Communication Worksheet Essay

In your own words, please answer the following questions. Each response should be written as an academic paragraph of at least 150 words. Be clear and concise, and be sure to explain your answers. If you cite any sources, use APA format. Paragraph QUESTIONS 1. WHAT IS THE TEXTBOOK DEFINITION OF COMMUNICATION? WHAT DOES COMMUNICATION MEAN TO YOU PERSONALLY? GIVE AN EXAMPLE. (150 WORDS) Answers will vary. †¢ The textbook definition of communication is a social process in which individuals employ symbols to establish and interpret meaning in their environment (â€Å"West-Turner: Introducing Communication Theory,† 2004). With that being stated, communication is more than just speaking, typing, or texting and even signing. Real communication involves listening and paying attention to what the other person or group of people are expressing. Real communication is about response, give and take. In any real conversation we are all both teachers and learners. Real communication entails being open and honest. It shows the other person something about â€Å"who I am† on the inside. But if I really want the other person to pay attention and understand my message, I need to speak peacefully and quietly and directly. No one can really hear and understand anything when people are angry and shouting and looking all over the place. 1. Describe the differences between linear, interactional, and transactional. (150 words) Answers will vary. †¢ When it comes to communication, the differences between linear, interactional, and transactional communication are very different but are  also required for one another to work properly. Linear communication is a one-way street used for communication. It consists of the sender encoding a message and channeling it to the receiver in the presence of noise. There is an assumption that there is a clear beginning and end to this type of communication with no feedback from the receiver (â€Å"West-Turner: Introducing Communication Theory,† 2004). For example sending an email, text message, or giving a lecture. Interactional communication builds upon the linear communication model. It is a two-way street in which the sender channels a message to the receiver and the receiver becomes the sender and channels a message back to the original receiver(â€Å"West-Turner: Introducing Communication Theory,† 2004). This model has added feedback and field experience. Cultural b ackgrounds, ethnicity, location, and personal experiences play a major role in interactional communication. For example sending a text message to a receiver and the original sender having to wait for a text message back. Finally, transactional communication notices that each and every one of us is a sender and a receiver combined. It also notices that all parties involved in the communication are affected in some shape or form. The transactional communication method shows that communication is fluid and simultaneous (â€Å"West-Turner: Introducing Communication Theory,† 2004) and that most conversations are alike. It takes into consideration how each and every one of us interprets the data from the conversations, thus both parties being able to share the same meaning. For example friends talking and listening. While one friend is talking the others are constantly giving feedback on what they think or feel through facial expression or verbal feedback without stopping the original friend from talking.