CONTENT-BASED AND RELATIONAL ASPECTS OF COMMUNICATION

Communication is a social process. It performs a connecting function in society. Communication does not occur only in human social systems; certain types of communication are characteristic of animals and birds (bird songs, the language of bees, etc.). We also use the concept of "communication" when referring to technical means and mechanisms created by humans (transport, telegraph and telephone signals, computer systems, etc.). Beyond pure content, the communication process also expresses the mutual relationship between communication partners and, based on this, how the receiver should understand the sender's message. The relational aspect of communication shows what emotional attitude communication partners have toward each other. It determines the content-based aspect, since the mutual relationship between communication partners directs their mutual understanding. We have optimal communication when harmony prevails between the content-based and relational aspects, or when disagreement at the content level is not followed by complications at the relational level. The task of the content-based aspect is to deliver information. The relational aspect reveals how the receiver understood the relationship.