Purposive communication

Purposive communication refers to a method of sharing information in a thoughtful and effective manner intended to meet some goal or purpose. Most purposive communication is crafted to inform, entertain, or persuade audiences. This communication may include verbal, nonverbal, written, and visual expression, as well as active listening. Purposive communication may be challenging to plan and present, but it can be extremely effective in reaching objectives as well as avoiding the unintended side-effects of careless communication.

Background

Communication, a system by which information may be transferred, is one of the most important functions of living things. Humans have an unparalleled capacity for communication, and effective use of this capacity has enabled many human achievements. Communication has allowed people to record observations, share innovations, and speculate on the mysteries of life and the wonders of the world.

For most people, communication occurs every day. In some situations, such as busy workplaces or active households, many forms of communication may take place at once. Although communication may seem natural and omnipresent, it is actually a complex and multifaceted ability. Generally, experts agree that human communication falls among several major categories. These categories include verbal, nonverbal, written, and visual. Some people also consider listening to be a form of communication, because active listeners can provide speakers with important feedback.

Although humans have seemingly endless options for communicating their ideas, feelings, and beliefs, not all communication is effective. Ineffective communication may fail to transmit information in an accurate and complete way. It may leave audiences confused, bored, or annoyed. Poor communication may even lead to serious misunderstandings and conflicts. For these reasons, people should be careful about their communication choices. They should carefully consider and construct the messages they transmit. This process is often referred to as purposive communication.

Overview

Purposive communication may be defined as transferring information in a careful and thoughtful manner in order to achieve some intended goal—in other words, communicating in a purposeful way. People often use purposive communication when they are trying to reach a particular objective through communication, such as convincing a group of coworkers to agree to a particular plan. People may also use purposive communication when they are trying to share information in a careful way, such as when they are speaking with people from different cultures or with opposing belief systems.

In order to communicate in a purposive way, a communicator should consider several important points before sharing a message. One of the first and most crucial is the objective—or purpose—of the communication. Communication may serve several major types of purpose, with three main ones being informing, entertaining, and persuading. Establishing a purpose before communicating helps communicators craft the message in the most effective way.

Messages meant to inform should share some pertinent data or teach a worthwhile lesson to listeners. When teachers lecture during classes, they are attempting to inform students about topics the students need to understand to succeed in the class. Communication that informs often includes facts and figures, but it may also reach deeper to show the relevance of, and connections between, information.

Messages that entertain are meant mostly for enjoyment. Adventure stories in novels or movies are good examples of entertaining communication, as are jokes and anecdotes casually shared between friends. Done properly, entertainment can prompt appreciative laughter, feelings of excitement, and even inspiration.

Finally, messages intended to persuade attempt to alter the way listeners act, think, or feel about a topic. Persuasive messages are specially crafted to present a problem or a situation in need of attention, and then propose and promote a particular course of action. Many political campaign speeches, as well as advertisements for merchandise, are persuasive because they use many methods to win the favor of audiences.

Achieving purposive communication may not come naturally, especially in delicate or complicated situations. It may, in fact, be very challenging. Some people put considerable time and effort into making their communication as purposive as possible. The process of crafting purposive communication may be seen in the example of a person who has to give an important speech. Preparing a speech may take extensive planning. A successful speech should have a clearly conveyed purpose. This purpose should be supported by an appropriate structure, tone, and choice of words.

To succeed, the speaker must customize the speech to fit its audience, setting, and many other unique factors. A lighthearted “roast” at a party would be worded, styled, and delivered in a drastically different manner than a solemn eulogy at a funeral. A professional budgetary proposal or academic research presentation would also require its own special perspectives and approaches.

Purposive communicators may put great effort into planning and presenting their communications, but that is not always enough. They should also be aware of feedback, or messages sent (consciously or unconsciously) back to them by their listeners. If listeners are nodding and smiling, the communication is likely purposive. If the listeners are yawning, grumbling, or looking at their phones, the communicator may have to revise the plan to salvage the intended purpose.

Purposive communication may help in many situations, and may even be critically important at times. However, not all communication is purposive. Some communication takes place in an improvised way, meaning that the communicator has not planned ahead about what information to share or how to share it. Improv comedians, for example, often tell humorous stories about whatever topics come to their minds, with little or no planning in advance. This style of storytelling is also known as “stream of consciousness” because it has no strict organization. Some people enjoy this sort of improvised communication because it may free the mind and allow people to speak in a spontaneous and honest way.

At other times, improvised communication may lead to serious problems. People who speak without thinking beforehand are at risk of making unintentionally problematic statements. Sometimes casual comments, or even comments meant to be positive or flattering, may have an unfortunate and unexpected effect on a listener. Such gaffes may lead to misunderstandings or hurt feelings, as well as potentially much larger problems. An example might be a comment, intended as a harmless joke, which actually contains a harmful stereotype that seriously offends listeners.

Bibliography

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