The process of communication
1st phase
• You must think about what you want to say on the message and send it.
• Message is received and interpreted.
• During this phase they could be noise (language, someone laughing) that could affect
how the receiver interpret the message.
2nd
• The receiver responds to the message.
• Their response can be affected by the noise that they are around, i.e. when you sent the
client a text and they are driving the car noise can influence how they respond to it.
3rd phase
• Judging from the response was the message interpreted correctly?
• This phase is influenced by cultural difference that may result the client to interpret the
message in a opposite way than what was meant by the sender.
Effective communication.
When the message that was sent to the client is interpreted correctly by the client and resulted a
positive response.
A message can be effective when there was:
1. A verbal and non-verbal communication -when what is said corresponds to the client’s
body language i.e., when one states to be happy, they have to physical express that.
2. A use of simple and specific message – say what you want to say and be concrete without
typing a meaningless message.
3. A focus – when there was a full focus on what you wanted to say on the text with a
purpose.
4. Understanding – there must be mutual understanding on the message sent by the worker.
5. Repetition- repeating the message helps the people involved on the communication to
memorize certain phrases that can help establish some understanding.
6. Noise
7. Feedback
8. Credibility &honesty -when you have been trustworthy to your client then whatever is
communicated through the message, they client can fully trust and that will influence
their interpretation of the text.
Problems with communication
1. Double messages -when the message has two meanings leaving the client confused.
2. Ambiguous messages – message has little meaning.
, 3. Confusion – this can be caused by cultural differences as the has other definition of a
particular word.
4. Selective attention and interpretation -we hear what we want to hear and that also
cause confusion with communication.
5. Information overload – load of information is sent expecting the receiver to interpret it
as we want.
6. Ritual patterns –when the message didn’t follow the same sequence that every regular
message follows i.e., if the worker used to have a little chat with client just to create a
friendly environment before dropping a bomb on them but now, they just drop the bomb
without it.
7. Incompatibility – somethings are not allowed in come cultures and in some they i.e.
Some culture you don’t make eye contact with an elder in some you do and that may
cause some confusion as the communication process may need one in order to understand
each other.
8. Inattentiveness – not paying attention to the text,
9. Assumption – making assumptions about the text without even understating it.’
10. Hidden agenda- when goals are not clear.
11. Misunderstanding – misunderstand between the client system and the worker.
The interview phases in Social Work
The interview
An interview is a primary tool of social work also a structure of establishing the interaction
between the worker and the client moreover it is usually seen as an art and skill because each
worker has own way of carrying the interview using the principles that have been acquired
throughout training. This process has a clear goal that it why is has different phases until the end,
the purpose of the process depends on the phase being carried. A lot of variables affect the
interview these include i.e.
• How was the interview initiated?
: this variable looks on the reason of the initiation of the interview.
• Where will it take place?
: will it take place at home, the office, coffee shop or an organization?
• How much experience does the worker have?
:is the worker well train to conduct any helping process.
• The diversity of the interview
: the worker must know every interview is different from the next one.
1st phase
• You must think about what you want to say on the message and send it.
• Message is received and interpreted.
• During this phase they could be noise (language, someone laughing) that could affect
how the receiver interpret the message.
2nd
• The receiver responds to the message.
• Their response can be affected by the noise that they are around, i.e. when you sent the
client a text and they are driving the car noise can influence how they respond to it.
3rd phase
• Judging from the response was the message interpreted correctly?
• This phase is influenced by cultural difference that may result the client to interpret the
message in a opposite way than what was meant by the sender.
Effective communication.
When the message that was sent to the client is interpreted correctly by the client and resulted a
positive response.
A message can be effective when there was:
1. A verbal and non-verbal communication -when what is said corresponds to the client’s
body language i.e., when one states to be happy, they have to physical express that.
2. A use of simple and specific message – say what you want to say and be concrete without
typing a meaningless message.
3. A focus – when there was a full focus on what you wanted to say on the text with a
purpose.
4. Understanding – there must be mutual understanding on the message sent by the worker.
5. Repetition- repeating the message helps the people involved on the communication to
memorize certain phrases that can help establish some understanding.
6. Noise
7. Feedback
8. Credibility &honesty -when you have been trustworthy to your client then whatever is
communicated through the message, they client can fully trust and that will influence
their interpretation of the text.
Problems with communication
1. Double messages -when the message has two meanings leaving the client confused.
2. Ambiguous messages – message has little meaning.
, 3. Confusion – this can be caused by cultural differences as the has other definition of a
particular word.
4. Selective attention and interpretation -we hear what we want to hear and that also
cause confusion with communication.
5. Information overload – load of information is sent expecting the receiver to interpret it
as we want.
6. Ritual patterns –when the message didn’t follow the same sequence that every regular
message follows i.e., if the worker used to have a little chat with client just to create a
friendly environment before dropping a bomb on them but now, they just drop the bomb
without it.
7. Incompatibility – somethings are not allowed in come cultures and in some they i.e.
Some culture you don’t make eye contact with an elder in some you do and that may
cause some confusion as the communication process may need one in order to understand
each other.
8. Inattentiveness – not paying attention to the text,
9. Assumption – making assumptions about the text without even understating it.’
10. Hidden agenda- when goals are not clear.
11. Misunderstanding – misunderstand between the client system and the worker.
The interview phases in Social Work
The interview
An interview is a primary tool of social work also a structure of establishing the interaction
between the worker and the client moreover it is usually seen as an art and skill because each
worker has own way of carrying the interview using the principles that have been acquired
throughout training. This process has a clear goal that it why is has different phases until the end,
the purpose of the process depends on the phase being carried. A lot of variables affect the
interview these include i.e.
• How was the interview initiated?
: this variable looks on the reason of the initiation of the interview.
• Where will it take place?
: will it take place at home, the office, coffee shop or an organization?
• How much experience does the worker have?
:is the worker well train to conduct any helping process.
• The diversity of the interview
: the worker must know every interview is different from the next one.
