Communication in Human Society

Abstract

It is a real fact that many problems arise, as the communication in human society has been greatly changed in accordance with the turning up of the mass media. To study these problems of the communication of human society, we have to take the so-called “primary process” as Edward Sapir says into the consideration. Thus, in this aspect, this report will point out what characteristics the communication in human society have and what fnnction it will carry out.It is clear that there must be some communication, among whatever it may be human or animal group as long as they lead collective life. Yet, the communication in human society is quite different from that of animal group. It is because that only human beings can use the symbol, and the communication of the human society is symbolic communication. The symbol is arbitrary sign which has no relation with the experimental facts in its quality, then it does not loose its meaning even when it is separated from the logical coherence of the fact. These symbol include languages, letters, drawings, etc., and each has its own characteristics respectively. It has a great significance in human development that human beings has such symbolic communication. That is, if culture is defined as Iver Jr. syas, “recurring patterns of behavior or results of behavior which are shared and which can be transmitted from group to group and generation to genertion”, culture could not exist unless symbolic communication is premised because only symbolic communication is able to overcome time and space. It is also said that the existence and the development of human society, as far the human society is understood as cultural scope, are surely depend on the mentioned communication. The symbolic communication has the function to maintain the unification and the harmonious change of human society. This communication has been changed its phases recently in connection with development of the society. That is, there needs some media which makes the communication more effective, as the society assumes considerable enlargement and specialization, it is a matter of course mass media comes out consequently.