Human Communication-chapter 1
The sharing of meaning, value and thoughts. Interacting
between two people and sharing information and ideas.
Communication is broader than just speech. Communication
can be both verbal and non verbal.
Non verbal communication is interpreting the way someone is
sitting or their body language.
Contextualising human communication:
The exchanging of information and influencing one another
through systems and signs. Making sense of the world and
sharing using verbal and non verbal communication.
The origins of human communication:
Michael Tomasello's theory consists of comparing the
cooperative structure of communication to the cooperative
structure of humans social interaction. This can be the way we
speak to a random person about topics you have a common
ground on and joint attention.
The uniqueness of human communication:
Michael Tomasello used experiments with a monkey and an 18
month old infant to study what makes communication unique.
His key findings show that human beings are uniquely altruistic
when compared to animals.
Altruism:
The selfless concern for the well-beings of others. It involves
acting out of a desire to help or benefit another individual or
group without expecting anything in return. Altruistic
behaviours can be motivated by a genuine concern for others
or the desire to uphold a moral code.
For example: Organ donations or volunteering.
Involves three interrelated attributes that set human beings
apart from animals:
1. Sharing:
, Human beings are unique in how we share the proceeds of
cooperative action. Compared with other animals, we tend
to understand that if we do not share fairly, others will not
cooperate with us. We also often refuse to cooperate with
those who refuse to share with us fairly.
2. Giving:
The gift by Marcel Mauss, shows that even people who are
given gifts expect to be allowed to give something in
return. When people are denied the chance to give
something back, they feel rejected and tend to avoid those
who snub their attempts to share.
This is where reciprocation comes in, some people expect
something back because you gave them first.
3. Informing:
Human beings point things out to one another. Tomasello's
experiments showed that even 18 month old infants try to
help others by pointing towards things. They do this even
when there is no personal gain for them. Animals like apes
are the most genetically related to humans and they
engage in similar behaviours but only when they expect
something in return.
For example, a foetus kicking is a form of communication.
The above attributes uniquely enable humans to give each
other trust and reach a common ground required for
communication to occur. Humans have therefore been able
to teach one another how to do things. Animals do not
teach their offspring how to do things like humans do with
their children.
Stages in the history of human communication:
Early Human Communication (500 000 years ago):
Prehistoric hunters in small groups communicated without
speech. It relied on senses (sight, smell, taste, touch,
hearing) as well as gestures, postures, facial expressions
or limited sounds like grunts and cries.
Development of Communication:
, Successive stages of communication built upon previous
forms. New dimensions introduced with modern
communication tools like cell phones, email and SMS.
Continuity and progression:
Each communication development did not replace
previous ones but built upon them. The evolution of
communication reflects the gradual advancement and
expansion of human interaction and connectivity.
For example, before WhatsApp before was just for
messaging, now it has evolved and people are able to send
voice notes, make calls and upload statuses.
What is human communication?
The basic motives of infrastructure are helping and sharing
humans communications to request help for example someone
starting a GoFundMe. To help inform others of things helpfully
(if there is a car accident on the highway) and share attitudes
as a way of bonding with cultural groups, within your
neighbourhood, country or area.
Individuals exchange information and influence one another
through a common system of symbols or signs. It is defined as
the process of making sense of the world and sharing that
sense with others by creating meaning using verbal and non
verbal messages.
THE AGE OF SPEECH AND LANGUAGE:
Origins of language:
Estimated to have emerged approximately 40000 years
ago among early humans resembling modern humans.
South Africa has 12 official languages including sign
language as a newly announced language.
Evolution of speech:
The origin of speech remains debated with theories
ranging from divine gift to gradual development from
basic sounds.
Speech enabled effective communication of thoughts,
plans and coordination, enhancing hunting, defence and
innovation.
Importance of Language:
, Language serves as the foundation of human social
interactions, cooperation, and cultural development.
Facilitates verbal social interactions, cooperation, sharing
intentions, and regulating social behaviour.
Impact on human evolution:
Speech facilitated the transition from hunting to
agricultural lifestyles.
Enabled innovations such as food preservation, shelter
construction, and land cultivation.
Development of Writing:
Writing emerged around 3500BC to record boundaries,
land ownership, and commercial transactions, further
advancing human communication and civilisation.
THE AGE OF WRITING:
Origins of writing:
Prehistoric cave paintings serve as early attempts to
record ideas through pictures, providing insights into
customs, traditions and ceremonies.
Cave paintings are considered precursors to writing,
marking humanities first step towards recording
information.
Early writing systems:
Cuneiform, an ancient Sumerian writing system, utilised
wedge-shaped characters on clay tables.
Hieroglyphics, an ancient Egyptian writing system,
employed picture symbols carved into stone.
Innovations in writing materials:
Egyptians introduced papyrus, a paper made from water
plants, around 2500BC (4522 years ago).
Animal skins and parchment replaced papyrus, followed
by paper made from wood pulp invented by the Chinese in
100AD (4722 years ago).
