Communication: Definition, Process, Types, Skills and Benefits

Communication is the process of exchanging information, ideas, and feelings between a sender and a receiver through verbal and nonverbal channels. The communication process moves a message through 5 steps, from idea formation to feedback. The 4 main types of communication are verbal, nonverbal, written and visual communication. Core communication skills include active listening, clarity, empathy and nonverbal awareness. The benefits of communication include stronger relationships, fewer misunderstandings, better teamwork and greater personal confidence. Communication skills are learnable abilities and deliberate practice develops communication skills at any age.

What Is Communication?

Communication is the process of exchanging information, ideas, thoughts and feelings between people to create shared meaning. The word communication comes from the Latin verb communicare, meaning to share or to make common. Every act of communication contains 3 minimum components: a sender, a message and a receiver.

Communication studies defines communication in 2 ways. The transmission view defines communication as the transfer of information from a sender to a receiver. The transactional view defines communication as the creation of shared meaning between participants, a definition communication theorist Dean Barnlund proposed in 1970.

Communication occurs both intentionally and unintentionally. Paul Watzlawick, Janet Beavin, and Don Jackson stated in Pragmatics of Human Communication (1967) that one cannot not communicate, because silence, posture and facial expressions also carry messages. Communication also exists between animals, plants and computers and this guide focuses on human communication.

How Does the Communication Process Work?

The communication process works in 5 steps, starting when a sender forms an idea and ending when the receiver returns feedback. The 5 steps of the communication process are below.

Idea formation: The sender decides what thought, fact or feeling to share.
Encoding: The sender converts the idea into words, gestures or symbols.
Transmission: The sender sends the message through a channel, such as speech, text or a video call.
Decoding: The receiver interprets the words and signals and compares the meaning with personal experience and context.
Feedback: The receiver responds and the response restarts the communication cycle.

Noise distorts the message at any of the 5 steps. Physical noise includes background sound and poor connections, and psychological noise includes stress, assumptions and distraction. Context shapes interpretation through the relationship, location, culture and timing of the exchange.

A text message shows the full communication process. A sender encodes an invitation as Dinner Friday? and sends the message through a messaging app. The receiver decodes the question and replies Yes, 7 pm?, and the reply acts as feedback that confirms understanding.

What Are the Elements of Communication?

The 8 core elements of communication are the sender, message, encoding, channel, receiver, decoding, feedback, and noise, all shaped by context. The 8 core elements of communication are below.

Sender: The sender is the person who starts the communication.
Message: The message is the information, idea, or emotion being shared.
Encoding: Encoding is the conversion of an idea into words, symbols, or gestures.
Channel: The channel is the medium that carries the message, such as voice, text, or image.
Receiver: The receiver is the person who gets the message.
Decoding: Decoding is the receiver’s translation of signals into meaning.
Feedback: Feedback is the receiver’s verbal or nonverbal response.
Noise: Noise is any interference that distorts the message.

Context surrounds all 8 core elements of communication and includes the physical setting, the relationship between participants and cultural norms.

What Are the Models of Communication?

The 3 main models of communication are the linear model, the interaction model and the transactional model. The 3 models of communication are below.

Linear model: The linear model describes communication as a one-way transfer from sender to receiver. Claude Shannon published the linear model at Bell Labs in 1948, and Warren Weaver co-published an expanded version in 1949. Harold Lasswell summarized linear communication in 1948 with 5 questions: who says what, in which channel, to whom and with what effect.
Interaction model: The interaction model adds feedback and turn-taking to communication. Wilbur Schramm introduced the interaction model in 1954 and stated that communication succeeds when the “fields of experience” of the sender and receiver overlap.
Transactional model: The transactional model describes participants as senders and receivers at the same time. Dean Barnlund proposed the transactional model in 1970 and defined communication as the production of meaning.

The transactional model describes face-to-face conversation most accurately, because listeners send nonverbal feedback while speakers talk.

What Are the Types of Communication?

The 4 main types of communication are verbal, nonverbal, written, and visual communication. Most conversations combine several types of communication at once. A presentation, for example, uses spoken words, body language, written notes and slides. Communication is also classified by the number of participants, from intrapersonal to mass communication and by channel, from face-to-face to digital. The sections below explain each type of communication.

What Is Verbal Communication?

