Communication Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Communication - Term Paper Example The English literary critic I.A. Richards has defined communication as a vital aspect of human kind, â€Å"Communication takes place when one mind so acts upon its environment that another mind is influenced, and in that other mind an experience occurs which is like the experience in the first mind, and is caused in part by that experience† (Ramaraju, 2012, p.70). This means when two people are in communication, then what one person thinks or feels is to a large extent influenced by what the other person is thinking and feeling. Similarly, a person’s individuality or personality is also defined by the perception of others, â€Å"an individual’s personality is a product of their perceptions of others and others’ perceptions of the individual as manifested in the interactive and interdependent exchange of behaviors between them† (Palmer & Barnett, 1998, p.x). Therefore, mutual interaction is a necessary element for the formation of both relationships between people and individuality of a person. Communication defines a person and his or her relationship with the other person. For instance, a formal communication between two people implies that they have a professional relationship while informal communication which includes any random topic indicates that they have a close personal relationship. In most types of communication, people do not give a second thought and there is always a feeling of content by the way people communicate with one another. A national poll conducted by the National Communication Association reported that almost 66 percent of the American people feel at ease when communicating with others. It has also been observed that people belonging to older age group like 55 and above are more inclined to make any kind of communication than any other age group. Also, women rather than men are more skilled

How does society influence individual human behavior, and is that Essay

How does society influence individual human behavior, and is that influence greater than the personal and biological forces within each person - Chad Richardson - Essay Example From birth or even before the child is born, humans have to learn to respond and interact to different stimuli unique to his environment. One of the primary influences of the society comes in the way of family structures. This is where the first pattern of behavior is learned outside of the hereditary traits. The family, to a large extent helps to shape the belief system and influence other social habits such as dressing, eating, speaking. Emotional bonding can also be seen as an outcome of the family’s treatment of the individual. Parental favoritism can be an influence. A sibling receiving more love may develop differently from his or her less favored sibling (Rowe, 1994). The school also plays a major part in how the society influences behavior. This usually acts as a measuring stick in determining what are acceptable and non-acceptable patterns and standards of behavior. Through the existence of positive and negative reinforcement humans are guided as to uplifting moral and social behavior and are exposed to a certain way of thinking that should help them to strive toward self actualization. A person’s value system is also developed largely through a combination of home and school influences. The larger society, group alliances and cultural settings also influence human behavior. Religious beliefs also help to set the norm. According to Rutherford and Ahlgren (1990), â€Å"Culturally induced behavior patterns such as speech patterns, body language, and forms of humor become so deeply imbedded in the human mind that they often operate without the individuals themselves being fully aware of them (Rutherford & Ahlgren, 1990, p.89). The age old question of whether the influence of society is greater or lesser than the biological influences is really difficult to determine. In many cases persons from the same social and cultural backgrounds and from the same family in some instances end up displaying different behavior patterns. In cases like these