Communication. AI-Generated.
Introduction
What is Communication?
Communication is social process that is essential to life and fundamental to survival (Stacks &
Hockings, 1999). It permeates every level of society and influences how we think, act, and engage
personally and professionally. It is derived from the Latin word, communicare, which means
to impart or share (Merriam-Webster, 2017). One of the most important aspects of effective
communication is the use of a common language to create a shared understanding of messages
between the sender and receiver. This process can take many forms: face-to-face; through
mediated communication, such as written letters and books; or via electronic platforms, such as
computers.
Over the past 50 years, the media landscape and, consequently, the ability to communicate
to mass audiences have greatly evolved. From radio and television to the invention of the
internet and mobile technology, a range of platforms are now central to how and with whom we
communicate.
Communication studies have proven applicable in a range of fields, including business, law, film,
education, computer science, advertising, and health. In recent years, strategic communication
and promotion have gained prominence in the field of public health. Today, both approaches draw
on theories to understand human behavior and facilitate disease prevention (Rimal & Lapinski,
2009). This makes sense given that communication is essential for the exchange of information,
coordination of social actions, and the encouragement of behavior, including the dissemination of
messages to influence health and wellbeing.
Rimal and Lapinski (2009) refer to intervention efforts to change behaviors as “communicative acts”
that often include both a function of information exchange and rituals of a social community. It is,
therefore, important to understand the beliefs and value systems of a community when designing
health communication or behavior change interventions, as different audiences may interpret
messages in different ways.
Human communication is indeed complex. Its long history and varied processes have been
studied across multiple fields and practices for many years, this is a testament to the significance of
communication to human existence. From these investigations, De Fleur and Ball-Rokeach (1982)
present five major perspectives through which human communication can be viewed:
• Human communication is a semantic process. It is dependent upon symbols and rules
for their use that have been selected by a given language community.
• Human communication is a neurobiological process. Meanings for particular symbols
are recorded in the memory functions of individuals. Thus, the central nervous system
plays a key role in the storage and recovery of internal meaning experiences.
• Human communication is a psychological process. The meaning of words or other
symbols to a given individual are acquired through learning. These meanings play a role in
perceiving the world and responding to it.
• Human communication is a cultural process. Language is a set of cultural conventions.
It is a set of postures, gestures, and symbols, and their arrangements have shared or
agreed-upon interpretations.
• Human communication is a social process. It is the principal means by which human
beings are able to interact in meaningful ways. Roles, norms, and social sanctions are
understood through a system of shared values.
