CALICUT UNIVERSITY – FOUR-YEAR UNDER

GRADUATE PROGRAMME (CU-FYUGP)

BSc PSYCHOLOGY

Programme B. Sc. Psychology

Course Title Life Skill Development
Type of Course MDC -1
Semester I
Academic Level 100-199
Course Details Credit Lecture per Tutorial Practical Total Hours
week per week per week
3 3 - - 45
Pre-requisites Nil
Course The Life Skill Development course equips students with essential tools
Summary and strategies to navigate everyday challenges, fostering self-awareness,
enhanced interpersonal skills, effective communication, and the
confidence to tackle life's challenges with resilience and adaptability for
lifelong success

Course Outcomes (CO):

CO CO Statement Cognitive Knowledge Evaluation
Level* Category# Tools used
CO1 Demonstrate a profound understanding U C Instructor-
of different life skills and its created exams
significance in daily life
CO Practise life skills U&Ap P Role-Playing
2 Assessments
CO3 Critically Analyse situations and An M Develop and
illustrate the life skills utilized present various
real-life
scenarios /
case studies/
Analysis of
skills in
different life
situations
CO4 Develop effective communication and Ap P Role play
interpersonal relationship.
CO5 Compare between problem-focused and U C Written

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 emotion-focused coping strategies. Assessments
CO6 Practise stress management in personal Ap P Role play
and professional life

CO7 Create life skill-based interventions in C C Discussion

personal and professional life.

CO8 Originate socially sensitive decisions C P Discussion

and solve problems through
internalization and characterization of
life skills.

* - Remember (R), Understand (U), Apply (Ap), Analyse (An), Evaluate (E), Create (C)
# - Factual Knowledge(F) Conceptual Knowledge (C) Procedural Knowledge (P)
Metacognitive Knowledge (M)

Detailed Syllabus:
Module Unit Content Hrs Marks
(45) (50)
I Introduction to Life Skills 7 105
1 Life skills- Definition by WHO 2
2 10 Core Life Skills 2
3 Components of life skill 1
4 Significance of Life skills for adolescents and 2
youth
Sections from References:
II Social Skills 7 12
5 Self-Awareness- Understanding one self- 1
Importance of Balanced Diet, Exercise, Sleep
Hygiene
6 Empathy 2
7 Effective communication and interpersonal 2
relationship
8 Assertiveness as a type of communication- 2
Passive communication and aggressive
communication
Sections from References:
III Cognitive Skills 15 16
9 Critical Thinking 1
10 Creative Thinking Skills - Thinking ‘out of the 1
box’
11 Decision making 1

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 12 Career decision 2
13 Conflict and its types-( Approach- Approach, 2
Avoidance- Avoidance, Approach- Avoidance)
14 Attempts of negotiation 2
15 Problem-solving- Individual and group level 2
16 Barriers to problem solving 2
17 Goal Setting 2
Sections from References:
IV Coping skills/ Management skills 7 12
18 Coping with emotion- Significance of Emotional 1
regulation
19 Stress- Biological changes associated with stress 2
20 Eustress and Distress- role of perception in stress 2
21 Coping mechanisms- Emotion-focused and 2
problem-focused
Time management
Sections from References:
V Open Ended Module: Application of life skills for 9
various groups
1 Teachers can decide the application of life skills
to any specific groups or organizations according
to the locality or social needs of the college.
Students can engage in the activities designed by
the teacher and the teacher will do a continuous
assessment of the performance of the student. An
interactive method of teaching can be preferred.
 Eg.: Encourage students to craft personal
narratives that highlight their experiences,
values, and goals to relate it to life Skills
 Share and discuss these narratives in a
supportive and constructive environment.
 Facilitate activities that allow students to
explore their leadership styles and
preferences.
 Encourage participation in student
organizations or community service to
develop leadership skills.
 Conduct workshops on effective
communication, active listening, and
conflict resolution.
 Encourage role-playing scenarios to
practice and reinforce interpersonal skills.
 Do self-assessment and peer assessment
after workshops and discuss the
significance of feedback communication.
Suggested activities for different modules
( Submit report of any two)

