Communication can be described as an active process of exchanging information between individuals using common system of symbols, signs and behavior (wilkinson,1984).
There are various levels of communication that includes:
- Intrapersonal level(internal monologue/reflection)
- Interpersonal level
- Group Communication
- mass communication
Intrapersonal level of Communication
It is a communication that individuals do within themselves without releasing any message to a target audience outside themselves.
It is also known as autocommunication or inner speech. It can be described as what you tell yourself.
It constitutes our own imaginations and our inner thoughts. For example if am preparing for an interview, i would imagine some of the questions that would be asked. I would create a virtual interviewer and imagine them asking me the questions, then i would answer them within myself as if am answering to the panel. All this is intrapersonal because the the participants of the communication resides inside self and no external participants. If i called my sister and i ask her to pretend to be an interviewer, then that would be an interpersonal communication.
Intrapersonal communication occurs, when you evaluate or examine the interaction that occurs between yourself and others. This form of communication occurs before and during other forms of communication as well. For instance, you might argue with yourself during a conversation in which someone asks you to do something you don’t really want to do and before you accept or decline, you mull over the alternatives in your mind. Intrapersonal communication also includes such activities as solving problems internally, resolving internal conflict, planning for the future, and evaluating yourself and your relationships with others.
Interpersonal level of communication
It refers to exchange of information between two or more people and it involves exchange of messages, ideas and information between individuals. It can involves some methods like face-to-face conversations, phone calls, text messages, sending emails, social media chats etc.
Interpersonal communication can be described as the process of using messages to generate meaning between at least two people in a situation that allows mutual opportunities for both speaking and listening.
With interpersonal communication, two or more individuals exchange messages using verbal and non-verbal cues.
Group level Communication
It refers to communication among three or more individuals with a common goal of sharing ideas and information collaborating on a project,resolving conflicts or negotiations.
A group is a collection of people with specific goals or objectives.
Group communication is used to take a collective decision on a problem, an issue or a matter of common interest. Participants involved in group communication takes an active part in communication to achieve a set of goals, develop social contacts or find the solution to a problem that concerns all members of the group.
Public communication
It is a communication that happens when a message sender is focused on transmitting a message to a specific group. In public communication, a person or a group of people share information to an audience or give presentation on a certain topic to deliver a certain message. Good examples of public communication is a classroom lecture, sermon or speech from public gatherings.
People delivering public speech may allow their audience to respond to the message and ask crucial questions.
Mass Communication
It is the process of imparting and exchanging information through mass media to a large group of population using various forms of media technology like print media, radio broadcasting, television broadcasting etc.
Mass communication focuses on using of a particular resource in transmitting information to various receivers.
It can also be described as the transmission of messages to many recipients at a time.
Through mass communication, information can be transmitted quickly to many people who do not necessarily stay near the source of information.
Mass communications is usually done through various channels that includes:
- Social networks
- magazines
- books
- films
- Internet
- billboards
- newspapers
- Radio broadcasts
- Televisions
- websites
components of communication
There are various components that makes up a communication which includes the message sender, message receiver, the message, channel, feedback, context, barriers and effects.
Communication is often seen as a transaction and interactive process such that it is a process of constructing meaning by taking into account the different perspectives of the participants.
communication has three major functions no matter the context in which it is applied:
- Assists individuals understand subject matter, their environment, job processes, themselves and others.
- Persuasion and influence
- Initiate and maintain human relations
- It is a key to initiating and maintaining human relationships
Apart from verbal communication where participants rely on the spoken and written words, we also communicate through behavior and by using non-verbal symbols and signs.
Many a times, non-verbal communication is given more importance than verbal communication because it be more accurate than the verbal one.
non-verbal communications includes:
- Facial expressions
- Gesture
- Body movements
- Posture
- Appearance
- Dressing
- Space and distance
- Tone of voice
- Paralinguistic features
- Time and artefacts.
Paralinguistics encompasses voice elements such as the pitch, volume, tone, intonation, rhythm, and silence and non-voice elements such as facial expressions, body language, hand gestures, and eye contact.