THE 7 MOST IMPORTANT COMMUNICATION FUNCTIONS - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The most important communication functions are to inform, teach, express, control, serve as a platform for social relationships, and avoid confusion and misunderstandings.

Communication is a complex process where information is constantly exchanged between two or more people.

One of those involved transmits a message in a code through a channel or medium, and the other involved receives the message and responds by repeating the same cycle.

All this happens in a context where those involved are immersed and know, preferably, the theoretical or conceptual platform of what is being communicated.

Communication can be verbal or oral, using spoken languages, dialects or codes and requires the recipient to listen to the message. On the other hand, there is written communication, which requires the emission of the message using understandable symbols between those involved.

There is also another type of communication such as body language where facial expressions are included. The channels or modes of transmission are many and are determined both by the 5 senses and by the available technologies.

It can be in person (face-to-face conversation, seminars and courses), visual (photos, paintings, books, written texts in general), auditory (music, voice notes, radio, audio books), audiovisual (videos, television, cinema), among others.

All these elements are interrelated within the daily communicative process, and end up fulfilling many functions within human interaction in society.

List of functions performed by communication

In direct and indirect human interaction, communicative functions frequently overlap and mix.

This classification separates the functions by the difference of the purpose or final objective of the communication process.

1.- Report function

The transmission of information from one person to another is the main function of communication.

The adaptation and adjustment of people to different social environments throughout life totally depends on the information communicated in different ways, types, means, etc.

For efficient decision-making and problem solving, all available information is required. The process of giving and receiving information is embedded, directly or indirectly, in all other functions of communication.

Depending on the type of information, objective and other elements, the function of communication varies to a greater or lesser extent, but what is transmitted will always be considered "information".

2.- Expressing function

Every human being requires to communicate emotions, feelings, needs and opinions. A baby almost always communicates with crying when he needs something or feels discomfort, since at that moment it is the only way he has to transmit information.

With the learning of the types of language throughout growth, it is possible to regulate all those expressive needs within the correct contexts, thus achieving a healthy and efficient communication process.

Showing affection towards other people is also part of this communicative function, also the expression of personal identity.

At more complex, aesthetic and abstract communicative levels, the arts are means of human expression.

3.- Persuasive function

In all transmission of information, some change, action or behavior is always expected in response (the desired or not desired).

Some studies even claim that the purpose of communication is simply to influence / influence people or social settings.

Expressing something with the aim of inducing another individual to act in one way or another is the day-to-day of human interaction. The following examples easily illustrate the persuasive role of communication:

-A child asking for sweets is waiting for his parents to give him sweets.

-A girl hugging in the cinema is waiting for the boy to hug her or give her his jacket.

-Commercials and advertising want people to buy their products.

4.- Instructional or command function

This purpose is similar to the previous one, but differs in that the desired answer is much clearer or more specific. Therefore, the information and the character of the message are more concrete and imperative.

In this sense, the action, behavior or change in people is expected to be as it is asked to be. In some cases it is known that there are consequences at some level, if the expected response is not achieved.

Generally, the broadcast is given by some kind of hierarchy or authority relationship such as a boss or leader, teachers, older relatives, experts in a certain area, police officers, judges, government figures, among others.

Texts such as manuals, cookbooks, standards and laws are also considered as a way of communicating commands or instructions.

5.- Function of regulating or controlling

This is a combination of the persuasion and command functions.

They are more commonly used within work teams, organizations and groups of people, where a healthy coexistence and interaction between the people involved is necessary to achieve set objectives.

The expected response here is mainly conscious cooperation between everyone. The goal is to regulate behavior using clear but subtle commands and instructions, and group management strategies that seek to persuade rather than command.

6.- Integration or social relationship function

One of the major objectives of human communication in society is perhaps the search for acceptance, recognition and identification by others.

Through interpersonal interaction, it is possible to communicate to others what we are, feel and need.

The process of giving and receiving information in a conversation, where all types of communication come into play, are essential for healthy understanding, creating conventions of treatment, respect and bonding between individuals.

7.- Avoid and fix misunderstandings

This function may seem redundant at first glance, but it is much more complex than it appears.

Poor communication can lead to very serious problems, such as the breakup of a partner, poisoning from ingestion of medicine, or a plane crash.

Any communication process is exposed to confusion and misunderstandings, which in theory are nothing more than an inefficient or incomplete communication process.

This can lead to discomfort and inconvenience that also end up obstructing the process.

The expression of ideas, information or commands are not always understood exactly as they were transmitted. Not receiving the desired response may be the product of a lack of understanding of the message.

Many variables are involved in human interaction and they multiply exponentially as more and more people and elements are added. Knowing exactly what happens in the process helps avoid confusion.

Repeating the communication process and improving (or clarifying) the elements that possibly failed is the only solution; such as code or language, conventions of meaning, personal relationships, individual subjectivities, the channel or medium, among others.

References

1. Joan Murphy (2014). What are the main purposes of human communication? Talking Mats. Recovered from talkingmats.com
2. The Business Communication (2017). What is communication? - Functions of communication. Recovered from thebusinesscommunication.com
3. Shawn Grimsley. What is Communication? - Definition & Importance. Study.com. Recovered from study.com
4. Ashmita Joshi, Neha Gupta (2012). Function of communication. AuthorSTREAM. Recovered from authorstream.com
5. Eduardo Amorós. Organizational Behavior - Communication. Eumed Virtual Encyclopedia. Recovered from eumed.net
6. Espazo Abalar. Communication: elements and functions (theoretical aspects). Xunta de Galicia. Recovered from edu.xunta.gal
7. Katherine Hampsten (2016). How miscommunication happens (and how to avoid it) (Online video). Ted Ed Originals. Recovered from ed.ted.com