Various dictionaries define communication as follows:
- "The act or process of using words, sounds, signs, or behaviors to express or exchange information or to express your ideas, thoughts, feelings, etc., to someone else." (Merriam-Webster)
- "The imparting or exchanging of information or news." (Oxford)
- "The imparting or interchange of thoughts, opinions, or information by speech, writing, or signs." (Dictionary.com)
Some synonyms include connection, conversation, transmission, articulation, communion, dissemination, elucidation, reception, talking, corresponding, disclosing, and translating. (via Thesaurus.com)
These related words are quite diverse in their meanings--which gives us valuable clues as to the varied nature of communication. From the synonyms we can infer that communication involves such dynamics as:
- Spoken words
- Active listening
- Clear use of the medium
- At least two-way exchange
- Shared understanding
- Taking into account another's perspective
- Compensating for obstacles to comprehension
- Clarification
- Response and rejoinder
- Vulnerability
I have listed some examples of communication-related behaviors, which contrast tactics that do not involve the above dynamics against methods which do incorporate them.
Communication is not:
- An endless flow of emails. One can write thousands of words and still never communicate anything meaningful.
- Constant requests and suggestions.
- Spending 2 hours at a coffee shop "catching up" with a friend, only to realize that you were the only one talking.
- Tweeting pictures of your every meal, daily commute, and bathroom reading material.
Communication is:
- A consistent conversation of thoughts and feedback thereupon.
- Establishing a problem and then working with others to invent a solution.
- Spending 2 hours in that coffee shop and coming away feeling both understood and as though you understand your friend.
- Tweeting shared interests which benefit those listening.
From all of this, the definition of communication at which I have arrived is this: "The others-centered exchange of thoughts leading to mutual understanding." Now, I think this is getting toward the point (and I'm rather fond of it, since it came out of my own head). But I'm sure it doesn't capture the fullness of such an essential area of life. So what would you add to or subtract from that? What do you mean by "communication"?
Must mutual understanding be achieved in order for an exchange of thoughts to be considered communication?
ReplyDeleteGood question--I debated that point in my own head and with others before writing this. A common objection is that communication is related to information going out, so the reception on the other end is an entirely different matter. I would object to this. Etymologically speaking, "communicate" was derived from the Latin "communicare", meaning to share. To share, one must have another to share with, and if that second person doesn't understand what the first is trying to share, then one cannot share. Exchange of thoughts without understanding on the recipients' part means that the original thoughts still only exist in the originator's mind, despite attempted transmission.
ReplyDeleteAs an analogy, think of downloading music. Most of the time, you purchase music, click download, and then a minute later you have that music on your computer. But sometimes, the download fails and the file is corrupted. You still have something on your computer, but the computer cannot play the file as music, because it does not understand it. Despite the information coming in, the music still has its meaningful existence only at the source of the download.
So, if the recipient doesn't understand the sender's thoughts and, according to the above definition, communication did not happen, then what did take place?
DeleteWith respect to your analogy, a download still occurred - data got to the intended destination. It may not be useable (i.e. understood), but the download took place. The same can be true of sharing - I may share an object with you, you receive it (hear or read it in the case of a thought exchange), but don't make use of it (or understand it). That doesn't mean I didn't share with you.
I apologize for not replying sooner.
DeleteYou've made me write such a long comment that I decided to just make it a follow-up blog post. Good thought-provoking questions!