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Module 1:
 Analysis of skills in different life
situations- to identify the usage of life
skills and lack of skills- The teacher or
students can select suitable activities to
identify and internalize life skill
 Eg. Compare short-term and long-term
goals.(Identify life skills used and apply
life skills in analysis, and suggest
decisions with self awareness- Impulsive
decision- habit formation etc. -generate
discussion)
 Analyze a story- for example-the Story of
Crocodile and Monkey- relationship
development- Effective Communication-
emotional management- quick decision
making- terminating relationship-
identified toxicity in relationship etc.-
generate discussion
 Other life events leading to decision-
making can be analyzed in the classroom
 Students can find out similar socio-
political events for analysis and
discussion
Module 2
 SWOT analysis- Identify components of
toxic relationship quoting examples from
cinema or stories- Students’ presentation-
Group discussion.
 The teacher presents cases for the
identification of a lack of empathy and
discusses the need for social inclusion
(Eg. Reciprocal relationship between
parent and offspring, teacher and students
etc.- Need for empathy from both sides)
 Students can identify success stories of
social inclusion from their locality and
present them as a seminar.
 Develop code of conduct for college/
department- critically analyze based on
human right.
 Group discussion of POSH (Prohibition
of Sexual Harassment) Act at the
workplace- Prevention, Prohibition and
Redressal- Equality and Equity-
Discussion On Sexual Exploitation and
the Need For Assertive Communication
 Conduct role plays related to gender
discrimination- students may extend it to
street play.

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  Develop a theme dance on inclusion.
 ‘One-day’ activity analysis of a male and
female teacher- to discuss in the class
based on Social Skills
 Students write project proposals to the
government based on efforts for gender
justice/ students can analyze school or
nursery textbooks in terms of gender.
Module 3
 Categorise types of conflicts using
examples or list conflicts into different
types.
 Analyse the difficulty in decision-making
according to the complexity of problems-
puzzles, social conflict, personal conflicts
etc.
 Make group discussions on social
problems like causes of population
explosion, increased drug abuse- based on
life skills, and life skills applications to
prevent substance abuse on college
campuses. Explore hypothetical scenarios
to prompt reflection on the importance of
values in decision-making.
 Case study analysis on domestic violence-
discuss what a UG Student can do as per
their competence.
 Students conducting awareness classes on
webaholism and internet addiction for
school students
 Presenting seminars on cases like
domestic violence, negotiation in
organizational setup, labour conflicts,
aptitude measurement in career selection
etc also may be encouraged.
 Students cite examples of intolerance
from stories or history to become aware
of their cultural biases and assumptions.
 Foster an inclusive environment that
values diversity and different
perspectives.
Module 4
 Seminar on the students’ stress, academic
stress, exam fear, study skills, social
anxiety, Emotional regulation, etc – along
with generating a discussion.
 Adolescents’ conflicts with parents and
teachers- list out causes.
 How do you manage stress- compare
between students- unique ways of

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 managing stress- discussion
 Lifestyle disorders- causes and
consequences- collage
 Gender differences in expression of
emotions- role play
 Case analysis of self-harming behaviour-
suicidal tendency
 Use case studies or simulations to allow
students to practice handling challenging
interpersonal situations.

Sections from References:

