Defining Communication

First, communication is dynamic: it is not a static “thing” but a dynamic process that maintains stability and identity through all its fluctuations.

 

Second, communication is irreversible: the very fact that communication has occurred (or is occurring) means that the persons in communication have changed, however subtly. The fact that we have memories means that once we begin the process, there is no “reset” button; we cannot begin again as blank slates.

 

Third, communication is proactive: in communicating we are not merely passive respondents to external stimuli. When we communicate, we enter the process totally and are proactive, selecting, amplifying, and manipulating the signals that come to us.

 

Fourth, communication is interactive on two fronts: the intrapersonal, or what goes on inside each communicator; and the interpersonal, or what takes place between communicators. We must pay attention to both fronts to understand the communication process.

 

Finally, communication is contextual: it always happens in a larger context, be that the physical environment, the emotional mood of the communication event, or the purposes (which may be overt or hidden) behind the communication.

 

--- A. Scott Moreau, Evvy Hay Campbell & Susan Greener,  

Effective Intercultural Communication: A Christian Perspective. 2014.