Definition of Communication

Communication is the process of creating meaning between two or more people through the expression and interpretation of messages.

To understand interpersonal communication, it is necessary to examine the process of communication, theoretically, through a model. Various models, linear and cyclical, have been described through the years.

The model in Figure 1 is cyclical and represents communication as a process, dynamic and ongoing, so that each tiny interaction affects the whole. In the process approach to communication there is no single beginning and no single end to the interactions. Both parties are engaged in sending and receiving messages simultaneously.

Each person is constantly sharing in the process and each person affects the other. For example, a frown, smile or a nod of the head alters the feelings of the person speaking or listening.

For example, a frown, smile or a nod of the head alters the feelings of the person speaking or listening.

Figure 1: Kincaid’s Convergence Model of Communication