Peacebuilding &conflict transformation A ... - Peaceworkafrica

Smelling using the nose to listen to smell/scent that can either attract orrepel (someone who has an unpleasant odour might not invite othersto come closer, while the scent of a good perfume or the aromaof a favourite meal attracts people closer.)Tasting using the tongue to either attract or repel by taste: a nice dinnerin a good atmosphere might influence people in a positive way.Additional experiences show that communication is more effective when variousmeans of communication are combined. For example:Hear: You hear the statement ‘apricot tastes nice’, but you have never seen an apricotand never eaten one. How will you know what an apricot looks and tastes likeand if this is a correct statement?Hear & see: You hear the statement ‘apricot tastes nice’ and see the fruit, but you stilldon’t know the taste.Hear & see & do: You hear the statement ‘apricot tastes nice’; you see the fruit and eatit. Now you can agree or disagree with the statement ‘apricot tastes ice’.5. Steps in communicationThe fundamental principle of communication is that there is a sender and a receiver.The sender transmits ‘something’ by putting this into signs — into a message. Thereceiver then interprets the ‘something’, the signs, the message that was sent. Notethat the single steps mentioned below happen rapidly and mostly unconsciously inone’s mind.Sender/SpeakerDecision: A person decides to transmit/send a message(idea, thoughts, statement…) to someone else (or a group of people).Encoding: The person organizes the means for transmission. It means to find thecorrect verbal, para‐verbal and nonverbal means for what one wants to send.This might be the kind of words in the most appropriate language, the tone ofvoice, the facial expression, body movement…Transmission: The message is delivered through words, body language, tone of voice,facial expression and body movements (verbal, para‐verbal and non‐verbal).5 . S t e p s i n c o m m u n i c a t i o n 59