Books and References:
1. Life Skills Education Toolkit for Orphans & Vulnerable Children in India, India –
(October 2007) ISBN 1-933702-19-2
2. Weiten, W., Dunn, D. S., & Hammer, E. Y. (2018). Psychology applied to modern
life- Adjustment in the 21st century, 12th Ed. USA: Cengage learning
3. Caproni, P. (2000). Practical coach: management skills for everyday life, the.
Prentice Hall Press.
4. Schab, L. M. (2022). The Self-esteem Workbook for Teens: Activities to Help You
Build Confidence and Achieve Your Goals. New Harbinger Publications.
5. Davis, M., Eshelman, E.R., & MKay, M. (2000). The Relaxation & Stress
Reduction Workbook. New Harbinger Publication, Inc.
6. Seaward, B.L. (2022). Managing Stress- Skills for Self- care, Personal Resiliency,
and Work life Balance in a rapidly changing world. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
7. American India Foundation (2018). Handbook of activities on life skills. Pealidezin.
https://aif.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Lifeskills-2018a_MAST.pdf
8. Ministry of Youth and Sport of the Republic of Azerbaijan. (2019). Basic Life
Skills Course Facilitator’s Manual.
https://www.unicef.org/azerbaijan/media/2776/file/Basic%20Life%20Skills
%20Course%20Facilitator%E2%80%99s%20Manual.pdf
9. Ministry of Youth and Sport of the Republic of Azerbaijan. (2019). Basic Life
Skills Course Student Workbook.
https://www.unicef.org/azerbaijan/media/2796/file/BLS%20Student%60s%20book
%20.pdf
10. Life skills on adolescent reproductive health: package of lessons and curriculum
materials. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000125112 De Azevedo
Hanks, J. (2016). The assertiveness guide for women: How to communicate your
needs, set healthy boundaries, and transform your relationships. New Harbinger
Publications.
11. Williams, v., &Williams, R. (1996). Life Skills. New York: Three Rivers Press.
12. https://files.peacecorps.gov/multimedia/pdf/library/M0063.pdf
Websites:
UNESCO - http://www.unesco.org/
UNFPA - http://www.unfpa.org/
UNICEF - http://www.unicef.org/
United Nations - http://www.un.org/
WHO - http://www.who.int/en/
Additional Reading
Kelly-Plate, J.,& Eubanks,E. (2010). Applying life skills. USA: The McGraw-Hill

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 Companies, Inc.
https://aif.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Lifeskills-2018a_MAST.pdf

Note: The course is divided into five modules, with four modules together having total 21
fixed units and one open-ended module with a variable number of units. There are a total of
36 instructional hours for the fixed modules and 9 hours for the open-ended one. Internal
assessments (25 marks) are split between the open-ended module (5 marks) and the fixed
modules (20 marks). The final exam, however, covers only the 21 units from the fixed
modules. The 50 marks shown in the last column, distributed over the first four modules, is
only for the external examination.

Mapping of COs with PSOs and POs :

PSO1 PSO2 PSO3 PSO4 PSO5 PSO6 PO1 PO2 PO3 PO4 PO5 PO6

CO 1 3 - - - - -

CO 2 - 2 - - 2 -

CO 3 - - - - 3 -

CO 4 - 3 - - - -

CO 5 1 - - - - -

CO 6 - 2 - - 2 -
CO7 2 - - - -

CO8 - - - - 2

Correlation Levels:

Leve Correlation
l
- Nil
1 Slightly / Low
2 Moderate / Medium
3 Substantial / High

Assessment Rubrics:

 Quiz / Assignment/ Quiz/ Discussion / Seminar

 Midterm Exam
 Programming Assignments (20%)

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  Final Exam (70%)

Mapping of COs to Assessment Rubrics :

Internal Exam Assignmen Project Evaluation End Semester Examinations

t

CO 1 ✓ ✓

CO 2 ✓

CO 3 ✓

CO 4 ✓ ✓

CO 5 ✓ ✓

CO 6
CO 7

CO 8

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Material
II Social Skills 7 12
5 Self-Awareness- Understanding one self- 1
Importance of Balanced Diet, Exercise, Sleep
Hygiene
6 Empathy 2
7 Effective communication and interpersonal 2
relationship
8 Assertiveness as a type of communication- Passive 2
communication and aggressive communication

Activities

Module 2
 SWOT analysis- Identify components of toxic relationship quoting examples from
cinema or stories- Students’ presentation- Group discussion.
 The teacher presents cases for the identification of a lack of empathy and discusses
the need for social inclusion (Eg. Reciprocal relationship between parent and
offspring, teacher and students etc.- Need for empathy from both sides)
 Students can identify success stories of social inclusion from their locality and present
them as a seminar.
 Develop code of conduct for college/ department- critically analyze based on human
right.
 Group discussion of POSH (Prohibition of Sexual Harassment) Act at the workplace-
Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal- Equality and Equity-Discussion On Sexual
Exploitation and the Need For Assertive Communication
 Conduct role plays related to gender discrimination- students may extend it to street
play.
 Develop a theme dance on inclusion.
 ‘One-day’ activity analysis of a male and female teacher- to discuss in the class based
on Social Skills
 Students write project proposals to the government based on efforts for gender justice/
students can analyze school or nursery textbooks in terms of gender.