Verbal communication is the use of spoken words to share information, ideas, and feelings. Academic definitions extend verbal communication to any language-based message, including written language and sign languages such as American Sign Language (ASL). Everyday examples of verbal communication include conversations, phone calls, meetings, and questions to a colleague. Clarity, word choice, and tone determine how accurately verbal communication transfers meaning.

What Is Nonverbal Communication?

Nonverbal communication is the exchange of messages without words, through body language, facial expressions, eye contact and tone of voice. The 7 main forms of nonverbal communication are below.

Kinesics (body language): Kinesics covers gestures, posture, and body movement.
Facial expressions: Paul Ekman’s research identified 6 basic emotions with facial expressions recognized across cultures: happiness, sadness, fear, anger, surprise, and disgust.
Oculesics (eye contact): Oculesics covers gaze direction, gaze duration, and blink rate.
Proxemics (personal space): Edward T. Hall defined 4 distance zones in 1966: intimate, personal, social, and public.
Haptics (touch): Haptics covers handshakes, hugs, and pats.
Paralanguage (tone of voice): Paralanguage covers pitch, pace, volume, and pauses.
Chronemics (use of time): Chronemics covers punctuality and response time.

Nonverbal cues either support or contradict spoken words. The statement “I’m fine,” delivered with crossed arms and a flat tone, signals a contradiction between the verbal and nonverbal message. Albert Mehrabian’s 1971 research found that tone and facial expression outweigh words only when a speaker expresses feelings with inconsistent signals. The popular “93% of communication is nonverbal” claim misrepresents Mehrabian’s findings.

What Is Written Communication?

Written communication is the exchange of messages through written words, such as text messages, emails, letters, and reports. Written communication creates a permanent record, and a permanent record supports accuracy, accountability, and later reference. Written communication removes tone of voice and body language, so receivers misread written messages more often. A 2005 study by Justin Kruger and Nicholas Epley in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that email senders expected receivers to identify the intended tone 78% of the time, while receivers identified the tone correctly 56% of the time. Text messages, emails, and workplace chat apps are everyday forms of written communication.

What Is Visual Communication?

Visual communication is the use of images, symbols, and graphics to convey a message. Examples of visual communication include charts, diagrams, road signs, photos, infographics, and emojis. Visual communication speeds up the understanding of complex data and supports verbal and written messages in presentations, reports, and instructions.

Is Listening a Type of Communication?

Yes, listening is a core part of communication, because a message succeeds only when the receiver understands the message. Hearing is the physical perception of sound, while listening is the active process of attending to, interpreting, and responding to a message. Psychologists Carl Rogers and Richard Farson introduced the term “active listening” in 1957 to describe listening that confirms understanding through reflection and questions.

What Are the Levels of Communication?

The 5 levels of communication are intrapersonal, interpersonal, group, public, and mass communication. The 5 levels of communication are below, ordered from the smallest to the largest number of participants.

Intrapersonal communication: Intrapersonal communication is communication with oneself, such as self-talk, planning, and reflection.
Interpersonal communication: Interpersonal communication is communication between 2 or more specific people, such as partners, friends, or colleagues. Interpersonal communication builds, maintains, and repairs relationships.
Group communication: Group communication is communication among 3 or more people with a shared goal, such as a team meeting or a study group.
Public communication: Public communication is one speaker addressing an audience, such as a lecture, keynote, or wedding toast.
Mass communication: Mass communication is a message sent to a large, dispersed audience through media channels, such as television, radio, newspapers, and social media.

What Are the 4 Communication Styles?

The 4 communication styles are passive, aggressive, passive-aggressive, and assertive. The table below compares the 4 communication styles by core behavior and example phrase.

Communication style	Core behavior	Example phrase
Passive	Avoids expressing personal needs and opinions	“It’s fine, whatever you want.”
Aggressive	Expresses personal needs while ignoring other people’s needs	“We’re doing it my way.”
Passive-aggressive	Expresses disagreement indirectly	“Sure, if that’s what you think is best.” (said sarcastically)
Assertive	Expresses personal needs clearly while respecting other people’s needs	“I’d prefer Friday. Does Friday work for you?”

Assertive communication balances honesty with respect for both people’s needs. Assertiveness training appears in many cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and social skills programs.

What Are Communication Skills?

Communication skills are the abilities people use to send and receive messages clearly, including speaking, listening, reading nonverbal cues, and adapting to others. Communication scholars Brian Spitzberg and William Cupach describe communication competence with 2 criteria. Effectiveness means the communication achieves the communication goal, and appropriateness means the communication fits the situation and the relationship.

