Communication

Dr. Ashok Baindha

Assistant Professor
PGIVER (RAJUVAS)
Definitions
 Word communication has been derived from the Latin Word “Communis”
which means common.
 Communication is defined as exchange of facts, ideas, opinions or
emotions between two or more persons to create a common ground of
understandings. It is transfer of information and understanding from one
person to another.
 Communication is the process of transmitting ideas, information, and
attitudes from source to a receiver for the purpose of influencing with intent
(Rogers)
 Communication is the transmission of information, ideas, emotions, skills
through the use of symbols, words, pictures, figures, and graphs.
(Berelson and Steiner)
 Communication is an exchange of feelings, ideas, and information whether
by speaking, writing, signals or behaviour.
Functions of Communication
 The information function: It serves to provide knowledge to the
individuals need for guidance in their actions.
 The command and instructive function: It serves to make the
employee aware of his obligations to the formal organization and to
provide him with additional guidance on how to perform his duties
adequately.
 The influence and persuasion function/Motivational function: It
encourages the appropriate individual to perform or to exhibit certain
behaviour. Message communicated are used to convince individuals
that their action can be personally or organizationally beneficial.
 The integrative function: Communication of messages/ideas, if
properly handled, should help to relate the activities of the worker to
their efforts complement rather than detract from each other.
Basic Concepts of communication
Communication fidelity:
 According to Berlo (1960), Fidelity is the faithful performance of
communication process by all its elements: Communicator, message,
channel and receiver.
 Noise and fidelity are two sides of the same coin. Eliminating noise
increases fidelity, the production of noise reduces fidelity. The basic
concern related to noise and fidelity is the isolation of those factors within
each of the ingredients of communication which determine the
effectiveness of communication.
 The communication fidelity is the extent of desirable changes in receivers’
behaviour as a result of communication. The desirable changes are in
receivers’ knowledge, attitude and action. The objective of any
communicative effort is to have communication fidelity as high as possible.
Communication Gap
 Communication gap refers to the difference between what was communicated by
the speaker (Source) and what has actually been received by the audience
(Respondents). Desirable action by the audience cannot take place if there is a
large communication gap.
 The nature of communication gap may be of two types-
 A. Where the message does not reach the target:
 Communication must be made available,
 Communication must be need based,
 Communication must be in time, and
 Use more than one channel of communication (minimum three channels
comprising both mass media and interpersonal may be used simultaneously).
 Cont….
Cont…
 B. Where the message fails to produce the desired impact:
 Use credible (thrust-worthy and competent) channels of communication,
 Repeat the message at least thrice at suitable intervals, in different time slots. In
repeating the message some variation may be introduced in the format, keeping the
central theme intact. This shall help in sustaining the audience interest.
 Take precaution against distortion of message (repeat and use printed media),
 Increase understandability of message,
 Give complete information,
 Help in maintaining the equilibrium (new technology may create some dis-
equilibrium in farm and home for which adjustments must be made), and
 Give new ideas to create and sustain audience interest.
Cont…
 When the meaning intended by the speaker or sender is not what is
understood by the recipient. It occurs due to;
 Poor Vocabulary
 Talking Fast
 Carelessness
 Improper Selection of Words
 Lack Of Clarity
Time Lag in Communication
 Lag means delay. While communication reduces time lag, the
communication process itself may involve some time lag. There may
be delay in getting the relevant information in the form of message and
treat the message according to channel requirement and needs of the
audience. There may be delay in organizing extension programmes.
Some time may be spent in contacting the channels and the channels
themselves may require some time to attend to the message in view of
their preoccupations.
 The communicator has to remain alert and take into consideration all
possible delays that may occur during the communication process. By
computing this time lag, the communicator shall plan and initiate the
communication action well in advance so that the intended message
reaches the audience in time.
 Use of computer based Information Technology (IT) can significantly
reduce the time lag in communication.
Empathy
 Empathy is the ability on the part of one person to understand the other
person’s internal frame of mind and reference, and accept the same.
