Lesson 4: Types and Level of Communication

Learning Outcomes: At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
a. demonstrate knowledge about the types of communication
b. identify the types of communication in relation to communication mode, context
and purpose and style
c. discuss and differentiate the different types of communication in relation to
communication mode, context and purpose and style.
Communication skills are vital to a healthy, efficient workplace. Learning and developing
good communication skills can help you succeed in your career, make you a
competitive job candidate and build your network or business which has a great impact
in one’s communication. Each communication type is governed by particular
circumstances. Thus it is essential to pay attention to the interplay of factors
surrounding the context of communication which may be physical, cultural, social and
psychological in nature. Communication may then be classified according to:

I. TYPES OF COMMUNICATION ACCORDING TO MODE

A. Non-Verbal Communication- It describes the process of conveying meaning in

the form of non-word messages. Some forms of non-verbal communication
include proxemics, chronemics, paralanguage, and kinesics, haptics, sign
language and chromatics communication. Non verbal communication
encompasses all communication occurs without the use of words. It exists in
many types that can aid you in communicating in the following:

1. PROXEMICS
This is the study of our need for space or distance and how we relate to
the space we have. It explains why American executives typically require
spacious offices and why Chinese executives do not. China is very densely
populated, so Chinese people are used to living in closer quarters with other
people, having less space available as they go through their days while the US is
pretty spacious and tend to leave more space.

THERE ARE FOUR CATEGORIES FOR SPATIAL INTERACTION

Intimate space: for embracing, comforting and 6-18 inches

whispering
Personal space: for conversations at arm’s length 1.5 to 4 ft
among good friends

Social space: for impersonal (casual) conversations 4-12 ft

among acquaintances
Public space: used for public speaking 12 ft or more

2. CHRONEMICS
It is from the name CHRONOS, (a Greek Titan) it is a form of non verbal
communication that deals with the study of how we use and time. Time
perceptions include punctuality, willingness to wait and interactions. The use of
time can affect lifestyles, daily agendas, speed of speech, movements and how
long people are willing to listen.
It refers to how we manage our time, our actions and our reaction on the
use of time by others.

Examples:
 Formal time – is attributing to the categories used to divine time to seconds,
minutes, hours, days, months and years.
Informal Time- refers to the everyday expressions such as “till we meet again”,
“see you soon”, “catch you later”, “as soon as possible”

3. PARALANGUAGE/PARALINGUISTICS- The term para language is combination

of two words “para” means like and “language” means mode of communication.
Thus para language literally means “like language”. It is another type of
nonverbal communication that emphasizes body language and voice nuances as
means of expressing thoughts and feelings. The tone of the voice, the intonation,
the pitch, the volume (loudness and softness of the voice) and even the inflection
used are the factors that are to be considered in this nonverbal signal and that
give dimensions and meanings to the word uttered.

CLUES OF PARALANGUAGE
 Volume- loudness or softness of the voice
 Speed of Voice- the pace which something is spoken
 Intonation- rise and fall in voice
 Tone of voice- feeling added while speaking
 Pronunciation- the manner in which a word is uttered
 Articulation- clarity of the voice
 Pause- a break taken while speaking
 Pitch- the highness or lowness of vocal tone

SOME ADVANTAGES OF PARALANGUAGE

 Speedy transmission
 Immediate feedback
 Strong/ better relations
 Psychological satisfaction
 Time saving
 Effective tool of persuasion and group communication

4. KINESICS
This word comes from the root work kinesis, which means
“movement”, and refers to the study of hand, arm, body and face movements.
There are types of kinesics as follows:
1. Gestures
These are movements with some parts of the body such as the head,
shoulders and arms to convey meaning and emphasis. There are three types
of gestures identified by Peter A. Andersen (1999) Nonverbal
Communication: Forms and Functions:
a. Adaptors are touching movements and behaviors that indicate internal state
typically related arousal or anxiety. These adaptors result from situations
where the speaker feels uneasiness.

Examples:
a. Student’s clicking of the pen while listening during discussion
b. Tossing the hair
c. scratching the head
d. pinching own nose

b. Emblems are gestures that are conventional and have meanings on their
own. These gestures involve the movements of the hands and arms so extensively that
the listeners easily recognize the gestures at once as they see it.
 Examples:
a. Thumbs-up which sign generally mean “okay” for most people. But for
American people, a thumbs-up finger may mean that person wants to
hitchhike.
b. Circling of the index finger around the side of the head means crazy.

c. Illustrators are the most common type of gestures. These are less
conventional and are more individualized gestures that are employed when
speaker is describing something like the size, shape, height and curves.

Examples:
a. When you give someone directions, you use illustrators to facilitate
your task.
b. When the speaker use of his hand to make his audience imagine the
size of the watermelon he saw.