Communication skills are learnable skills, not fixed personality traits, and practice with feedback develops communication skills at any age. Communication skills overlap with interpersonal skills, the broader set of abilities people use to interact and build relationships. Employers rank communication skills among the most sought-after graduate attributes in the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) annual Job Outlook survey.

What Are Examples of Good Communication Skills?

Examples of good communication skills include active listening, clarity, empathy, and confident body language. 10 examples of good communication skills are below.

Active listening: Active listening confirms understanding through full attention, reflection, and follow-up questions.
Clarity and conciseness: Clarity and conciseness deliver the main point in few, precise words.
Empathy: Empathy recognizes the other person’s emotions and responds to each emotion accurately.
Nonverbal awareness: Nonverbal awareness aligns posture, eye contact, and tone with the spoken message.
Confidence: Confidence delivers messages with a steady voice, direct eye contact, and clear requests.
Emotional intelligence: Emotional intelligence manages personal emotions during tense conversations, a concept psychologists Peter Salovey and John Mayer defined in 1990.
Open-ended questions: Open-ended questions invite detailed answers instead of “yes” or “no.”
Feedback: Feedback skills give constructive input and receive criticism without defensiveness.
Adaptability: Adaptability adjusts vocabulary, tone, and channel to each audience.
Respect: Respect acknowledges other viewpoints without interruption or dismissal.

What Is Effective Communication?

Effective communication is communication in which the receiver understands the message the way the sender intended. The 7 Cs of effective communication are below.

Clear: A clear message states 1 main idea.
Concise: A concise message removes unnecessary words.
Concrete: A concrete message uses specific facts and examples.
Correct: A correct message contains accurate information and grammar.
Coherent: A coherent message follows a logical order.
Complete: A complete message includes all information the receiver requires to act.
Courteous: A courteous message respects the receiver’s feelings and perspective.

What Are the Benefits of Communication?

The main benefits of communication are stronger relationships, fewer misunderstandings, better teamwork, and greater personal confidence. Communication benefits 3 areas of life: personal relationships, the workplace, and individual wellbeing.

10 benefits of communication are below.

Builds trust: Consistent, honest communication builds trust between partners, friends, and colleagues.
Resolves conflict: Direct communication resolves disagreements before the disagreements escalate.
Deepens relationships: Sharing thoughts and feelings deepens emotional closeness.
Reduces misunderstandings: Clear messages and feedback reduce misinterpretation.
Improves teamwork: Open communication improves coordination and collaboration within teams.
Supports better decisions: Shared information supports faster and better-informed decisions.
Boosts career growth: Strong communication skills boost hiring, promotion, and leadership opportunities.
Increases confidence: Successful conversations increase confidence in social and professional settings.
Protects wellbeing: Expressing emotions and receiving support protects mental and emotional wellbeing.
Strengthens social connection: Regular communication strengthens social connection. The US Surgeon General’s 2023 advisory Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation reported that about 1 in 2 US adults experience loneliness, and linked a lack of social connection to health risks comparable to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day.

Why Is Communication Important in Relationships?

Communication is important in relationships because communication builds trust, reveals each partner’s needs, and resolves conflict before conflict escalates. John Gottman’s research at the University of Washington found that stable couples maintain about 5 positive interactions for every 1 negative interaction during conflict. Gottman identified 4 communication patterns that predict relationship breakdown: criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling. In friendships, regular communication maintains closeness across distance and life changes. In families, open communication between parents and children supports trust and emotional safety. Communication in relationships improves through specific skills, including active listening, “I” statements, and repair attempts after arguments.

Why Is Communication Important in the Workplace?

Communication is important in the workplace because communication gives employees role clarity, improves teamwork, and prevents costly mistakes. A 2022 report by Grammarly and The Harris Poll estimated that poor communication costs US businesses up to $1.2 trillion per year. Workplace communication supports 4 key outcomes: clear roles and expectations, effective collaboration, constructive feedback, and credible leadership.

What Are the Barriers to Communication?

Barriers to communication are anything that blocks, distorts, or delays a message between the sender and the receiver. The 9 most common barriers to communication are below.

