MODULE 1 THE BASICS OF COMMUNICATION Key Module

MODULE 1 THE BASICS OF COMMUNICATION

Key Module Concepts Ø Identifying the three components of human communication Ø Understanding voice intonation and body language Ø Interpreting clues that an individual is lying Ø Recognizing types of lying and reasons for lying Ø Explaining methods of active listening Ø Comprehending the effects of cultural diversity on communication and detecting deception Copyright 2011 Curriculum Technology, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Words Are Not Enough Ø Ø Only about 10% of communication involves the actual words people say 30% of communication is the way in which people say those words, called voice intonation All the rest of our communication, about 60%, is done nonverbally, called body language Listening skills help the listener to accurately interpret communication Copyright 2011 Curriculum Technology, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Ask Yourself Ø Ø Ø Are there times you knew someone was lying to you? How did you know? Are there times you knew someone was not listening to you? How did you know? Can you tell when someone doesn’t really know what he or she is talking about, even though they claim they know? What told you they were uncertain? Copyright 2011 Curriculum Technology, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Detecting Deception Ø Leakage: q Ø Inconsistency between the spoken words and the voice intonation and body language of an individual – one of the clues they are being dishonest Understanding voice intonation and body language will enable you to become a more effective communicator, particularly when questioning witnesses and suspects q Provides the foundation for determining when you are being lied to, called detecting deception Copyright 2011 Curriculum Technology, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Voice Intonation Ø Voice intonation: q The way words are spoken: fast, slow, loud, hesitant, or soft q The pitch of the voice when words are spoken q May vary in different geographic locations based on local accents, and will vary in persons for whom English is not their native language q More difficult to interpret without body language, as over the telephone or in the dark Copyright 2011 Curriculum Technology, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Body Language Ø Ø Body language includes: q Eye contact, movements, and posture while speaking q Involuntary things the body does like sweat or blush q Is present even when the person is not speaking Before body language can be interpreting, lying must be understood Copyright 2011 Curriculum Technology, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Lying Ø The goal of interpreting nonverbal communication such as voice intonation and body language is to determine if someone is lying or trying to hide the truth Copyright 2011 Curriculum Technology, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Ways People Lie Omission is leaving out part of the truth Minimizing is downplaying the truth to hide the truth Exaggerating the truth is blowing up a true part of the story Denial is refusing to say anything other than denying knowledge of something when the person really does know something Copyright 2011 Curriculum Technology, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Ways People Lie Ø Ø Fabrication is making up a false story about something and is the easiest form of dishonesty to detect Some people lie pathologically as a game or habit or due to mental illness q Some mentally ill people will tell the truth from their standpoint but it is clearly not true - as in the description of a hallucination Copyright 2011 Curriculum Technology, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Why Do People Lie? Ø People lie for a variety of reasons. The most common reasons are the following: q To avoid punishment q To keep from being hurt q To intentionally hurt someone else q To gain something q To avoid embarrassment q To improve their image Copyright 2011 Curriculum Technology, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Active Listening Ø Ø Ø Listening is a key component in communication Passive listening is the act of hearing the spoken words Active listening is not the same as hearing, it is a skill that is learned (it does not come naturally) and includes the concepts of: q Attending (focusing on the spoken message) q Understanding q Remembering q Critical analysis q Responding Copyright 2011 Curriculum Technology, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Active Listening Active listening shows the speaker that you consider that person, and their input, to be important Active listening means your complete focus is on the person who is speaking q q You, the listener, face the speaker and make eye contact Nodding and using facial expressions indicates you are listening and following the conversation If more than one person is speaking, shift your focus and body toward each speaker when he talks Make small acknowledging comments like, “Uh-huh, ” “sure, ” or “okay” Copyright 2011 Curriculum Technology, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Active Listening Tactics Ø Mirroring Ø Reflecting Ø Paraphrasing Ø Reflecting Copyright 2011 Curriculum Technology, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Cultural Diversity Ø Ø Cultural diversity reflects the differences that people have based upon their background, upbringing, country of origin, and ethnicity Cultural diversity must be considered when voice intonation and body language is studied, because culture has a large impact on how people speak and use their body language Copyright 2011 Curriculum Technology, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Cultural Similarities and Differences Ø Cultural diversity impacts communication by differences in: q Gestures q Eye contact q Body space q Time and space relationships q The level of comfort with certain topics Copyright 2011 Curriculum Technology, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Cultural Differences Keep cultural differences in mind when interpreting body language and voice intonations You must become familiar with a culture to really be able to interpret the body language and voice intonation of someone from that culture You will be able to determine if the voice intonation and body language changes from a baseline in any culture, even if you are confused about the meaning of these changes Copyright 2011 Curriculum Technology, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Summary Ø Ø Ø Human communication is based on three factors: verbal communication, voice intonation and nonverbal communication. There a variety of reasons that people lie, and numerous ways for them to tell their lie. Active listening is a key element in effective and respectful communication. Copyright 2011 Curriculum Technology, LLC. All Rights Reserved.