Ethics in Communication Studies
Ethical communication is a significant part of the Communication Studies major at San Francisco State University. Engaging in ethical communication shapes the way we think and act. We lead by example when practicing ethical communication. Ethical communication is a way of communicating in a fair, honest, open minded manner that allows us to think responsibly, make decisions, and develop relationships.
The National Communications Association lays out the principles and the richness of ethical communication. Ethical communication asks that you are able to uphold the integrity of communication by speaking with accuracy, truth, honesty, and reason. When I hear this, I think of being fair in my words and being honest, truthful and accurate with others when engaging casually or formally. It endorses the freedom of expression, diverse perspectives and tolerance to achieve informed, responsible decision making which is vital to a civil society. Striving to understand and respect other communicators before evaluating and responding is another principle of ethical communication. Keeping an open mind and truly listening to others before making an inference about a communicator’s speech allows for consideration of all possibilities and allows for a fair response. Another principle to ethical communication involves promoting communication climates that are caring and of mutual understanding which respects the unique needs and characteristics of individual communicators. Although these are just a few of the principles of ethical communication that the National Communication Association lays out they are a few that hold the most impact.
Ethical Communication is also relevant to all contexts of communication. Communication is always happening around us. We engage with others daily whether it is formally or casually. When we have a conversation online we have the capability to speak on a platform in a way that is honest accurate and respectful. We are able to keep an open mind, think responsibly, and make decisions. In the context of speaking through text messages ethical communication can be applied when we build relationships with those we talk to on a daily basis. Another example that shows how ethical communication is relevant to all contexts of communication is when we engage with others in a classroom, a workplace environment, and even when talking to a stranger that you strike up conversation with. Ethical communication and the principles help shape the way we engage with others in the sense that we are able to come from a place of understanding and tolerance rather than judgement. This in turn helps us build relationships, think responsibly, make decisions and continue being honest, accurate, and fair in our communication. It is relevant in the sense that it can be applied to all modes of communication; whether it is with a stranger online, in person, anyone you encounter in the workplace or even in a classroom, ethical communication can be applied.
A gender communications class is a great example of where I learned and conceptualized what ethical communication standards were. The premise of the assignment was to write a reflection paper on a video about the gender binary and share with the class what it meant to us. In this paper I explained what the gender binary was and what it meant to me. I explained how it made me feel when I learned for the first time that gender was not a binary and that there were other beings that did not fall into the category of male or female. Lastly in a group share in class I explained what it all meant to me and listened to others explain what it meant to them.
Learning that gender was not binary and that there were not just two genders that existed was hard for me to understand. However, upon writing the paper and sharing with the class I learned that there are many ways to think about how gender is conceptualized by others. I was engaging with one of the principles of ethical communication where I was asked to reflect on something that I did not understand fully however was asked to be mindful and respectful of other’s opinions. Following this assignment, I had listened and watched others share their reflections with an open mind. The ideas that others were sharing made me look at the idea of not abiding by the gender binary from a subjective point of view. Prior to learning about this I was not aware that somedays someone could feel more masculine and other days feel more feminine. Here I was able to practice trying to understand the concept rather than judging and it allowed me to turn the moment into a learning one. This assignment also relates to ethical communication in the sense that I was asked to respect the ideas of others. The sharing with the class aspect really opened the door to endorsing the freedom of expression, diversity of perspectives, and being tolerant to be informed and allow to make a decision on something I wanted to believe.
Ethical communication was also used through creating a space where everyone was asked to be sensitive and understanding of those sharing things that were personal. This catered to creating a climate of mutual understanding and respecting the characteristics of another communicator. Ultimately what I got out of the assignment was learning to approach others by not assuming their gender. I have made a conscious decision to say, “you all” instead of “you guys”. Communicating honestly in the classroom and openly listening to others led me to making an informed decision to change part of my speech with others.
Overall this assignment has contributed to my understanding and my use of ethical communication. It solidified my understanding of what it means to endorse freedom of expression, diversity of perspective, and being tolerant to make informed decisions. I also was able to strive to understand and respect the opinions of others which led to a leaning moment rather than judgement. Ethical communication is something that is relevant in all forms of communication. Being in the classroom as one prime example.