Physical noise: Background sound, poor connections, and distance distort messages. Quiet settings and stable connections remove physical noise.
Language and jargon: Unfamiliar words and technical terms block understanding. Plain language matched to the receiver removes language barriers.
Emotional barriers: Anger, fear, and defensiveness distort how people send and interpret messages. A pause before responding reduces emotional barriers.
Perceptual barriers: Selective perception filters messages through existing beliefs and expectations. Clarifying questions reduce perceptual barriers.
Cultural differences: Cultural norms for eye contact, directness, and personal space differ between cultures. Awareness of cultural norms reduces misinterpretation.
Psychological barriers: Social anxiety and low self-esteem limit participation in conversations. Gradual practice in low-pressure conversations reduces psychological barriers.
Distraction: Phones and multitasking reduce attention to the speaker. Full attention during conversations removes distraction.
Information overload: Too much information at once lowers comprehension and recall. Short, structured messages prevent information overload.
Technology problems: Dropped calls, video lag, and missing tone in text messages distort meaning. Choosing the right channel for each message reduces technology problems.

How Can You Improve Your Communication Skills?

Communication skills improve through active listening, open-ended questions, aligned body language, and regular feedback. 7 ways to improve your communication skills are below.

Listen to understand: Listening to understand focuses attention on the speaker’s message, and a short summary confirms the message before a response.
Ask open-ended questions: Open-ended questions start with “what,” “how,” or “why” and invite detailed answers.
Speak clearly and concisely: Clear speakers state the main point first and support the point with 1 example.
Align body language and tone: Aligned posture, eye contact, and tone support the spoken message.
Pause before responding: A pause before responding gives time to manage emotions, especially during disagreements.
Request feedback: Feedback from trusted friends or colleagues reveals how messages come across.
Practise in real conversations: Weekly practice of 1 new skill in everyday conversations builds lasting communication habits. Structured practice with a communication coach adds personal feedback to real-world practice.

What Are Conversation Skills?

Conversation skills are the abilities that help people start, sustain, and end conversations naturally. The 4 core conversation skills are starting a conversation, making small talk, keeping a conversation going, and building rapport. Conversation skills apply communication principles to everyday interactions, such as meeting new people, dating, and networking. A 2017 Harvard study by Karen Huang and colleagues found that conversation partners rated people who asked more follow-up questions as more likable.

What Is the Difference Between Communication and the Communication Process?

Communication is the exchange of information, ideas, and feelings that creates shared meaning, while the communication process is the series of 5 steps that moves a message from a sender to a receiver. The 5 steps of the communication process are idea formation, encoding, transmission, decoding, and feedback. Communication describes what people share, and the communication process describes how a message travels between people. The communication process moves a message through the 11 elements of communication, from the sender and channel to feedback and noise. Barriers to communication interrupt the message at any of the 5 steps.

What Is the Difference Between Communication and Interpersonal Communication?

Communication is the broad process of creating shared meaning, while interpersonal communication is 1 level of communication between 2 or more specific people. Communication includes all 5 levels of communication, from self-talk to mass media. Interpersonal communication focuses on direct, relational exchanges, such as conversations between partners, friends, family members, and colleagues. Interpersonal communication depends on interpersonal skills, such as active listening, empathy, and clarity. Interpersonal skills also support effective communication, in which the receiver understands the message the way the sender intended. Communication skills, such as active listening, clarity, and empathy, turn communication knowledge into daily practice.

What Is the Difference Between Communication and Communications?

Communication is the act of sharing meaning, while communications refers to the channels, technologies, and professional field used to deliver messages. A conversation between 2 friends is communication. A company’s public relations department, a telecommunications network, and a university communications degree belong to communications. Communication itself takes 4 main forms, known as the types of communication: verbal, nonverbal, written, and visual communication.

Do Animals and Plants Communicate?

Yes, animals and plants communicate through signals such as sounds, movements, colors, and chemicals. Honeybees perform a waggle dance to show hive members the direction and distance of food, and Karl von Frisch shared the 1973 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for decoding the waggle dance. A 1983 Dartmouth College study by Ian Baldwin and Jack Schultz found that damaged poplar and sugar maple seedlings released airborne compounds, and nearby undamaged seedlings increased chemical defenses.

What Is Communication Studies?

Communication studies is the academic field that researches how people create, send, and interpret messages. Communication studies overlaps with psychology, sociology, linguistics, and media studies. The National Communication Association (NCA), founded in the United States in 1914, represents communication scholars and teachers. Communication studies covers every topic in this guide, from the definition and process of communication to the types, skills, and benefits of communication. The importance of communication explains why every topic in the guide matters. More guides on communication are available in the Knowledge Hub.