LEARNING OBJECTIVE INTRODUCTION
It is impractical to think of a life in which we do not communicate. It would be wrong to assume that communication is a process limited to human beings only. All creatures on the earth, from worms to humans, are communicating with each other for their better existence. It is a universal phenomenon. Communication is a process which includes transmission of information, ideas, emotions, skills, knowledge by using symbols, words, gestures, and visuals and so on. Thus, the act of communication is referred to as ‘transmission’. As communication being a universal phenomenon that defines all human behavior, it is important to have a clear understanding of the concepts of communication. What is communication? Why is it important to human beings?
How does it work? What are the elements involved in the process of communication? How do they relate each other? What are the different types of communication? We should answer these questions to have a better understanding of the subject. Let us look into each of them.
We shall now start with the definitions and meanings of communication. In this section we will also discuss the functions, process and elements of communication.