Self-Awareness- Understanding one self-

Self-awareness is knowledge about oneself. Self-awareness involves being
aware of different aspects of the self, including traits, behaviors, and feelings. It
has to do with paying ongoing attention to our internal state such as our moods
and feelings, our beliefs and values, our behaviour and attitudes, etc. and having
an impartial assessment of oneself.
It is a neutral awareness of what is happening in you. It involves awareness
about your own emotions, your behaviour, your locus of control, and your
strengths and weaknesses. Individuals with a strong sense of self-awareness can
know where they are strong and where they are weak. As we develop awareness
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about our self-worth, we become more self-confident. As a result, with the
passage of time, we will be more decisive, make sound judgements using the
emotional and cognitive information available within us.
In case we lack self-awareness, there are quite a number of ways to build it up.
Introspection and feedback from others are just two of these ways. You may
begin your introspection with a single thought related to some period in the past.
Then you allow your mind to gradually work backward recalling specific
incidents, people, places and events associated with that particular period. In
spite of introspection, you may not get to know all what you need about
yourself. In that case, asking one of your close relatives or friends for feedback
would be a fine way of knowing more. This will enable you to have another’s
opinion about your strengths and weaknesses, to get assurance whether or not
what you are doing is right, to verify whether you see yourself the same way as
others see you.
Self-awareness, assertiveness, coping with stress, coping with emotions, etc. can
enable you to understand yourself, your strengths and weaknesses, your
character and personality, and your values and principles. Your awareness about
your positive points can enable you to make the most of your strengths and
eliminate your weaknesses. As a result, in course time, you will be able to learn
better and gradually move towards excellence.

Importance of Balanced Diet, exercise and sleep

hygiene
Diet, exercise, and sleep are three pillars of a healthy life. Improving just one of these
lifestyle factors can help people lead longer lives.

While diet, exercise, and sleep influence one another in complex and innumerable ways,
improving all three may be more beneficial for both physical and mental health.

Eating is essential for life, just like breathing, sleeping, and other basic functions. People eat
not only when they're hungry but also for pleasure, out of boredom, or even due to addiction.
Modern eating habits, like having three meals a day with snacks, are different from how
humans ate as hunters and gatherers for thousands of years.

Food has always impacted our brain's growth and function. For example, learning to cook
food helped the brains of early humans grow bigger over 1.8 million years ago. The brain
needs a constant supply of energy, mainly from glucose, and it also requires various vitamins
and minerals to function well. Diet affects how our brain works by changing how it uses
energy and regulating brain cell connections.

Foods can help or harm brain function depending on their nutrients. From early life stages to
adulthood, food plays a role in brain development and health. Nutritional supplements

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(nutraceuticals) have shown benefits like antioxidants and boosting the immune system, but
these supplements don’t always absorb well in the body without special delivery systems.

Today, there is an abundance of convenient, high-calorie foods available, which makes it

easy to forget that food should be seen as medicine that nourishes and supports health.

Diet is an important and controllable risk factor for many of the leading causes of death and
disease. For example, diet is related to serum cholesterol level and to lipid profiles.

The good news is that changing one’s diet can improve health. A diet high in fruits,
vegetables, with some whole grains, peas and beans, poultry, and fish and low in refined
grains, potatoes, and red and processed meats lowers the risk of coronary heart disease
Switching from trans fats (as are used for fried and fast foods) and saturated fats (from meat
and dairy products) to polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats is a healthful change as
well.

Several specific diets, in addition to low-fat diets, have health benefits. Healthy
“Mediterranean” diets are rich in vegetables, nuts, fruits, and fish and low in red meat. Low-
carbohydrate diets with vegetarian sources of fat and protein and little bread and other high-
carbohydrate foods can have healthful effects.

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Exercise
A recent headline reads, “Sedentary behavior trumps fat as a killer” (Healy, 2015). In fact, a
recent review of 47 studies found that the risk of several chronic diseases and early death
increases with long periods of sitting (Alter et al., 2015); even taking breaks from sitting does
not fully offset the risk. Adequate physical fitness among adolescents is only 42%, with girls
worse than boys (Gahche et al., 2014). Consequently, a high level of physical activity is an

12
important health behavior. Exercise helps to maintain mental and physical health. At one
time, scientists believed that only

aerobic exercise has health benefits, but now evidence suggests that any kind of exercise has
benefits, especially for middle-aged and older adults.

