Elements of CommunicationForensics (Speech and Debate)

Give a 1-minute impromptu speech about the topic you’ve been given.

You have five minutes to prepare… Outline or notecards not required, but may

be helpful.

Warm Up

MESSAGE (Verbal and Nonverbal)

RECEIVER

FEEDBACK(Verbal and Nonverbal)

SENDER

The Communication Process

1. SENDER delivers message with certain intention (encoding)

2. RECEIVER gets message

3. Receiver makes sense of message and assigns meaning to it (decoding)

4. Receiver responds to sender’s message and makes it known how they decoded it (feedback)

Messages and feedback sent and received can be verbal or nonverbal.

◦ Verbal: spoken words

◦ Nonverbal: gestures, facial expressions, posture, and paralanguage (nonverbal sounds)

Depending on how the message was received, feedback can be positive or negative, even when that wasn’t the intended response.

Elements of Communication

Nonverbal Communication:Body Language

CoyConfidentCockyDisgustedDoubtful/worriedSneakyDefeatedDeep in thought

DefensiveScaredShockedExcitedDisinterested/boredDepressedNervousImpatient

Communicate these moods without using words…

Politician Speaks About…Something: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPIvwu-573Y

What Verbal and Nonverbal Messages Do You See?

Nonverbal Communication: Hand Gestures and their Meanings

http://www.pimsleurapproach.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/hand-jive-infographic.jpg

Nonverbal communication has four purposes:◦ To complement (agree with) verbal messages◦ To emphasize verbal messages◦ To replace verbal messages◦ To contradict (disagree with) verbal messages

Ever notice…

◦ …how hard it is to know someone’s mood if you can’t see them while having a conversation?

◦ …how the “intent” behind text messages is sometimes misunderstood?

◦ …how can you tell if someone is lying by the way they look when saying something?

How Important is Nonverbal Communication?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vt4Dfa4fOEY

What happened? Why did it happen? How do you know?

Watch “Skwerl” (short film by Karl Eccleston and Brian Fairbairn)

Avoid sending the wrong message to people by learning about your audience before your speech.

◦ Individual characteristics: personalities, interests, and aspirations.

◦ Cultural characteristics: age, religion, national or ethnic background.

◦ Sociological characteristics: political beliefs, educational backgrounds, occupations.

Know Your Audience!

KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE– use their nonverbal feedback to see if your message is received, understood, and accepted.

Audience Feedback

Positive Nonverbal Feedback: • Clapping• Cheering• Nodding• Smiling• Non-threatening eye contact• Other signs of approval,

acceptance, or interest

Negative Nonverbal Feedback: • Booing• Yawning• Shaking head• Head down• Eye-rolling• Sucking your teeth• Threatening eye contact or

“mean-mugging”• Getting up and leaving• Looking at clock, phone, watch• Other signs of inattention,

boredom, or disapproval

Interference: anything that gets in the way of clear communication.

◦ Physical noise: any sound that prevents a person from being heard. Example: An electric fan blowing loudly makes it harder to hear someone talking.

◦ Psychological noise: thoughts and feelings that distract people from listening to what is said. Example: A student is having a bad day and can’t concentrate on what the

teacher is saying.

◦ Semantic noise: speaker’s words trigger strong negative feelings against the speaker or the content of the speech. Example: When a speaker offends the audience with something they say, the

audience may not listen further.

Interference

Don Knotts in “The Ghost and Mr. Chicken”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inDf6-TUq5s

President Obama: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmBYuEUBsKo

What Kinds of Feedback and Interference Do You See?

Know your topic (research, prepare, rehearse).

Be organized (outlines, notes, etc.).

Use verbal language well (appropriate for audience/occasion, clear message).

Use effective nonverbal signals.

Know your audience’s characteristics and preferences.

Be aware of and respond to verbal and nonverbal cues.

Know how to handle interference and negative feedback.

Use active listening skills (show you’re paying attention).

Be an Effective Communicator