Communication ethics
Communication ethics involves the principles and practices that guide individuals in communicating in a morally sound manner. Central to this concept is the idea of "goodness," which varies among ethicists regarding what is considered ethically right or wrong. Distinct from legality, communication ethics emphasizes that a legal action may not necessarily be ethical, thereby highlighting the complexity of moral decision-making in human interactions. The field is often categorized into three main areas: heterogeneity, interconnectivity, and historicity, each addressing different facets of human communication.
Key ethical practices include honesty, active listening, respecting personal boundaries, and allowing ample time for all participants to express their thoughts. These practices foster transparent and effective communication, which is crucial in building public trust, especially in the aftermath of crises. In today’s digital age, social media also plays a significant role in how communication ethics are expressed and perceived. Overall, understanding communication ethics is vital for navigating the intricate landscape of interpersonal interactions in a culturally diverse world.
On this Page
Communication ethics
Communication ethics is the process of communicating ethically. Ethics refers to maximizing goodness in any given situation. However, ethicists often disagree on what “goodness” entails. For example, complex situations often benefit one group of people while harming another. It is also important to note that acting in an ethical manner is distinct from acting in a legal manner.
Because human interactions often initiate ethical decisions and also involve interpersonal communication, the fields of ethics and communication commonly overlap. Ethical communication is commonly broken down into three categories: heterogeneity, interconnectivity, and historicity. It is also broken down into a number of common rules for communicating in ethically manner. These rules include speaking honestly, working to understand other people, respecting boundaries, and ensuring that everyone has enough time to speak.
Overview
Ethics refers to the evaluation of goodness in any given situation. It is a cornerstone of morality and an important part in deciding upon the correct course of action to take in a given scenario. Typically, the action that produces the most “goodness” is the correct course of action. However, ethicists often disagree on what constitutes “good.” For example, some ethicists argue that engaging in wars is unethical, as the violent actions inherent in such a conflict cause suffering. However, other ethicists argue that certain wars are acceptable, as they might prevent more suffering than they cause.
It is important to note that the concept of ethics differs from the concept of legality. Laws are a set of values and customs that a society agrees should be enforced by the state. Laws may or may not be ethically correct but instead may exist because they are beneficial to the state or are necessary to keep order. In some cases, it may even be unethical to follow a law, thereby making civil disobedience a more ethical choice.
Ethics can be applied to most situations that involve people interacting, which involves some form of communication. For this reason, ethics and communication frequently overlap.
Communication ethics is commonly broken down into three larger categories: heterogeneity, interconnectivity, and historicity. Heterogeneity includes the virtually limitless number of situations that can occur when two or more people communicate. Interconnectivity refers to the connections forged between people when they communicate and the necessary role played by communication in all human interactions. Historicity refers to the role that ethical communication plays in historic events.
Experts in ethical communication often cite a number of practices that lead to more open, effective communications. Effective ethical communicators should always seek to understand others, rather than work to prove their points or appear correct. They should listen when others speak and work to communicate in a non-judgemental way. Ethical communication involves respecting others’ boundaries and ensuring that everyone has time to speak until they feel that they have been heard and understood.
Bibliography
“Credo for Ethical Communication.” NCA Legislative Council, 2017, www.natcom.org/sites/default/files/Public‗Statement‗Credo‗for‗Ethical‗Communication‗2017.pdf. Accessed 19 Aug. 2020.
“Ethical and Unethical Communication.” Sage Reference, edge.sagepub.com/system/files/77593‗1.1ref.pdf. Accessed 19 Aug. 2020.
“Ethical Communication in the Workplace.” Study.com, 2020, study.com/academy/lesson/ethical-communication-in-the-workplace.html. Accessed 19 Aug. 2020.
“Guidelines for Ethical Communication.” Lumen, 2020, courses.lumenlearning.com/wm-businesscommunicationmgrs/chapter/guidelines-for-ethical-communication/. Accessed 19 Aug. 2020.
Lewis, Jone Johnson. “10 Basics of Ethical Communication.” Riverdale-Yonkers Society for Ethical Culture, 2015, www.rysec.org/10-basics-of-ethical-communication/. Accessed 19 Aug. 2020.
Lipari, Lisbeth A. “Communication and Ethics.” Oxford Research, 2017, oxfordre.com/communication/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228613.001.0001/acrefore-9780190228613-e-58. Accessed 19 Aug. 2020.
Plexio, Alvin. “The Dos and Don’ts of Communication—The Ethical Communicator.” Purdue University, 2020, cla.purdue.edu/academic/communication/graduate/online/communication-professional-code-of-ethics.html. Accessed 19 Aug. 2020.
“What Is Ethical Communication?” EthicComm, ethiccomm.weebly.com/ethical-communication.html. Accessed 19 Aug. 2020.