2. Body Language
This form of non-verbal communication refers to the body movement of
the body that communicates unintended messages. The way you gesture, the
way you stand or sit, the way you walk and the amount of eye contact you
maintain with people reveal a great deal about you.

Body Language Interpretation

Open palm Openness
Tilted head Interest
Standing with hands on hips Aggression
Arms crossed on chest Defensiveness
Walking with hands in pockets and Dejection
shoulders hunched

5. HAPTICS
It is the study of touching to communicate thoughts and feelings. People
may not be able to notice it, but haptics is used in one’s daily communication with
others because it aids in giving emphasis to what one needs to say.

Examples:
Handshakes, holding hands, kissing (cheeks, forehead and hand), back
slapping, a pat on the shoulder and brushing an arm. A mother’s touch gives her
baby a sense of comfort and security. However, touches means a hundred
messages that interpreted differently which depends on the person’s social
norms and cultural background.

6. SIGN LANGUAGE
It includes all forms of codification where words and punctuation signs
have been supplemented by gestures. It uses gestures to replace words. By
pointing, nodding the head or moving the body in different ways, a person can
communicate meaning.
There are three major forms of Sign Language as follows:

a. American Sign Language (ASL)

Speech, reading or listening skills are not needed to learn ASL, it is a
manual language and ideas can be understood easily. The language is free-
flowing and natural and can be translated into spoken languages. ASL has its
own idioms, syntax and grammar. ASL is signed in countries around the
world.
 b. Pidgin Signed English (PSE) or Signed English
PSE is the most commonly used sign language in the United State among
deaf individuals. The vocabulary is drawn from ASL, however it follows
English word order. Filler and connecting words (to, the) as well as word
ending (ed, ing) are often times dropped. Many teachers use PSE and it is
considered simpler to learn than ASL or SEE. Sign linguistics experts view it
as a way to “bridge” the gap between native ASL speakers and Native English
speaker. Native speakers can be either deaf or hearing. It contains a mix of
ASL rules and English grammar.
c. Signing Exact English (SEE)
SEE is basically signing the English language word for word, the signs are
drawn from ASL, and however they are expanded with prefixes and tenses
that allow more options for the signer to pull from. The use of SEE allows the
signer the option to develop a broader vocabulary. English speaking parents
with deaf children seem to do better with SEE because it is truly a visual
representation of the English language.

7. CHROMATICS
It refers to the communication of messages thru colors. In interpreting
messages using this nonverbal method, it is important to consider culture because
one color may mean different in one country compared to another.

Examples:
Black is a color of mourning. Anyone seen wearing black is understood to
be in grief. Countries like in the Philippines and even US observe this practice. In
India, it is white that people wear to show they are grieving and the Japanese worn
during funerals. Nowadays, black is not only worn for a purpose. Men and women
wear black for formal gatherings. Traditionally, Filipino brides wear white gowns in
their wedding that signifies purity and cleanliness.
Hindu brides wear red, while Christian brides wear white for their wedding.
Purple sometimes associated with royalty, but it is the color of death in
Mexico and Brazil.

FIVE FUNCTIONS OF NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION

The five functions of communication help the person sending a message and
the person receiving the message by making the substance of the communication
more understandable:

1. Reinforcement- “the amount of redundancy nonverbal communication adds to

the verbal message” for example if you say “hi or bye” you will probably wave
your hand also and if you say you are hungry you may rub your stomach.
2. Substitution-“using a nonverbal action or cue instead of speaking” for example
instead of actually saying “hi or bye” you might just wave a hand at someone.
When we are not able to speak to a person we use a nonverbal cue.
3. Contradiction- “ the use of a nonverbal message to negate the verbal message”
for example if you ask how someone is and they say “good” but they roll their
eyes or look down at the floor and shrug their shoulders, you know they are
actually not good and they have just negated the verbal message they were
sending.
4. Accentuation-“the use of nonverbal cues to intensify the verbal message “for
example if you speak louder and quickly you are adding intensity to the verbal
message. We can tell when a person is excited because they usually speak loud
and their eyes widen, making the message clearer.
5. Regulation- “the turn taking cues of conversational order” for example we use
hand signals to indicate that we are done talking and it is someone else turn to
talk. We also use nonverbal signals like looking at the other person as if to say
“what do you think about that” without actually speaking the words.
B. Verbal Communication- It refers to the use of sounds and language to relay a
message. It serves as a vehicle for expressing desires, ideas and concepts and
is vital to the processes of learning and teaching. The main function is relaying a
message to one or more recipients. It encompasses everything from simple one-
syllable sounds to complex discussions and relies on both language and emotion
to produce the desired effect. Verbal communication can be used to inform,
inquire, argue and discuss topics of all kinds that help to clarify
misunderstanding, provide missing information and stimulate thoughts and
creativity. It is vital to teaching and learning, as well as forming bonds and
building relationships with other people. 