Benefits of Exercise

The health benefits of exercise are substantial. A mere 30 minutes of exercise a day can
decrease the risk of several chronic diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, and some
cancers. Exercise accelerates wound healing in those with injuries (Emery, Kiecolt-Glaser,
Glaser, Malarkey, & Frid, 2005), and can be critical to recovery from disabilities, such as hip
fracture.

1. Health Benefits of Regular Exercise

2. Helps you control your weight
3. Reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease
4. Reduces your risk for Type II diabetes and metabolic syndrome
5. Reduces your risk of some cancers
6. Strengthens your bones and muscles
7. Decreases resting heart rate and blood pressure and increases strength and efficiency
of heart
8. Improves sleep
9. Increases HDL (good) cholesterol
10. Improves immune system functioning
11. Promotes the growth of new neurons in the brain
12. Promots cognitive functioning

Sleep Hygiene
Sleep is a vital health habit. It has a powerful effect on risk of infectious disease, risk of
depression, poor responses to vaccines, and the occurrence and progression of several chronic
disorders, including cardiovascular disease and cancer.

An estimated 50–70 million Americans suffer from chronic sleep disorders—most

commonly, insomnia. Many other people, such as college students, choose to deprive
themselves of sleep in order to keep up with all the demands on their time. But sleep is an
important restorative activity, and people who deny themselves sleep may be doing more
harm than they realize.

Insufficient sleep (less than 7 hours a night) affects cognitive functioning, mood, job
performance, and quality of life. Any of us who has spent a sleepless night tossing and
turning over some problem knows how unpleasant the following day can be. Insomnia
compromises well-being on the short term and quality of life on the long term. Poor sleep can
be a particular problem in certain high-risk occupations, such as police work, in which
officers are exposed to traumatic events

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Sleep hygiene refers to habits and environmental changes that help people sleep better. It was
originally meant to help those with mild to moderate insomnia. Sleep hygiene education
involves teaching people healthy sleep habits, like avoiding caffeine, exercising, reducing
noise, and keeping a consistent sleep schedule. While some research shows that certain sleep
habits are linked to better sleep, using sleep hygiene alone to treat insomnia has not proven
very effective.

Many people around the world experience sleep problems, like trouble falling asleep or
staying asleep, which can lead to poor sleep quality and health risks. Although over half of
Americans report sleep issues, most do not have diagnosed insomnia and may not seek
medical treatment. In these cases, sleep hygiene is often recommended because it’s easy to
access and doesn’t require a doctor’s involvement.

Sleep hygiene education can be beneficial for the general public as a simple, low-cost way to
improve sleep. It could be a first step before more intensive treatment. However, current
research on its effectiveness is mixed, partly because the way sleep hygiene is defined and
taught varies widely. Experts suggest that focusing on specific habits and tailoring advice to
individual needs might make sleep hygiene more effective. For public health, clear guidelines
on what sleep habits work best should be created, and further research should help refine
these recommendations.

Sleep hygiene Summary of Findings

recommendation

Avoid caffeine • Caffeine administration close to bedtime disrupts sleep

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Sleep hygiene Summary of Findings
recommendation

• Effects of caffeine on sleep show a dose-response

relationship
• Tolerance to caffeine's effects on sleep develops within days

Avoid nicotine • Acute and chronic nicotine administration/smoking disrupts

sleep

Avoid alcohol • Acute alcohol administration before bed decreases SOL

(prolonged sleep onset latency ) but increases arousal during
second half of night
• The effects of alcohol on sleep are dose-dependent
• Tolerance to alcohol's effects on sleep occurs within days

Exercise regularly • Regular and/or acute bouts of exercise produce modest

improvements in sleep for individuals with and without sleep
complaints

Manage stress • Psychosocial stress is associated with increased pre-sleep

arousal and impaired sleep
• Various stress management strategies have been shown to
reduce pre-sleep arousal and improve sleep

Reduce bedroom noise • Nighttime noise increases arousals

• Habituation to noises occurs, but EEG arousals persist
• Specific noise reduction strategies have been shown to
improve sleep in some environments (most often in ICU
patients)

