Communication. Argyle's stages of the communication cycle and Tuckmans stages of group interaction

by babyliciouse2294 (student)

Laila Suleiman

Unit 1

INTRODUCTION

For the second criteria (P2), I will consider how communication theory helps to explain effective communication in Health & Social care contexts. I will discuss the following theories; Argyle 1972 & Tuckman’s stages of group interaction and i will link them to the effective communication and interpersonal interaction.

Theories of communication: Argyle's stages of the communication cycle (ideas occur, message coded, message sent, message received, message decoded, message understood);

How is the Argyle communication cycle used in health and social care?

Communication is the basic part of our lives. There are several different methods of communication moreover we are gaining more and more all the time. The communication cycle is a structure that was thought up about how we communicate.

The first person that identified the communication cycle was Charles Burner, it was identified in 1965. few years later, Michael Argyle (1972), assumed that interpersonal communication was a skill that had to be learned, just as you would learn how to drive a car. ‘Driving involves’ a stable cycle of watching what is happening on the road, working out how to respond making the require responses and then repeating the cycle until the end of your journey.

Argyle argued that communication involved much the same ‘cycle’ as driving required. According to Argyle, skilled interpersonal communication involves a cycle in which you have to decode what other people are communicating and continuously adapt your own behaviour in order to exchange words effectively. Verbal and non-verbal communication is not always simple. The communication cycle involves a kind of code that has to be translated. You have to work out what another person’s behaviour really means.

To use the communication cycle well, it requires active listening, this involves hearing what the other individual has to say and being capable to ...

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To use the communication cycle well, it requires active listening, this involves hearing what the other individual has to say and being capable to use the cycle to show that you understand what the other person has to say. Listening skills also involves thinking about what you hear at the same time as you are listening and checking your understanding as the conversation goes on.

The Communication Cycle

When we communicate we have to go through a process.

This process is called the communication cycle. This is how the communication cycle works:

1). Ideas occur- first you think of a conversation

2). Message coded- then you think about how you are going to say what you are thinking

off and decide whether if the conversation will be in spoken words or sign language

3). Message sent- you send the message , either way by speaking or using sign language.

4). Message Received- the person you are communicating senses that you have sent a

Message either by hearing your words or seeing your signs.

5). Message Decoded- the other person has to interpret what you have communicated.

6). Message understood- if you have communicated clearly and the other person has

Concentrated, and there are no barriers to communication, the other person understands what you have said. You can see this by them giving you feedback on what you have said.

Theories of communication: Tuckman’s stages of group interaction (Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing)

Interaction (Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing)

BRUCE w. Tuckman (1938) is best known for his article. ‘Development sequence in small groups,’ published in 1965, his areas of expertise are educational research and educational physiology. Group communications can also be influenced by the degree to which people feel they belong together. When people first meet in a group they often go through a process of group formation. Many groups might experience some sort of struggle before people unite and communicate effectively. Tuckman is one of the best known theorists. Tuckman initially called the four stages:

Orientation- testing- dependence
Conflict
Group Cohesion
Functional role- relatedness

Since these names didn’t exactly role off the tongue, Tuckman renamed the stages to:

Forming
Storming
Norming
Performing

This is hoe he initially described them:

Forming

This is the first stage, it refers to individuals gathering together for the first time and sharing information.

Storming

This is the second stage, it involves tension and struggle, and from time to time arguments about the way the group may function.

Norming

This is the third stage, resistance is overcome in this stage, and the group comes together and consciously or unconsciously agreeing on their group values.

Performing

This is the last and final stage, once they have recognized general potential and values, the group will accomplish the fourth stage of being an effectively performing group. Roles turn out to be flexible and functional.

The above theory of communication does believe that there are some actions that individuals should be using while communicating for instance, to face a client directly; adopt an open posture; keep good eye contact; and be relaxed. Argyle states that the strategy mentioned above does work well in the North American culture etc, although may possibly need some sort of adjustment for individuals in different parts of the world as well as different cultures, as it does seem to be disrespectful in other cultures/ countries to look into peoples eyes while communicating with them.

Within the health and social care setting, the care worker should be facing directly to the service user when communicating to them. It is important that care workers adopt appropriate postures to show that they are interested in what the services user is taking about. What is more important is that the care worker pays attention fully to the service users because they know that they are being listened to they will be more relaxed as well as comfortable knowing that they are being listened to.