicate through facial expressions, gestures, voice tone, appearance, posture. Personal space: it is an invisible territory that people use to define their relationship or invisible territory an individual maintain where other cannot enter. How to improve personal communication Send clear messages Use repetition Use words carefully Use discretion in Written correspondence Use appropriate timing Five signs of poor listening habits 1. Thinking about something else while waiting for the speakers next words or sentence. 2. Listening primarily for facts rather than ideas 3. Tuning out when the talk seems to be getting too difficult 4. Prejudging from a persons appearance or manner that nothing interesting will be said. 5. Paying attention to outside sights and sounds when talking to someone. Active listening is the process of feeding back to the speaker what we as listeners think the speaker meant. Steps to become active listener 1. Cultivate a listening attitude 2. Focus you full attention 3. Ask questions

4. Empathetic listening 5. Avoid being judgmental 6. Accept what is said 7. Be patient Communication channels in organizations Formal channels: formal reporting relationships among the various level of management and employees Vertical channels: communications moving through vertical channels from top management levels reach a great many people down through the organization and carry considerable force. Horizontal channels: people on the same level of authority, such as the buyers and store managers communicate with one another across horizontal channels. Informal channels: without any formal information communication flows with employees in the organizations. Eg. Message form VPs secretary to someone in the organization or from a division heads assistant to an assistant in another division.