PSY1107 / HBSI1107: Human Communication

Abstract

Course description. This course familiarizes students with a set of diverse scientific perspectives on human communication. These perspectives cover psychological and social aspects of human communication, providing opportunities for students to acquire a critical appreciation of this mul-tifaceted phenomenon. The course covers a number of key topics such as (a) introductory notions about spoken language, signed language, and non-verbal communication; (b) referential communication; (c) the process of grounding; (d) egocentrism and miscommunication; (e) language as a social action. Considering the deep ramifications communication has for the human experience, this course provides valuable insights for students from a wide range of disciplines. Summary of course content. After a brief exposure to general background material, students will interact with a diverse sample of the scientific literature on human communication. The sample will include the following topics: a) Turn-taking and repair; b) Grounding; c) Egocentrism and miscommunication; d) Speech act theory; e) Politeness theory; f) Other perspectives on human communication