Sleep timing regularity • Clinical sleep treatments encourage regularity only in wake
time, which is counter to some sleep hygiene recommendations
to adopt regular bed- and wake-times
• Irregular sleep schedules have been associated with poor
sleep, but assigning regular sleep schedules to nonclinical
adults has shown limited effects on sleep improvement

Avoid daytime naps • Most research suggests that daytime naps do not have a
substantial impact on subjective or objective nocturnal sleep,
despite sleep hygiene recommendations to avoid naps
• Nap duration and timing seem to have limited effects on the
relationship between napping and nocturnal sleep

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Empathy
Empathy is often defined as understanding another person's experience by
imagining oneself in that other person's situation.
understanding a person from their frame of reference rather than one’s own, or
vicariously experiencing that person’s feelings, perceptions, and thoughts
(APA).
Empathy starts with the ability to understand and accept different kinds of people
around us who are different from us in many respects.

Empathy is the ability to understand, consider and appreciate other peoples’

circumstances, problems and feelings from their perspective i.e., (step in ones shoes).

According to WHO (1997), Empathy is the ability to imagine what life is like for
another person, even in a situation that we may not be familiar with.

Need for empathy

Empathy is the ability to identify with another person's feelings, the ability to see and
feel things as others see and feel them. Besides understanding and appreciating the
other person’s feeling, communicating meaningfully with the person is an important
aspect of empathy. The focus is on the process whereby individual come to care about
one another and communicate that caring through their behavior. Empathy can help us
to understand and accept others who may be very different from ourselves, which can
improve social interactions. Empathy enables a person to give support to another in
order to enable him/her to still make a good decision despite of the circumstances.
This can improve social interactions, especially, in situations of ethnic or cultural
diversity. Empathy can also help to encourage nurturing behaviour towards people in
need of care and assistance, or tolerance.

To have a successful relationship with our loved ones and society at large, we need to
understand and care others’ needs, desires and feelings. Empathy is the ability to
imagine what life is like for another person. Without empathy, our communication
with others will amount to one-way traffic. Worst, we will be acting and behaving
according to our self interest and are bound to run into problems. No man is an island,
no woman either! We grow up in relationships with many people – parents, brothers

16
and sisters, cousins, uncles and aunts, classmates, friends and neighbors’. When we
understand ourselves as well as others, we are better prepared to communicate our
needs and desires. We will be more equipped to say what we want people to know,
present our thoughts and ideas and tackle delicate issues without offending other
people. At the same time, we will be able to elicit support from others, and win their
understanding.

Importance of empathy in building relationships,

 Two persons come close to each other through empathy. When an individual feels
with another individual, he/ she build a relationship that involves mutual
understanding, trust and confidence.
 Empathy helps an individual to be open with his/ her own feelings. At the same
time, he/she is able to recognize the effect of own behaviour, words and body
language on other individuals. Thus it helps a person to become aware of him or
herself.
 Empathy is a skill that helps convey to others the proper mode of behaviour .It also
builds respect for fellow beings. Thus empathy promotes polite communication
between individuals.
 Through the feeling of empathy a person develops the ability to take the
perspective of other individual it helps the person to get out of his/ own point of
view and look at the world through the eyes of others.
 Empathy is healthy way to address the needs of others. A person acquires the
ability to get out of his own self to stand by others who are in need.
 In a world where the feeling of self interest is on the rise, empathy enables a
person to accept the fellow beings with a positive mind set. It makes both the
persons feel good.
 When to individual come in close contact with each other, they learn to accept
each other with their qualities and flaws in nature. It increases their level of
tolerance.
 Empathy is skill that teaches a person to respect others feelings .When a person
respond to a social call in the interest of another , he/ she shows respect for the
other person.

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 The more the skill of empathy is promoted, the less would be situation of social
conflict. If a person learns to accept and respect others it creates an atmosphere
where the possibilities of conflict are minimized.
 As a person learns to empathise with others, he/she develops insight into others
mind. He learns to adopt the perspective another person and in the process can
study his/ her mind also.
 Empathy allows people to build social connections with others. By understanding
what people are thinking and feeling, people are able to respond appropriately in
social situations.
 Empathizing with others helps you learn to regulate your own emotions.
 Empathy promotes helping behaviors.

