Effective Communication

Effective Communication

Three areas of human communication

Syntactic – transmitting information and emotion, coding, channels, capacity, noise, redundancy. We communicate information and feeling simultaneously.

Semantics – meaning. In order to understand, the communicants must agree on what the symbols mean. Transmission can be excellent but semantics can be off.

Pragmatics – the effect of communication on behavior. All behavior, not only speech, is communication, and all communication affects behavior. There is the effect of that communication has on the receiver and also the effect of the receiver’s reaction to and within the sender.

Components of Positive Communication

Calmness

Pleasant voice tone

Pleasant facial features

Supportive body language

Supportive eye contact

Sincerity

“I” Messages

The goal of your message

The other person understands exactly what you want changed

The other person’s desire to cooperate is maximized

The other person’s defensiveness is minimized

The other person’s self-esteem is maintained

The relationship is maintained

What is apt to help

Describe behavior, not the person (you missed your appointment, not you are irresponsible)

Use descriptions based on direct observations (you were not home when I came to see the children, not you are just trying to keep the children from me)

Use behavioral descriptions, not judgments (you were yelling at the children, not you are an unfit mother)

Using gradations, not all or none (you sometimes interrupt me, not you never listen)

Speaking in the here and now, not there and then (I want to talk, not you just withdraw all the time)

Sharing ideas, not giving advice (I would like it if things could be different, not you should shape up)

Sending what is of value to the receiver, not the sender (what will help them behave the way I want, not getting everything off my chest)

Providing only the amount of information that can be used, not what can be sent (overload)

Behavioral Sciences Institute

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