There are some steps you can take to develop your verbal communication
skills:
 Use a strong, confident speaking voice (speak to be heard). When
presenting information to a few or a group of people, be sure to use a strong
voice or full voice so that everyone can easily hear you. Be confident when
speaking so that your ideas are clear, accurate and easy to understand.
 Use active listening. The other side of using verbal communication is intently
listening to and hearing others. Active listening skills are key when conducting a
meeting, presentation or even participating in a one-on-one conversation. Doing
so will help you grow as competent communicator.
 Avoid filler words. It can be tempting, especially during a presentation, to use
filler words such as “um”, “like”, “so” or “yeah”. While it might feel natural after
completing a sentence or pausing to collect your thoughts, it can also be
distracting for your audience. Try presenting to a trusted friend or colleague who
can call attention to the times you use filler words. Try to replace them by taking
a breath when you are tempted to use them.

C. Visual Communication- This type of communication focuses on visuals to

convey information. Some examples are signs, symbols, imagery, maps, graphs,
charts, diagrams, pictograms, photos, drawings or illustrations and even various
forms of electronic communication. Some examples of electronic communication
symbol or images are the emojis, emoticons, and animations among others to
convey the writer’s emotions or clarify the intent of the message sender. These
are achieved through digital mode or text.

There are paramount components of visual communication to create powerful

and compelling visual content for the audience:

a. Color. Being the most essential elements of visual communication, the primary
functions of colors is to decorate, emphasize or categorize a design. Colors have
a deep connection with human emotions and experiences, they create an optical
effect on us, to put simply, they communicate optically and emotionally.

b. Position. Effective use of positioning helps establish the relationship between

images and graphic elements and signifies their degree of importance. Visual
communicators typically place the most important elements in a prominent
position of a page, with other elements serving support and complementary
roles. The positioning also helps direct the viewer to the different sections of a
page, allowing them to follow a narrative or flow of information in the proper
sequence.

c. Texture. It is the surface of an object or an image and can be actual or implied.

It can communicate a lot more information than most people would think. When
used in infographic images, rough textures can suggest an either and more rustic
feel, while a smooth texture can give inspire a feeling of comfort. The presence of
 texture in a graphical presentation displays a more human and friendly feels to
an image.

d. Size. It can establish the degree of importance of visual elements. The strategic
use of size can be especially effective with infographics, where larger elements
command more attention than smaller elements.

e. Orientation. It refers to the position or direction of a visual element that could

prevent confusion and make it easier for viewers to understand the message of a
graphic.

f. Alignment and Balance. It can result in a more comforting image and suggest
stability and security. But asymmetry can also be a useful visual

g. approach; giving a design a more casual and vibrant feel.

II. TYPES OF COMMUNICATION ACCORDING TO CONTEXT

Context in communication is referred to as a composite of people
interacting with each other. Communication may also be classified
according to context:
1. Intrapersonal- The word 'intra' denotes 'within'. When we communicate within
ourselves, it is intrapersonal communication. Intrapersonal communication is a
kind of internal dialogue that takes place within an individual while contemplating,
conceptualizing and formulating our thoughts or ideas before we actually express
them.

Three Aspects of Intrapersonal Communication

a. Self-concept is the basis of intrapersonal communication, because it
determines how a persona sees him/her and is oriented towards others.
( focuses internally)
b. Perception focuses on look outward. Perception of the outside world also
rooted in beliefs, values and attitudes. It is closely intertwined with self-
concept that one feeds off the other, creating a harmonious understanding
of both oneself and one’s world.
c. Expectations are future-oriented messages dealing with long-term roles,
sometimes called life scripts. These are projections of learned relationships
within the family or society.

Levels of Intrapersonal Communication

a. Internal Discourse involves thinking, concentration and analysis. Psychologists

include both daydreaming and nocturnal dreaming. Another examples are
personal prayer, contemplation and meditation.
b. Solo Vocal Communication includes speaking aloud to oneself. This may be
done to clarify thinking, to rehearse a message intended for others or simply to
let off steam. For example, talking to yourself as you complain about your friend.
c. Solo Written Communication deals with writing not intended for others. For
example, an entry in a diary or personal journal.

