Many people already think of “communication” as public speaking or as a situation where one speaker addresses many listeners. Others see it as involving only two people talking to each other, but communication can include more than two participants or even an audience. It may take the form of a group discussion on cancer awareness, an organizational program to save the environment, a radio or TV show focused on government corruption, or a showcase of tribal dances from across the Philippines. Indeed, we can classify communication into different types based on the number of participants in the process.
A. Intrapersonal Communication
The first type of speech context is INTRAPERSONAL Communication, which means communicating with yourself. What does this mean? You use intrapersonal communication in situations where you talk to yourself, write to yourself, or even think to yourself. To clarify further, talking to yourself may involve repeating a song you heard while looking in the mirror, memorizing a line from a play out loud, or muttering about forgetting your homework on the way to school. You might also write in a diary or on a private blog that no one else is meant to read. Sticky notes are another example, where you jot down reminders for yourself. And, of course, there’s daydreaming, meditating, or mentally planning.
In intrapersonal communication, clearly, the Speaker and the Listener are one and the same: YOU. You send the message to yourself, and you are the one who receives that message.
B. Interpersonal Communication
Beyond INTRAPERSONAL Communication are several Types of Speech Context which we are more familiar with, such as INTERPERSONAL Communication which involves more than one person. Of course, it is not just the number of participants that determine each particular type of communication. They can each be differentiated by its purpose. Remember, communication is always intentional.
1. Dyadic Communication
In dyadic communication, two participants form a dyad, with one acting as the speaker and the other as the listener to exchange thoughts, ideas, opinions, and information. The roles of speaker and listener shift interchangeably between participants. Conversation serves as an informal form of dyadic communication, while interviews and dialogues represent formal forms. Among these, conversation is the most common, frequent, and popular type of dyadic communication, often used for social enjoyment. Dialogues typically occur in guidance counseling, consultations with a priest, or heart-to-heart talks with a trusted person, allowing individuals to reveal their motivations, attitudes, and beliefs. Interviews, generally more formal than conversations, are not as in-depth as dialogues.
2. Small Group Communication
Small Group Communication involves 3 to 15 people who study an issue, discuss a problem, and develop a solution or plan. This is more than just a casual gathering; the group has a clear agenda, a designated leader, and a specific outcome to achieve. Since everyone can serve as both Speaker and Listener, they must follow rules to maintain order. Order enables thorough discussion, which encourages compromise and ultimately leads to a solution or plan. Small groups are generally classified by purpose: Study Groups and Task-Oriented Groups. Study Groups examine a problem without necessarily finding a solution, while Task-Oriented Groups analyze issues, like Metro Manila’s traffic congestion or Laguna de Bay’s pollution, to create a plan for resolution. Examples of Small Groups include panel discussions, symposia, roundtables, and more.
3. Public Communication
In Public Communication, one speaker addresses many listeners, collectively known as an audience, making it distinct from Dyadic or Small Group Communication. The speaker and listener roles do not interchange. In many Public Communication events, the speaker prepares a well-structured speech, dresses appropriately, and the audience listens attentively. Additionally, a stage, lectern, microphone, sound system, and sometimes spotlights, are typically present.
Typically, these programs follow a formal structure, featuring an emcee, a Welcome Address, an Introduction of the Keynote Speaker, the keynote speech or presentation, and Closing Remarks. In informal Public Communication, however, there may be no stage; the speaker might dress casually, and a microphone or sound system may not be available, requiring the speaker to project their voice to reach the audience. This informal type of Public Communication often occurs in impromptu gatherings, such as family reunions, or during protest rallies, especially when participants are moving through the streets.
4. Mass Communication
Mass Communication is any of the above human verbal interactions carried out with the aid of mass media technology. Mass media used to mean only radio and television, which reached more people with the use of their technical systems. With the advent of the Internet and the worldwide web, Mass Communication now includes Social Media, which allow for the use of technology by everyone, not just journalists, broadcasters, and technical crew. Social Media cover videos that go viral on the Internet as well as webcasts/ podcasts which reach millions, more than radio or TV ever could. In fact, radio and TV have joined Social Media by putting up their own websites to communicate to a larger audience.
5. Organizational Communication
Organizational Communication refers to the interaction of members along the links in an organizational structure. There are two variations of Organizational Communication. Formal Organizational Communication uses the proper channels graphically illustrated by an organizational chart. Memos, announcements, and reports are passed along to the members of the organization following the chain of command. An example is a memo on salary increase, which is issued by the company president, sent along to the vice president, then is passed on to the managers, and, finally, handed on to the supervisors before reaching the employees. The Informal version bypasses the links, skips forward or backwards, or even goes sideways just to achieve the same goal: for example, to pass on a memo, announcement, or a report. The memo on salary increase will probably reach the employees faster than the formal announcement because the secretary who typed the memo told another secretary who told the supervisor who shared it with co-workers. This is not to say that one is more important than the other, or that one is bad, the other not. Both types of Organizational Communication are necessary for the organization to survive.
6. Intercultural Communication
Intercultural Communication is the exchange of concepts, traditions, values, and practices between and among people of different nationalities and ways of life. It goes beyond showcasing folk dances, local songs, and native delicacies. To make the exchange more meaningful, there should be a deeper understanding and awareness of what makes various nationalities different and unique, but also similar and familiar. For example, a roundtable discussion to exchange views about how we relate with our families can show the differences and similarities in Korean and Philippine Cultures. A lecture on the Chinese way of doing business might enlighten Filipino businessmen. Chatting with a friend from Abu Dhabi might bring out the difficulties of a Catholic Filipino migrant worker in a Muslim country.
All Communication, whatever the Speech Context, has to have a Purpose. Each Context that one may be engaged in is according to what best suits the Purpose and how best to accomplish it, but the Contexts are not mutually exclusive. Before Public Communication can take place, the Speaker subjects himself/herself to Intrapersonal Communication by thinking, writing, and talking to oneself. Small Group Communication happens because of something that came up in a Dyadic Communication, and so on. Given the Context and Purpose, Communication Strategies are also based on different types of Speech Styles.
