CCJ-4450 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Hierarchical Organization, Organisation Climate, Interpersonal Communication
11 Dec 2016
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Criminal Justice Administration Notes for Exam 2
Monday, September 26, 2016: Problems with Communication
Basic Theory of Communication
- Interpersonal communication begins with a dyad (something that consists of two elements)
o One individual sending information to another person who receives it
- Communication is a sequential process
o Person A (sender) encodes a message and transmits it through some medium
o Person B (receiver) receives the message and decodes it
o Any interruption of this process diminishes the communication
Process of Communication
1. Encoding- Sender translates the message into words or symbols
2. Transmission- Sender conveys the message through a chosen medium
3. Decoding- Receiver interprets and determines the meaning of the message
Barriers to Communication
- Preconceived ideas- receiver hears what they want to hear
- Denial of contrary information (cognitive dissonance) - if the message conflicts with our
personal beliefs or values, we may reject it or deny its validity.
- Use of personal meanings- words chosen by the sender may have different meanings
- Lack of motivation or interest- has to be a motivation/interest between sender and receiver
- Non-credibility of the source- sender may not be believable for several reasons, individuals with
greater statuses tend to be more believable/credible.
- Lack of communication skills- poo ouiatio skills a e attiuted to a idiiduals lak
of training, experience, personality traits, etc.
- Poor organizational climate- formal organizations may discourage all but formal and approved
communication.
- Use of complex channels- the more gates the communication has to pass through the more
likely the communication will be altered.
- Communication gap- the difference between the message the sender intended to communicate
and what the receiver understands it to be.
Communication in Organizations
- The communication process between individuals is simple, but has a high potential for failure
- Communications within organizations is far more complex and affected by the:
o Organizational climate
o Complexity of communication channels
o Chain of command and hierarchy-
o Informal social system
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Chain of Command
- Traditional chain of command provides a clear set of communication paths for its members.
- Downward communication- allows executives a clear path to send information to subordinates.
Provides a clear set of communication plans for its members directed to the top management
and funneled down. It gives organizational members job related activities, information,
performance reviews, and implementing agency goals that come from the top down.
- Upward communication- provides managers with a primary source of information, and
encourages employee participation.
- Horizontal communication- enables members at the same level to share information, solve
problems, and coordinate activities pole ith this fo is that eeod ist atuall
participating)
Informal Communication (they filter information)
- A reaction to cumbesoe foal ouiatio haels the gapeie
- Foal haels fails to poide a ages ees ith suffiiet ifoatio to satisf thei
curiosity or needs.
Organizational Rules for Communication
- Flow of communications is dictated in policy and procedure.
- Exclusionary Rules- limit and differentiate information that can and cannot be used within
certain contexts
- Content Rules- govern standard word usage
- Procedural Rules- govern how and when communication happens
Informal Communication Networks
- Social structures that evolve through repeated communication between individuals and groups
- Innovation Network- exchange of new ideas
- Kinship Networks- formed more for personal than professional reasons, kinship networks within
CJ organizations they come as a result to the naturals consequences we have of the different
structures and functions, each agency has a different structure/function, and purpose.
Nonverbal Communication
- The oldest and often most powerful form of communication
- Rely on symbols, posture, inflection, and other non-spoken elements of the message
- Individuals convey nonverbal messages through facial expressions, hand gestures, and other
physical language.
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Information and Communication
- Information is the substance of communication
- Communication is the process of sharing information- becomes the exchange of symbols that
represent information
- Communication Load- Load (the rate and complexity of communication)
- Rate- number of pieces on information that are received
- Complexity- number of judgements or factors involved
- Overload- ous he the flo of essages eeeds ad idiiduals o sstes apait to
process them- affected by the dependence on the information
Determinates of Communication Load
- There are 3 major determinants of load for an individual or system:
1. Stable vs. Unstable Structure- the eioet, a stale/predictable environment
provides a less complex set of messages (makes it easier) as opposed to an unstable
environment.
2. Capacity to Assimilate Messages- reliance on environment
3. Desire for Information- desire to send or receive information
Absolute v. Distributed Information
- Absolute Information- idea or piece of knowledge expressed in recognized symbolic terms
o information not yet distributed
- Distributed Information- idea or piece of knowledge that is dispersed through a system in
recognized symbolic terms
o Taking absolute information and now dispersing it through system/organization
- 9/11 Commission Report 2003- Big report that investigated 9/11, they have a lot of information
ut its eig held i a itelligee age ad ot eig distiuted. ** Absolute information
Forms of Information:
- Environmental- describes environment that surrounds organization or its members
- Motivational provides information about organizational or personal values
- Instructional- tells individuals how to proceed or what course of actions to take to reach goals
Communication Roles/Criminal Justice Practitioners
- Networks are dynamic because their members may enter or leave at any time.
- Criminal justice workers may be members of multiple networks simultaneously.
- Networks tend to interlock with each other through common members.
- The number of potential networks is virtually endless.
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Interpersonal communication begins with a dyad (something that consists of two elements: one individual sending information to another person who receives it. Communication is a sequential process: person a (sender) encodes a message and transmits it through some medium, person b (receiver) receives the message and decodes it, any interruption of this process diminishes the communication. Process of communication: encoding- sender translates the message into words or symbols, transmission- sender conveys the message through a chosen medium, decoding- receiver interprets and determines the meaning of the message. Preconceived ideas- receiver hears what they want to hear. Denial of contrary information (cognitive dissonance) - if the message conflicts with our personal beliefs or values, we may reject it or deny its validity. Use of personal meanings- words chosen by the sender may have different meanings. Non-credibility of the source- sender may not be believable for several reasons, individuals with.
