The nature of communication can be understood as follows:
- Communication is an exchange of ideas and information between two or more persons through a medium, aiming for mutual understanding. It involves sharing, imparting, participating, and transmitting messages so that both sender and receiver develop a common understanding
- It is a two-way process , requiring both a sender who encodes and transmits the message, and a receiver who decodes and responds. Without a receiver's response or feedback, communication is incomplete
- Communication is a continuous and dynamic process , not a one-time event. It evolves over time as the participants interact, with messages and responses forming an ongoing cycle
- It involves verbal and non-verbal elements , including spoken or written words, body language, symbols, and other mediums that convey meaning
- Communication is context-dependent , meaning that the meaning of messages can vary based on social, cultural, and environmental factors influencing how messages are sent, received, and interpreted
- It serves multiple purposes such as informing, persuading, entertaining, and building relationships in personal, organizational, and societal contexts
- Communication is universal and essential for human existence, affecting personal relationships, business, education, healthcare, media, and cross-cultural interactions
- It can be interpersonal (between people) or intrapersonal (within oneself) , highlighting its broad scope in human interaction
In summary, communication is a complex, interactive, and purposeful process of exchanging information and meaning between individuals or groups, shaped by context and requiring active participation from all involved parties to be effective