This acceptance does not mean agreement. Empathy is also defined as
the ability of an individual to project oneself into the role of another
person, to be able to appreciate the feelings, thinking and actions of
another person (Rao, 1993).
 An extension agent who is empathic shall be able to understand and
appreciate the farmers’ situations and communicate with them
effectively. Similarly, an empathic farmer shall be able to communicate
with the outsiders to get the desired information. Empathy is an
indispensable skill for people moving out of the traditional settings.
Homophily and Heterophily
 According to Rogers (1995), a fundamental principle of human communication is that
the exchange of ideas occurs most frequently between individuals who are alike, or
homophilous.
 Homophily is the degree to which a pair of individuals who communicate are similar in
certain attributes, such as beliefs, education, social status and the ‘like. On the other
hand, heterophily is opposite of homophily, and is the degree to which pairs of
individuals who interact are different in certain attributes.
 When two individuals share common meanings, beliefs, and mutual understandings,
communication between them is more likely to be effective. Individuals enjoy the
comfort of interacting with others who are similar.
 Heterophilous communication between dissimilar individuals may cause cognitive
dissonance (Mental discomfort) because an individual is exposed to messages that are
inconsistent with existing beliefs and create an uncomfortable psychological state.
Differences in technical competence, social status, beliefs and, language lead to
mistaken meanings, thereby causing messages to be distorted or to go unheeded.
Propaganda, Publicity, Persuasion
 Propaganda is deliberate manipulation of people’s beliefs, values and behaviour
through words, gestures, images, thoughts, music, etc. Propaganda aims at
propagating beliefs and values of the propagandist and presents ‘only
communicator’s side of arguments without considering the arguments of the
receiver’s side.
 Publicity is based on truth and propaganda often suppresses the truth. One sided
communication giving view-points of only the message-source, ignoring the view-
points of receivers of the message, may sound propaganda despite the message
being based on truth. Propaganda is often authoritarian in approach in influencing the
people.
 On the contrary, persuasion is more democratic in influencing the audience to bring
about change in their attitude and behaviour. In persuading people, the extension
agent provides lots of arguments in favour of acceptance of the recommendations
and provides evidences of gain.
Development Communication
 Development is a widely participatory process of directed social
change in a society, intended to bring about both social and material
advancement for majority of the people through their gaining greater
control over their environment.
 These may mean increasing agricultural production, industrialization,
urbanization, improved housing, better health, higher education etc.
Such widespread behaviour change could only be attained if the mass
media were harnessed for that purpose. Development communication
is the use of communication to further development.
 In recent years, developing countries such as India have become
increasingly interested in the possible uses of new communication
technologies such as computers, telecommunications, and the Internet
to enhance connectivity, boost business, streamline governance, and
improve the quality of life of their citizens.
Communication Network:
 A communication network consists of interconnected individuals who are linked by
patterned flows of information. The network interconnectedness of an individual in a
social system is positively related to the individual’s innovativeness.

Opinion Leadership:
 Opinion leadership is the degree to which an individual is able to influence other
individuals’ attitudes or overt behaviour informally in a desired way with relative
frequency. This informal leadership is not a function of the individual’s formal position
or status in the system. Opinion leadership is earned and maintained by the
individual’s technical competence, social accessibility, and conformity to the system’s
norms.
 When the social system is oriented to change, the opinion leaders are quite
innovative; but when the system’s norms are opposed to change, the behaviour of
the leaders also reflects this norm. By their close conformity to the system’s norms,
opinion leaders serve as a model for the innovation behaviour of their followers.
Types of Communication
 According to Communication Channel used:
 Verbal
 Non-Verbal
 According to Nature of Communication (Based on purpose and style):
 Formal
 Informal
 According to the Number of People involved in communication process:
 Intrapersonal
 Interpersonal
 Group
 Mass
 According to Direction of communication
 Horizontal
 Vertical
 Daigonal/Cross-sectional
 According to Application:
 Internal
 External
Types of communication based on the
communication channels used: