All communication (both verbal and non-verbal) is symbolic, deciphered by both communicators as they try to be on the same frame of reference. This means that:

Question

All communication (both verbal and non-verbal) is symbolic, deciphered by both communicators as they try to be on the same frame of reference.  This means that:

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Meaning is in people.

1. Relevant knowledge points and concepts
Symbolic communication theory (including symbolic interactionism and semiotics) holds that words, gestures, and other signals are symbols whose meanings are not intrinsic but are created, negotiated, and interpreted by people. A "frame of reference" is the shared background, expectations, culture, and context communicators use to interpret symbols. Encoding and decoding are active human processes: a sender encodes a meaning into language or gesture, and a receiver decodes it using their own frame of reference.

2. Step-by-step reasoning
a) Communication uses symbols (spoken words, written text, gestures).  
b) A given symbol (e.g., the word "bank" or a thumbs-up) can evoke different meanings depending on context and experienc es.  
c) Because interpretation varies by person (culture, experience, context), meaning cannot be inherent in the symbol itself.  
d) Therefore meaning arises when people interpret symbols and negotiate understanding through interaction and shared frames of reference.

3. Intermediate steps (illustrative examples)
- Example: The word "hot" could mean high temperature, attractive, or spicy. The symbol (word) is constant but meaning changes depending on who interprets it and context.  
- Example: A thumbs-up gesture is positive in some cultures, offensive in others. The gesture is a vehicle; people supply its meaning.

4. Why the correct answer is correct
"Meaning is in people" captures the central claim: symbols are tools; people assign, negotiate, and confirm meanings. Communication succeeds when individuals align their frames of reference so the sender’s intended meaning and the receiver’s interpreted meaning coincide.

5. Why other options are incorrect (briefly)
- "Meaning is in language.": Language is the medium, not the locus of meaning; languages vary and require interpreters.  
- "Meaning is in words.": Words are symbols that require interpretation; words alone don’t contain fixed meaning.  
- "Meaning is in gestures.": Gestures are likewise symbolic and culturally dependent; they do not inherently contain universal meaning.

6. Conclusion
Given the interpretive, negotiated nature of symbolic communication and frames of reference, the correct choice is "Meaning is in people," which matches the provided answer.

All communication (both verbal and non-verbal) is symbolic, deciphered by both communicators as they try to be on the same frame of reference. This means that:单项选择题

类似问题

Multiple choice question Which of the following statements about Harold Lasswell’s 5-part model of communication is the most valid?

Who are the authors of the Theories of Communication in the pre-reading? (Select all that apply)

Communication is best defined as:

The manufacturer of Meridian food products spent $25,000 to create an ad that ran in the Thanksgiving issue of a popular cooking magazine. Because it was the originator of the communication process, what role does Meridian play?

The idea of 'noise' is central to which of the following models?

You own a bond that pays $64 in interest annually. The face value is $1,000 and the current market price is $1,021.61. The bond matures in 11 years. What is the yield to maturity?

更多留学生实用工具

智能学习助手

风格化写作助手

论文查重助手

文献引用助手

课堂转译助手

课堂笔记助手

Quiz搜索助手

学校历年真题

智能刷题助手

智能匹配练习

希望你的学习变得更简单