Empathy is the ability to experience the feelings of another person. It goes beyond
sympathy, which is caring and understanding for the suffering of others. Both words
are used similarly and often interchangeably (incorrectly so) but differ subtly in their
emotional meaning.

Effective communication and interpersonal relationship

Communication is the basis of all relationships. The quality of a relationship is determined
largely by the quality of the communication within it. That is why good communication is a
skill that needs to be learned. We communicate for various reasons: to inform, to express
our feelings, to discuss, to argue, to show we care and to express our hopes. Our manner of
communication depends on whom we are communicating with, their age, their relationship
to us and their social position or status. Communicating with friends is different from
communicating with parents, teachers or other adults. For children at risk, these
relationships may either be supportive or potentially threatening or risky. Communication is
one of the skills children at risk need to learn so they can strengthen supportive relations
and neutralize potentially threatening ones. The children can then lead a relatively safe and
healthy life.( Life Skills Education Toolkit for Orphans & Vulnerable Children in India, India –
(October 2007) ISBN 1-933702-19-2 )
Communication can be defined as the system and process of sending, receiving, and
interpreting messages that have meaning (Wood, 2015).

Good communication leads to trust and respect in relationships. What we

communicate depends on what we feel and think.

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Components of communication.
Communication is a dynamic process involving active interaction between sender and
receiver and variety of inputs. Effective use of communication in a classroom
situation between teacher-pupil or pupil-pupil can accelerate the pace of actions.
Following are the elements of communication: Source, Message,Channel, Receiver,
and Feedback.

The Source: Source is the communicator. S/he encodes the purpose in the form of a
message, to pass it on to receiver and also decides the medium-channel to use for
communication.

The Message: Message may be an idea, information or attitude. It can be purposive or

non-purposive. Messages drafted for achieving the specific behavioural objective are
purposive. Messages with no intention to influence the behaviour are formed as
nonpurposive. For effective communication, the messages should be short, precise and
in simple language. Clarity of message and style of presentation can enhance the
effect of communication.

The Channel: The channel for communication is a medium, a carrier of information

from the source to receiver and vice-versa. This may be verbal, non-verbal, written,
printed, visual etc. TV, Radio, newspaper, etc. are used as means for mass
communication.
The Receiver: The receiver is recipient of the message. In the case of mass media, the
readers, viewers and listeners are the receivers. In a classroom situation, the teacher is
the source, the message is the instruction/lesson and pupils are the receivers.

The Feedback: Receiver’s response to communicator’s message and vice-versa is

termed as the Feedback. Feedback is quick in face-to-face communication. This may
be verbal or non-verbal. Receiver’s feedback to the communicator becomes a stimulus
for him/her. This provides an opportunity to gauge the effectiveness of
communication and helps in improving the quality of further communication when
needed.

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BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION
Anything that prevents understanding of message is a barrier to communication.
Many physical and psychological barriers exist.
Two types of barriers that usually distort the flow of communication are

a) Barriers due to the senders and receivers ,

b) Barriers due to the external factors.

a) Barriers due to the senders and receivers: The act of communication between
senders and the receivers may break because of lack of understanding between each
other, poorly defined objectives, failure to comprehend the language used, or both the
sender and the receiver may not be clear about what to communicate and so on. The
receiver (pupil) may not understand the message as intended by the source (teacher or
communicator). Similarly, defensive or rigid attitude, situational misunderstanding,
unfounded certainty, etc. are some other factors which can affect communication
among the participants. The personality characteristic’s such as - aptitude, attitude,
interest, motivation, and experience of an individual also influence the effectiveness
of communication. Similarly, the hidden distractors, such as tension, frustration,
anxiety, etc., among students can also decrease the impact of educational
communication. You, as a teacher (source), cannot force a pupil (receiver), to learn
unless he or she is mentally ready to receive educational message or has the necessary
pre-requisites and study skills to grasp it. Another barrier of effective communication
can be receiver’s indifferent behaviour and lack of sufficient motivation. The

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participants may not be ready to receive information and willing to actively participate
in its transaction. This can be because of various intervening variables.

b) Barriers due to the external factors: Certain external factors such as, various type
of noises caused by plying of vehicles, sound of type-writer, conflicting messages,
poor printing impressions, poor reception of the audio-video programmes, etc., may
distort communication between the sender and the receiver. Technical interruptions
too can create a lot of distortion in the communication process. Poor maintenance of
equipment, substandard tools, defective receiving sets, weak transmission waves, etc.,
inhibit effective communication. . At times, it is difficult to avoid barriers between the
source and the receiver. However, these can be minimized by taking special care at the
stage of planning and developing the instructional materials.

