Shared Experiences in Human Communication

Book excerpt: A novel approach to traditional subjects, the wide variety of opinions, and the extensive introductory material lift this book out of the ordinary “readings" class, and will reward the reader with understanding and appreciation of a complex subject. This collection of 37 provocative selections on human communication shares with the reader the experience and insights of some of the best minds in the discipline. The selections for the most part deal with traditional communication topics in a novel way. For example, in the chapter on verbal communication, there is a selection on profane language; in the chapter on nonverbal communication, there is a section entitled “The Silent Language of Love”; in the chapter on small group communication, there’s the Parkinson article on laws in groups; and in the chapter on mass communication, there’s one on today’s interest in sexually oriented magazines. The entire spectrum of topics usually found in beginning courses in speech communication is here. An extensive Section Two includes discussion on the psychological and transactional analysis views of communication. A brief introduction precedes each section focusing on the key ideas of each reading. Sources include the Journal of Communication, Industry Week, Journalism Quarterly, Psychology Today, Supervisory Management, Journal of Social Issues, Harvard Business Review, and Today's Speech.