B. Interpersonal Communication- It is the second communication as context and

commonly called Dyadic Communication- is communication that involves two or more
persons who share the roles of sender and receiver. It is interacting with other person.
The dyadic communication- is a form of interpersonal communication that is
characterized by face to face situation/ on one –one- one basis. Both the speaker and
the listener are required to exchange ideas about a common topic which interest them.
It provides basic unit for studying and understanding.
TYPES OF DYADIC COMMUNICATION

1. Conversation- it is a type of dyadic communication which is an informal talk between

individuals. Its nature is less purposive, slight serious and intimate. This is a form
of social entertainment as worthwhile, informal, flexible, relaxing and interesting.
2. Dialogue- it gives clear meaning to the two parties involved in spite of some
problems/ misunderstanding. Through dialogue, the most intimate and personal
relationship is formed. The truth itself of the speaker is entrusted to one another
with confidence.
3. Interview- it requires question and answer (face–to-face). Since this is intentional and
purposive, an accomplishment is always expected.

C.EXTENDED COMMUNICATION

Extended communication involves the use of electronic media. Unlike before when
it only called for the use of television and radio, nowadays, the description of extended
communication may be expanded as to include audio or phone conferencing; video-
conferencing; skype calls; and other technological means. For example, linked by
telecommunication system, people who are far apart, or are far from the venue, can
participate in a meeting or a conference. In an e-conference, participants may not be
physically present but are still able to track down the lectures and participate actively
because of the mass articulation and dissemination of information, allowing speakers to
reach a wider group of listeners. Extended communication is a public in nature that
speakers are expected to be prepared when they speak making their language more
formal.

D. Organizational Communication
With this type, the focus is on the role of communication that plays in
organizational contexts. Organization comprises individuals who work for the
company or agencies. Every organization has expectation that should meet or
establish. Set a rules or standards for communication protocol that should be
made clear so that interaction patterns are well-established. On the part of an
individual, he/she should be equipped with the needed oral and written
communication skills that the organization expects you to possess.

There are two types of organizational structure:

1. The Informal structure is the casual and unofficial form of communication
wherein the information is exchanged spontaneously between two or more
persons without conforming the prescribed official rules, process, formalities and
chain of command.
2. The Formal structure allows communication to take place via designated
channels of message flow between positions in the organization. This may make
use of four approaches:
a. Downward- It is the type that flows from upper to lower positions. The flow of
communication is top-down. Example: president to a manager or supervisor, a
manager to staff.
b. Upward- is bottom-up in which subordinates send communication to their
supervisors bearing their feedback on organizational policies, issues related to
jobs.
c. Horizontal- is lateral in approach as it takes place among people belonging to
the same level but coming from different departments or units to facilitate
performance of tasks through proper coordination.
d. Crosswise- It is a diagonal in nature as employees from different units or
departments working at various levels of communication.

III. TYPES OF COMMUNICATION ACCORDING TO PURPOSE AND STYLE

 This is focus on communication setting and mode of delivery which the formal and
informal.

1. Formal Communication-In formal communication, certain rules, conventions

and principles are followed while communicating message. Formal
communication occurs in formal and official style. Usually professional settings,
corporate meetings, conferences undergoes in formal pattern. Use of slang and
foul language is avoided and correct pronunciation is required. Authority lines
are needed to be followed in formal communication.

2. Informal Communication-Informal communication is done using channels that

are in contrast with formal communication channels and does not employ formal
language. It is just a casual talk. It is established for societal affiliations of
members in an organization and face-to-face discussions, everyday talks,
phone calls and personal notes. It happens among friends and family. In
informal communication use of slang words, foul language is not restricted.

Assessment:
A. Check your understanding of the input by answering the following
questions:

1. Why do we need to study communication?

2. What are the advantages of communication in terms of:
a. Culture
b. Language
3. How do you differentiate the types of communication in relation to
communication mode?
4. How can visual communication enhance the message conveyed by a
speaker? Cite a particular situation when it is best to employ visual
communication.
5. What are the types of communication in relation to context? How do they
differ from one another?
6. Research 10 different meanings of colors according to how different cultures/
countries interpret such colors.

B. Classify the following communication activities according to the level of

communication each rightfully belongs to:

1. Casual conversation between two friends

2. Presiding at a committee meeting
3. Writing a court decision
4. Concentrating on the lesson read
5. Listening attentively to a speaker
6. Delivering a commencement address
7. Radio Broadcasting
8. Asking a question at a committee meeting
9. Delivering a state –of-the-nation address
10. Explaining an issue in class
C. Check your comprehension by answering the following guide questions.
1. How do you differentiate the types of communication in relation to communication
mode?
2. How can visual communication enhance the message conveyed by a speaker?
Cite a specific situation when it is best to employ visual communication?
3. What are the types of communication in relation to context? How do they differ
from one another?
4. How can you listen to speakers’ opinion through electronic media without being
swayed into accepting their opinions?
5. Would you know any strategy or method by which you can reduce the complexity
of understanding another culture? Do you think it will work with your current set
of classmates or friends?