• It is impossible to avoid communicating
• Communication is largely nonverbal
• Context affects communication
• Meanings are in people, not in words
• Communication is irreversible
• Noise affects communication
• Communication is circular
• Creating common goal is essential
• Communication has effects
A first principle of communication is that it is impossible to avoid communicating. In other words, there is no such thing as non communication. DeVito (1988) notes that communication is inevitable, that people cannot not communicate and people cannot not respond. Some of ramifications of this principle are obvious, and some may not be as clear.
Communication is largely nonverbal. Impressions are made largely in response to nonverbal cues.
A third principle that has a direct relationship to successful communication is that context(environment) affects communication. Where (under what conditions) ideas are presented makes a difference in how they are interpreted. Physical conditions are one aspects of context.
A fourth principle important for success is that meanings are in people, not in words. Meanings are in the perception of decoders; people “mean”, but words do not. The message remembered by people often is not what communicator intended to say. The message remembered is whatever the listeners interpret it to be.
An other important principle is that communication is irreversible. At once time or another people may have wished they could change what they have said or done. Unfortunately, that is simply impossible. People may give additional information or a rationalization for their previous actions, but they can only modify the impession they have already made.
A sixth principle of communication is that noise is a factor in any communication situation. Noice is any factor that interferes with the clear and accurate transmission of a given message.
Communication is circular, not linear. This means that people send and receive communication simultaneously. Because of its simultaneously aspects, the communication process could be considered a circle or spiral rather than a line. People process feedback while they speak to others, and they speak to themselves –think- while others are speaking.
An eight principle is that communication is most efficient when the participants share a considerable amount of common experience. Common experience is achieved by using shared symbols and speaking from a shared history. Misunderstandings are less likely in such situations.
And the last principle is that communication always has an effect of some kind. For every communication act, there will be consequences. People can even feel a sense of accomplishment in a communication exchange in which a listener does not respond verbally.