Impact of writing:
The sharing of meaning, value and thoughts. Interacting
between two people and sharing information and ideas.
Communication is broader than just speech. Communication
can be both verbal and non verbal.
Non verbal communication is interpreting the way someone is
sitting or their body language.
Contextualising human communication:
The exchanging of information and influencing one another
through systems and signs. Making sense of the world and
sharing using verbal and non verbal communication.
The origins of human communication:
Michael Tomasello's theory consists of comparing the
cooperative structure of communication to the cooperative
structure of humans social interaction. This can be the way we
speak to a random person about topics you have a common
ground on and joint attention.
The uniqueness of human communication:
Michael Tomasello used experiments with a monkey and an 18
month old infant to study what makes communication unique.
His key findings show that human beings are uniquely altruistic
when compared to animals.
Altruism:
The selfless concern for the well-beings of others. It involves
acting out of a desire to help or benefit another individual or
group without expecting anything in return. Altruistic
behaviours can be motivated by a genuine concern for others
or the desire to uphold a moral code.
For example: Organ donations or volunteering.
Involves three interrelated attributes that set human beings
apart from animals:
1. Sharing:
, Human beings are unique in how we share the proceeds of
cooperative action. Compared with other animals, we tend
to understand that if we do not share fairly, others will not
cooperate with us. We also often refuse to cooperate with
those who refuse to share with us fairly.
2. Giving:
The gift by Marcel Mauss, shows that even people who are
given gifts expect to be allowed to give something in
return. When people are denied the chance to give
something back, they feel rejected and tend to avoid those
who snub their attempts to share.
This is where reciprocation comes in, some people expect
something back because you gave them first.
3. Informing:
Human beings point things out to one another. Tomasello's
experiments showed that even 18 month old infants try to
help others by pointing towards things. They do this even
when there is no personal gain for them. Animals like apes
are the most genetically related to humans and they
engage in similar behaviours but only when they expect
something in return.
For example, a foetus kicking is a form of communication.
The above attributes uniquely enable humans to give each
other trust and reach a common ground required for
communication to occur. Humans have therefore been able
to teach one another how to do things. Animals do not
teach their offspring how to do things like humans do with
their children.
Stages in the history of human communication:
Early Human Communication (500 000 years ago):
Prehistoric hunters in small groups communicated without
speech. It relied on senses (sight, smell, taste, touch,
hearing) as well as gestures, postures, facial expressions
or limited sounds like grunts and cries.
Development of Communication:
, Successive stages of communication built upon previous
forms. New dimensions introduced with modern
communication tools like cell phones, email and SMS.
Continuity and progression:
Each communication development did not replace
previous ones but built upon them. The evolution of
communication reflects the gradual advancement and
expansion of human interaction and connectivity.
For example, before WhatsApp before was just for
messaging, now it has evolved and people are able to send
voice notes, make calls and upload statuses.
What is human communication?
The basic motives of infrastructure are helping and sharing
humans communications to request help for example someone
starting a GoFundMe. To help inform others of things helpfully
(if there is a car accident on the highway) and share attitudes
as a way of bonding with cultural groups, within your
neighbourhood, country or area.
Individuals exchange information and influence one another
through a common system of symbols or signs. It is defined as
the process of making sense of the world and sharing that
sense with others by creating meaning using verbal and non
verbal messages.
THE AGE OF SPEECH AND LANGUAGE:
Origins of language:
Estimated to have emerged approximately 40000 years
ago among early humans resembling modern humans.
South Africa has 12 official languages including sign
language as a newly announced language.
Evolution of speech:
The origin of speech remains debated with theories
ranging from divine gift to gradual development from
basic sounds.
Speech enabled effective communication of thoughts,
plans and coordination, enhancing hunting, defence and
innovation.
Importance of Language:
, Language serves as the foundation of human social
interactions, cooperation, and cultural development.
Facilitates verbal social interactions, cooperation, sharing
intentions, and regulating social behaviour.
Impact on human evolution:
Speech facilitated the transition from hunting to
agricultural lifestyles.
Enabled innovations such as food preservation, shelter
construction, and land cultivation.
Development of Writing:
Writing emerged around 3500BC to record boundaries,
land ownership, and commercial transactions, further
advancing human communication and civilisation.
THE AGE OF WRITING:
Origins of writing:
Prehistoric cave paintings serve as early attempts to
record ideas through pictures, providing insights into
customs, traditions and ceremonies.
Cave paintings are considered precursors to writing,
marking humanities first step towards recording
information.
Early writing systems:
Cuneiform, an ancient Sumerian writing system, utilised
wedge-shaped characters on clay tables.
Hieroglyphics, an ancient Egyptian writing system,
employed picture symbols carved into stone.
Innovations in writing materials:
Egyptians introduced papyrus, a paper made from water
plants, around 2500BC (4522 years ago).
Animal skins and parchment replaced papyrus, followed
by paper made from wood pulp invented by the Chinese in
100AD (4722 years ago).
Impact of writing:
