Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Encompassing public speaking, interpersonal communication, and small group interaction, Human Communication incorporates the latest theory and provides an abundance of new examples to help students apply communication concepts to real-life situations. The number of units in the latest edition has been consolidated from 23 to 19 to offer a more streamlined approach and more flexibility in teaching.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• Specialized Contents (p. ix)
• Welcome to Human Communication: The Basic Course (p. xii)
• Part 1 Foundations of Human Communication (p. 1)
• 1 Preliminaries to Human Communication (p. 1)
• Elements of Human Communication (p. 2)
• Communication Context (p. 4)
• Sources-Receivers (p. 5)
• Messages (p. 6)
• Channels (p. 9)
• Noise (p. 9)
• Communication Effects (p. 10)
• Ethics (p. 10)
• The Elements in Transaction (p. 11)
• Purposes of Human Communication (p. 12)
• To Discover (p. 12)
• To Relate (p. 12)
• To Help (p. 13)
• To Persuade (p. 13)
• To Play (p. 14)
• Types of Human Communication (p. 14)
• 2 Principles of Communication (p. 21)
• Communication Is a Package of Signals (p. 22)
• Communication Is a Process of Adjustment (p. 23)
• Communication Accommodation (p. 24)
• Communication Involves Content and Relationship Dimensions (p. 25)
• Ignoring Relationship Dimensions (p. 26)
• Recognizing Relationship Dimensions (p. 26)
• Communication Is Ambiguous (p. 27)
• Communication Sequences Are Punctuated (p. 28)
• Communication Involves Symmetrical and Complementary Transactions (p. 29)
• Communication Is Inevitable, Irreversible, and Unrepeatable (p. 30)
• Inevitability (p. 30)
• Irreversibility (p. 32)
• Unrepeatability (p. 33)
• 3 Culture and Communication (p. 36)
• What Is Culture? (p. 37)
• The Relationship between Culture and Communication (p. 39)
• The Aim of a Cultural Perspective (p. 40)
• How Cultures Differ (p. 42)
• Individual and Collective Orientation (p. 43)
• High- and Low-Context Cultures (p. 44)
• Power Distances (p. 45)
• Masculine and Feminine Cultures (p. 46)
• Improving Intercultural Communication (p. 47)
• Recognize and Reduce Ethnocentrism (p. 47)
• Confront Your Stereotypes (p. 49)
• Be Mindful (p. 50)
• Face Fears (p. 50)
• Recognize Differences (p. 50)
• Avoid Overattribution (p. 51)
• Recognize Differences in Meaning (p. 51)
• Avoid Violating Cultural Rules and Customs (p. 52)
• Avoid Evaluating Differences Negatively (p. 52)
• Recognize That Culture Shock Is Normal (p. 52)
• 4 Perception (p. 57)
• The Process of Perception (p. 58)
• Stage 1 Stimulation (p. 58)
• Stage 2 Organization (p. 58)
• Stage 3 Interpretation-Evaluation (p. 60)
• Stage 4 Memory (p. 60)
• Stage 5 Recall (p. 60)
• Reflections on the Model of Perception (p. 61)
• Influences on Perception (p. 61)
• Implicit Personality Theory (p. 62)
• The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy (p. 63)
• Perceptual Accentuation (p. 63)
• Primacy-Recency (p. 65)
• Consistency (p. 66)
• Attribution (p. 67)
• Accuracy in Perception (p. 71)
• Analyze Your Perceptions (p. 71)
• Check Your Perceptions (p. 72)
• Reduce Your Uncertainty (p. 73)
• Increase Your Cultural Awareness (p. 74)
• 5 Listening (p. 77)
• The Importance and Benefits of Listening (p. 78)
• The Process of Listening (p. 78)
• Receiving (p. 79)
• Understanding (p. 80)
• Remembering (p. 80)
• Evaluating (p. 82)
• Responding (p. 83)
• Listening, Culture, and Gender (p. 83)
• Listening and Culture (p. 84)
• Listening and Gender (p. 86)
• Styles of Effective Listening (p. 87)
• Empathic and Objective Listening (p. 88)
• Nonjudgmental and Critical Listening (p. 89)
• Surface and Depth Listening (p. 89)
• Active and Inactive Listening (p. 90)
• 6 The Self in Human Communication (p. 95)
• Self-Concept (p. 96)
• Others' Images of You (p. 96)
• Comparisons with Others (p. 96)
• Cultural Teachings (p. 96)
• Your Own Interpretations and Evaluations (p. 97)
• Self-Awareness (p. 97)
• The Four Selves (p. 98)
• Growing in Self-Awareness (p. 98)
• Self-Esteem (p. 100)
• Attack Self-Destructive Beliefs (p. 101)
• Seek Out Nurturing People (p. 101)
• Secure Affirmation (p. 101)
• Work on Projects That Will Result in Success (p. 102)
• Self-Disclosure (p. 102)
• Factors Influencing Self-Disclosure (p. 104)
• Deciding about Self-Disclosure (p. 106)
• 7 Verbal Messages (p. 112)
• Principles of Verbal Messages (p. 113)
• Meanings Are in People (p. 113)
• Meanings Depend on Context (p. 114)
• Messages Are Culturally Influenced (p. 115)
• Language Is Both Denotative and Connotative (p. 117)
• Language Varies in Directness (p. 117)
• Disconfirmation and Confirmation (p. 118)
• Sexism (p. 120)
• Heterosexism (p. 121)
• Racism (p. 121)
• Ageism (p. 122)
• Sexist, Heterosexist, Racist, and Ageist Listening (p. 123)
• Cultural Identifiers (p. 124)
• Using Verbal Messages Effectively (p. 126)
• Language Symbolizes Reality (Partially) (p. 126)
• Language Expresses Both Facts and Inferences (p. 127)
• Language Is Relatively Static (p. 129)
• Language Can Obscure Distinctions (p. 129)
• 8 Nonverbal Messages (p. 133)
• The Functions of Nonverbal Communication (p. 134)
• Integrating Nonverbal and Verbal Messages (p. 134)
• Researching Nonverbal Communication Functions (p. 135)
• The Channels of Nonverbal Communication (p. 136)
• The Body (p. 136)
• Facial Communication (p. 137)
• Eye Communication (p. 139)
• Space Communication (p. 141)
• Territoriality (p. 142)
• Artifactual Communication (p. 144)
• Touch Communication (p. 146)
• Paralanguage: The Vocal Channel (p. 148)
• Silence (p. 149)
• Time Communication (p. 150)
• Smell Communication (p. 151)
• Culture and Nonverbal Communication (p. 152)
• Culture and Facial Expression (p. 153)
• Culture and Colors (p. 153)
• Culture and Touch (p. 154)
• Culture and Silence (p. 154)
• Culture and Time (p. 154)
• Part 2 Interpersonal and Small Group Communication (p. 159)
• 9 Interpersonal Communication: Conversation (p. 159)
• The Conversation Process (p. 160)
• The Conversation Process in Five Stages (p. 163)
• Maintaining Conversations (p. 166)
• Conversational Turns (p. 167)
• Reflections on the Model of Conversation (p. 168)
• Preventing Conversational Problems: The Disclaimer (p. 169)
• Repairing Conversational Problems: The Excuse (p. 171)
• Conversational Skills (p. 172)
• Metaskills (p. 172)
• Specific Skills (p. 176)
• 10 Interpersonal Relationships (p. 182)
• Relationship Processes (p. 185)
• Relationship Development (p. 185)
• Relationship Maintenance (p. 186)
• Relationship Deterioration (p. 188)
• Relationship Repair (p. 190)
• Relationship Types (p. 192)
• Types of Friendships (p. 192)
• Types of Lovers (p. 193)
• Types of Primary Relationships (p. 195)
• Relationship Theories (p. 198)
• Attraction Theory (p. 198)
• Relationship Rules Approach (p. 199)
• Social Penetration Theory (p. 199)
• Social Exchange Theory (p. 200)
• Equity Theory (p. 201)
• Relationships, Culture, and Technology (p. 202)
• Relationships and Culture (p. 202)
• Relationships and Technology (p. 203)
• 11 Small Group Communication (p. 208)
• Small Groups (p. 209)
• Basic Types of Groups (p. 209)
• Small Group Stages (p. 210)
• Small Group Formats (p. 212)
• Small Groups Online (p. 212)
• Small Group Culture (p. 214)
• Power in the Small Group (p. 215)
• Idea-Generation Groups (p. 217)
• Personal Growth Groups (p. 218)
• Popular Personal Growth Groups (p. 218)
• Some Rules and Procedures (p. 218)
• Information-Sharing Groups (p. 219)
• Educational or Learning Groups (p. 219)
• Focus Groups (p. 219)
• Problem-Solving Groups (p. 220)
• The Problem-Solving Sequence (p. 220)
• Problem-Solving Groups at Work (p. 224)
• 12 Members and Leaders (p. 228)
• Members in Small Group Communication (p. 229)
• Member Roles (p. 229)
• Interaction Process Analysis (p. 230)
• Member Participation (p. 230)
• Leaders in Small Group Communication (p. 232)
• Approaches to Leadership (p. 232)
• Functions of Leadership (p. 237)
• Membership, Leadership, and Culture (p. 240)
• 13 Interpersonal and Small Group Conflict (p. 245)
• Interpersonal and Small Group Conflict (p. 246)
• Myths about Conflict (p. 246)
• The Context of Conflict (p. 246)
• The Negatives and Positives of Conflict (p. 248)
• Types of Conflict (p. 250)
• Content and Relationship Conflicts (p. 250)
• Online and Workplace Conflicts (p. 250)
• Conflict Styles (p. 251)
• Conflict Management Skills (p. 252)
• Win-Lose and Win-Win Strategies (p. 253)
• Avoidance and Active Fighting (p. 255)
• Force and Talk (p. 256)
• Blame and Empathy (p. 257)
• Gunnysacking and Present Focus (p. 257)
• Manipulation and Spontaneity (p. 258)
• Personal Rejection and Acceptance (p. 258)
• Fighting below and above the Belt (p. 258)
• Face-Detracting and Face-Enhancing Strategies (p. 258)
• Nonassertive and Assertive Strategies (p. 259)
• Aggressiveness and Argumentativeness (p. 260)
• Before and after the Conflict (p. 262)
• Part 3 Public Speaking (p. 266)
• 14 Public Speaking Topics, Audiences, and Research (p. 266)
• Introducing Public Speaking (p. 267)
• The Benefits of Public Speaking (p. 267)
• Beliefs about Public Speaking (p. 267)
• A Definition of Public Speaking (p. 267)
• Apprehension in Public Speaking (p. 268)
• Reducing Your Apprehension (p. 270)
• Step 1 Select Your Topic and Purpose (p. 272)
• Your Topic (p. 272)
• Your Purpose (p. 278)
• Step 2 Analyze Your Audience (p. 279)
• Attitudes, Beliefs, and Values (p. 279)
• Analyzing the Sociology of the Audience (p. 280)
• Analyzing the Psychology of the Audience (p. 281)
• Analyzing and Adapting during the Speech (p. 283)
• Step 3 Research Your Topic (p. 284)
• General Research Principles (p. 284)
• Research Notes (p. 285)
• Sources of Information (p. 285)
• Evaluating Research (p. 292)
• Integrating Research into Your Speech (p. 293)
• Citing Research Sources (p. 293)
• Plagiarism (p. 294)
• 15 Supporting and Organizing Your Speech (p. 297)
• Step 4 Formulate Your Thesis and Main Points (p. 298)
• Your Thesis (p. 298)
• Main Points (p. 300)
• Step 5 Support Your Main Points (p. 301)
• Examples (p. 301)
• Narratives (p. 302)
• Testimony (p. 302)
• Statistics (p. 302)
• Presentation Aids (p. 304)
• Step 6 Organize Your Speech (p. 313)
• Temporal Pattern (p. 313)
• Spatial Pattern (p. 314)
• Topical Pattern (p. 314)
• Problem-Solution Pattern (p. 314)
• Cause-Effect/Effect-Cause Pattern (p. 314)
• The Motivated Sequence (p. 315)
• Additional Organizational Patterns (p. 316)
• Step 7 Construct Your Introduction, Conclusion, and Transitions (p. 318)
• Introduction (p. 318)
• Conclusion (p. 319)
• Transitions (p. 320)
• Mistakes in Introductions, Conclusions, and Transitions (p. 321)
• 16 Style and Delivery in Public Speaking (p. 325)
• Step 8 Outline Your Speech (p. 326)
• Constructing the Outline (p. 326)
• Sample Outlines (p. 328)
• Step 9 Word Your Speech (p. 334)
• Oral Style (p. 334)
• Choosing Words (p. 336)
• Phrasing Sentences (p. 342)
• Step 10 Rehearse and Deliver Your Speech (p. 343)
• Rehearsal (p. 343)
• Delivery (p. 345)
• 17 The Informative Speech (p. 356)
• Guidelines for Informative Speaking (p. 357)
• Limit the Amount of Information (p. 358)
• Adjust the Level of Complexity (p. 358)
• Stress Relevance and Usefulness (p. 359)
• Relate New Information to Old (p. 360)
• Vary the Levels of Abstraction (p. 360)
• The Speech of Description (p. 362)
• Strategies for Describing (p. 362)
• Developing the Speech of Description (p. 362)
• The Speech of Definition (p. 365)
• Strategies for Defining (p. 366)
• Developing the Speech of Definition (p. 368)
• The Speech of Demonstration (p. 369)
• Strategies for Demonstrating (p. 369)
• Developing the Speech of Demonstration (p. 374)
• 18 The Persuasive Speech (p. 377)
• Guidelines for Persuasive Speaking (p. 378)
• Anticipate Selective Exposure (p. 378)
• Ask for Reasonable Amounts of Change (p. 379)
• Identify with Your Audience (p. 380)
• Use Logical Appeals (p. 380)
• Use Emotional Appeals (p. 383)
• Use Credibility Appeals (p. 386)
• Motivate Your Listeners (p. 392)
• The Speech on Questions of Fact (p. 394)
• Thesis (p. 395)
• Main Points (p. 395)
• Support (p. 395)
• Developing Speeches on Questions of Fact (p. 395)
• The Speech on Questions of Value (p. 396)
• Thesis (p. 396)
• Main Points (p. 396)
• Support (p. 396)
• Developing Speeches on Questions of Value (p. 396)
• The Speech on Questions of Policy (p. 401)
• Thesis (p. 401)
• Main Points (p. 402)
• Support (p. 402)
• Developing Speeches on Questions of Policy (p. 402)
• Organizational Examples (p. 402)
• 19 The Mass Media (p. 405)
• The Functional and Dysfunctional Media (p. 406)
• To Help (p. 407)
• To Play (p. 408)
• To Relate, to Create Ties of Union (p. 408)
• To Inform (p. 408)
• To Influence (p. 410)
• Becoming a Critical Consumer of Media (p. 412)
• Learn How the Media Work (p. 412)
• Make Use of a Wide Variety of Media (p. 412)
• Question the Credibility of the Media (p. 412)
• Exercise Critical Thinking (p. 412)
• Talk Back to the Media (p. 413)
• 20 Emotional Communication (p. 416)
• Emotions and Emotional Messages (p. 417)
• The Body, Mind, and Culture in Emotions (p. 417)
• Emotions, Arousal, and Expression (p. 418)
• Emotions, Culture, and Gender (p. 422)
• Principles of Emotional Communication (p. 424)
• Obstacles in Communicating Emotions (p. 425)
• Societal Rules and Customs (p. 425)
• Fear (p. 426)
• Inadequate Interpersonal Skills (p. 427)
• Guidelines for Communicating Emotions (p. 427)
• Describe Your Feelings (p. 428)
• Identify the Reasons for Your Feelings (p. 428)
• Anchor Your Feelings to the Present (p. 428)
• Own Your Own Feelings (p. 428)
• 21 Criticism in the Public Speaking Classroom (p. 431)
• The Nature and Values of Criticism (p. 432)
• Cultural Differences in Approaches to Criticism (p. 433)
• Standards and Principles of Criticism (p. 435)
• Standards of Criticism (p. 435)
• Principles of Expressing Criticism (p. 437)
• 22 Developing Special Occasion Speeches (p. 446)
• The Speech of Introduction (p. 447)
• Guidelines for Speeches of Introduction (p. 447)
• Sample Speeches of Introduction (p. 448)
• The Speech of Presentation or Acceptance (p. 450)
• Guidelines for Speeches of Presentation (p. 450)
• A Sample Speech of Presentation (p. 451)
• Guidelines for Speeches of Acceptance (p. 451)
• Sample Speeches of Acceptance (p. 451)
• The Speech to Secure Goodwill (p. 453)
• Guidelines for Speeches Aimed at Securing Goodwill (p. 453)
• Sample Speeches to Secure Goodwill (p. 454)
• The Speech of Tribute (p. 456)
• Guidelines for Speeches of Tribute (p. 456)
• A Sample Speech of Tribute (p. 456)
• Additional Special Occasion Speeches (p. 457)
• Dedication Speeches (p. 457)
• Commencement Speeches (p. 458)
• Eulogies (p. 458)
• Farewell Speeches (p. 460)