Photo Source: Personal Photo
The National Communications Association lays out the principles and the richness of ethical communication. Ethical communication asks that you are able to uphold the integrity of communication by speaking with accuracy, truth, honesty, and reason. When I hear this, I think of being fair in my words and being honest, truthful and accurate with others when engaging casually or formally. It endorses the freedom of expression, diverse perspectives and tolerance to achieve informed, responsible decision making which is vital to a civil society. Striving to understand and respect other communicators before evaluating and responding is another principle of ethical communication. Keeping an open mind and truly listening to others before making an inference about a communicator’s speech allows for consideration of all possibilities and allows for a fair response. Another principle to ethical communication involves promoting communication climates that are caring and of mutual understanding which respects the unique needs and characteristics of individual communicators. Although these are just a few of the principles of ethical communication that the National Communication Association lays out they are a few that hold the most impact.
Ethical Communication is also relevant to all contexts of communication. Communication is always happening around us. We engage with others daily whether it is formally or casually. When we have a conversation online we have the capability to speak on a platform in a way that is honest accurate and respectful. We are able to keep an open mind, think responsibly, and make decisions. In the context of speaking through text messages ethical communication can be applied when we build relationships with those we talk to on a daily basis. Another example that shows how ethical communication is relevant to all contexts of communication is when we engage with others in a classroom, a workplace environment, and even when talking to a stranger that you strike up conversation with. Ethical communication and the principles help shape the way we engage with others in the sense that we are able to come from a place of understanding and tolerance rather than judgement. This in turn helps us build relationships, think responsibly, make decisions and continue being honest, accurate, and fair in our communication. It is relevant in the sense that it can be applied to all modes of communication; whether it is with a stranger online, in person, anyone you encounter in the workplace or even in a classroom, ethical communication can be applied.
A gender communications class is a great example of where I learned and conceptualized what ethical communication standards were. The premise of the assignment was to write a reflection paper on a video about the gender binary and share with the class what it meant to us. In this paper I explained what the gender binary was and what it meant to me. I explained how it made me feel when I learned for the first time that gender was not a binary and that there were other beings that did not fall into the category of male or female. Lastly in a group share in class I explained what it all meant to me and listened to others explain what it meant to them.
Learning that gender was not binary and that there were not just two genders that existed was hard for me to understand. However, upon writing the paper and sharing with the class I learned that there are many ways to think about how gender is conceptualized by others. I was engaging with one of the principles of ethical communication where I was asked to reflect on something that I did not understand fully however was asked to be mindful and respectful of other’s opinions. Following this assignment, I had listened and watched others share their reflections with an open mind. The ideas that others were sharing made me look at the idea of not abiding by the gender binary from a subjective point of view. Prior to learning about this I was not aware that somedays someone could feel more masculine and other days feel more feminine. Here I was able to practice trying to understand the concept rather than judging and it allowed me to turn the moment into a learning one. This assignment also relates to ethical communication in the sense that I was asked to respect the ideas of others. The sharing with the class aspect really opened the door to endorsing the freedom of expression, diversity of perspectives, and being tolerant to be informed and allow to make a decision on something I wanted to believe.
Ethical communication was also used through creating a space where everyone was asked to be sensitive and understanding of those sharing things that were personal. This catered to creating a climate of mutual understanding and respecting the characteristics of another communicator. Ultimately what I got out of the assignment was learning to approach others by not assuming their gender. I have made a conscious decision to say, “you all” instead of “you guys”. Communicating honestly in the classroom and openly listening to others led me to making an informed decision to change part of my speech with others.
Overall this assignment has contributed to my understanding and my use of ethical communication. It solidified my understanding of what it means to endorse freedom of expression, diversity of perspective, and being tolerant to make informed decisions. I also was able to strive to understand and respect the opinions of others which led to a leaning moment rather than judgement. Ethical communication is something that is relevant in all forms of communication. Being in the classroom as one prime example.
Photo Source: Personal Photo
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