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Abstract

In this article, we have presented an overview of the communication process, formulated a definition of communication and examined its central elements: process, transaction, symbols and (shared) meaning. We also examined the debate on intentionality. We briefly reviewed the history of the field of communication to understand how its diverse origins in rhetoric, psychology and elocution support the diversity we find in the field today. As communication is not always positive, the ways in which it can be destructive were noted. Finally, because of these destructive results, communication can never be discussed without an examination of ethics and, therefore, three ethical systems, the categorical imperative, utilitarianism and the ethic of care, were provided as guidelines for determining the "right" course of action when we decide how to communicate. As you read the rest of this text, we hope you will keep these fundamentals in mind to help you understand what is going on in communication encounters. To begin our exploration of interpersonal communication and its aspects, we will first define it, as well as the key terms that make it up. We then turn to the concept of intentionality as part of the definition of communication. Next, we examine four models of communication that help us to understand the communication process. Finally, we briefly retrace the history of the field of communication.

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