Defining Communication

Communication is a fascinating subject because it involves a major part of our existence that we put to use consciously or unconsciously at all times. The immense power that words have in society is only matched by other equally important forms of communication such as body gestures, sounds, or a plain mean look. Trying not to communicate at all can be as powerful as any single word. Whether it is for a personal or professional use, I believe an overall understanding of communication can lead to a better understanding of the people around you.

Choosing a definition for communication is not easy but one that I feel is closely in line with my beliefs is: “Communication is the process whereby people assign meanings to stimuli in order to make sense of the world” (Trenholm, 2008). I like this definition because it is simple and effective. Defining something as broad as communication takes a simple answer because you could really go on forever. As humans, we (generally) have five senses that absorb the world around us. Our senses act both ways as communicators. But without meaning to the stimuli we encounter there is really no meaning at all to the world. Communication is an evolving idea that takes on different forms that we decide. Understanding it at a base level will go a long way towards enabling us to be effective communicators.

References
Trenholm, S. (2008). Thinking through communication. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.