25 Examples of Axioms of Communication

Communication axioms

The communication axioms there are five principles or statements that govern all types of communication that happens between two or more human beings.

These axioms were formulated by Paul Watzlawick (1921-2007), philosopher and psychologist, who developed the theory of human communication. According to this author, these five axioms are present in all message exchanges because they are laws that define the functioning of communication.

These axioms are considered as universal truths because the axioms are propositions or statements self-evident, that is, they do not have to be demonstrated and that they always occur regardless of the context or the terms.

The five axioms of communication

Examples of the first communication axiom

It is impossible not to communicate

1. Sandra told Estefanía that she wanted to go to the cinema again to see the same movie. Estefanía did not answer her, but she blew very hard. In this case, Estefanía was communicating that she did not want to go to the cinema to see the same movie.
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2. Julio told her best friend that he had a surprise for her and she smiled. In this case, she was communicating to Julio that she was happy.
3. A patient was waiting for the doctor to treat her and was constantly tapping her foot on the floor. In this case, perhaps inadvertently, the patient was communicating that she was impatient.
4. In a card game, one of the players received a very good card and, because of this, his eyes widened. In this case, his face communicated his surprise.
5. A man was lifting a heavy weight and he narrowed his eyes and clenched his mouth. In this case, it was reported that this exercise hurt or that the weights seemed too heavy.

Second axiom of communication

The content of a message depends on the relationship between sender and receiver

1. A person produces the sound shhh! The interpretation of this message depends on the people who are present and the context, since if a person is in her house speaking over the phone, you can make that sound to ask others to be quiet and it would not be interpreted as an assault, but as an order. However, if a person is speaking in a meeting and another person produces that sound, it could be interpreted as an assault, because the second person would be shutting up the first.
2. If one neighbor tells another to "take care", the first neighbor can be interpreted as saying that he hopes the other neighbor is okay. Instead, in another circumstance, it can be interpreted as a threat.
3. A lady was cooking with her friend and she said “give me that”. In this case, he was asking her for something and he was not rude. But if an unknown person says the same thing to another, it can be interpreted as an assault or as a robbery.
4. One teacher said to his students: "Please speak lower." In this case the professor was giving an order in a courteous manner. But if a person shouted the same message on the bus, it may have been interpreted in a different way, for example, passengers may have understood that this person was shutting them up.
5. A man said to his brother: "Is that your car?" In this case the man's brother could have interpreted that the man was surprised and happy because he had a good car. On the other hand, if the same message is repeated between two strangers and with an ironic tone, it can be interpreted as a derogatory expression.

Examples of the third axiom of communication

Communication depends on the gradation that the speakers make of each intervention

1. Two people are negotiating the price of a product. In this case, each message influences the conversation and the other party's message.
2. Two people are arguing without reaching an agreement. In this case, each response from each issuer generates another conflict and that gives continuity to the communication.
3. Julián believed that Esteban, his friend, would go to the movies with him because he had answered yes. But Esteban did not answer yes to the invitation, but to the question “Is everything okay?” That Julián had asked before. In this case, the two interpreted the conversation differently.
4. At the hotel, Clara greeted the people at the reception by raising a hand, but these people did not return the greeting. This happened because she in that place did not greet each other by raising her hand and the people at the reception did not interpret that gesture as a greeting. In this case there was no continuity of communication, because the message was not understood.
5. Pablo ran into the office without greeting anyone, because he had to speak urgently with the boss. He later asked Estela to lend him a pencil, but she told him that she would not lend it to him. Pablo interpreted Estela as offended by how she had asked him for her pencil, but she was offended because he had not greeted her before her. In this case, there is a confusion because each one understood Estela's message as a consequence of different causes.

Examples of the fourth axiom of communication

Communication is digital [verbal] and analog [non-verbal]

1. A working group made a presentation and a colleague said "Very good!" and he applauded. What he said is the digital message and the applause is the analog message, which, in this case, reinforced the idea of ​​the verbal message.
2. Andrea asked Clara if she thought it would stop raining, Clara replied that she thought she would, but she raised her hands to shoulder height and pursed her mouth. The digital message is that the lady believed it was going to stop raining, but the analog message of moving her body in that way and putting on that face showed that she did not know.
3. The boss said to his employee: "You came early" and pointed to the clock. The digital message is "you came early" and the analog message is the motion of pointing to the clock. In this case, the analog message proved that the digital message was ironic.
4. Esteban lost his wallet and Claudio, his friend, told him that he was very sorry and patted him on the back. In this case, the analog message, the pat on the back, reinforced the idea of ​​the digital message that Claudio was sorry for what had happened.
5. Mariano told his partner about an investment project and then asked him if he thought it would work. Claudio replied: "Yes, of course." and he rolled his eyes. In this case, the analog message, the gesture of rolling the eyes, made the digital message "Yes, sure" ironic.

Examples of the fifth axiom of communication

The communication relationship can be symmetrical or complementary

1. A teacher asked a student a question in an oral exam. (complementary relationship because there is an asymmetric communication relationship)
2. Two friends talked about their plans for the future. (symmetric relationship because it is a communication relationship between equals)
3. An artist asked his assistant to finish ordering the studio. (complementary relationship because there is an asymmetric communication relationship)
4. Two college classmates talked about the test. (symmetric relationship because it is a communication relationship between equals)
5. The boss told his employees that they had to turn in the report immediately. (complementary relationship because there is an asymmetric communication relationship)

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