Listening skills
Listening is the process of receiving messages from oral, verbal and non-verbal
communication and interpreting the same.
Listening is an intellectual and emotional process in which the receiver
integrates physical, emotional, and intellectual inputs in search of meaning.
Listening to others is our most important means of gaining the information we
need to understand people and assess situations. Many communication problems
develop because listening skills are ignored, forgotten, or just taken for granted.
Common Barriers to Listening
Many people identify listening as a passive, compliant act and develop negative
attitudes toward it. From early childhood onward, we are encouraged to put out
emphasis on speaking as opposed to listening. We are taught that talk is power.,
When two people are vying for attention and control, however, they not only
fail to listen to each other, but also generate increased tension along with
decreased trust and productivity.
To listen well, one has to care about the speaker and the message. Disinterest
makes listening effectively very difficult. Differences in prior learning and
experience between senders and receivers can also detract from listening ability.
Our beliefs and values also influence how well we listen. If the actual message
is in line with what we believe, we tend to listen much more attentively and
regard the words in a more favourable light. However, if the message
contradicts our current values and beliefs, we tend to criticize the speaker and
distort the message.

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Skilled listeners attempt to be objective by consciously trying to understand the
speaker without letting their personal opinions influence the decoding of the
speaker's words. They try to understand what the speaker wants to
communicate, not what they want to understand.
There are many things that get in the way of listening and you should be aware of
these barriers, many of which are bad habits, in order to become a more effective
listener. Barriers and bad habits to effective listening can include:
 Trying to listen to more than one conversation at a time, this includes
having the television or radio on while attempting to listen to somebody talk;
being on the phone to one person and talking to another person in the same
room and also being distracted by some dominant noise in the immediate
environment.

 You find the communicator attractive/unattractive and you pay more

attention to how you feel about the communicator and their physical
appearance than to what they are saying. Perhaps you simply don't like the
speaker - you may mentally argue with the speaker and be fast to criticise,
either verbally or in your head.

 You are not interested in the topic/issue being discussed and become bored.

 Not focusing and being easily distracted, fiddling with your hair, fingers, a pen
etc. or gazing out of the window or focusing on objects other than the speaker.

 Feeling unwell or tired, hungry, thirsty or needing to use the toilet.

 Identifying rather than empathising - understanding what you are hearing

but not putting yourself in the shoes of the speaker. As most of us have a lot of
internal self-dialogue we spend a lot of time listening to our own thoughts and
feelings - it can be difficult to switch the focus from 'I' or 'me' to 'them' or 'you'.
Effective listening involves opening your mind to the views of others and
attempting to feel empathetic.

 Sympathising rather than empathising - sympathy is not the same as

empathy, you sympathise when you feel sorry for the experiences of another, to
empathise is to put yourself in the position of the other person.

 You are prejudiced or biased by race, gender, age, religion, accent, and/or
past experiences.

 You have preconceived ideas or bias - effective listening includes being

open-minded to the ideas and opinions of others, this does not mean you have
to agree but should listen and attempt to understand.

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  You make judgements, thinking, for example that a person is not very bright
or is under-qualified so there is no point listening to what they have to say.

 Previous experiences – we are all influenced by previous experiences in life.

We respond to people based on personal appearances, how initial introductions
or welcomes were received and/or previous interpersonal encounters. If we
stereotype a person we become less objective and therefore less likely to listen
effectively.

 Preoccupation - when we have a lot on our minds we can fail to listen to what
is being said as we're too busy concentrating on what we're thinking about.
This is particularly true when we feel stressed or worried about issues.

 Having a Closed Mind - we all have ideals and values that we believe to be
correct and it can be difficult to listen to the views of others that contradict our
own opinions. The key to effective listening and interpersonal skills more
generally is the ability to have a truly open mind - to understand why others
think about things differently to you and use this information to gain a better
understanding of the speaker.

TYPES OF COMMUNICATION
People communicate with each other in a number of ways that depend upon the
message and its context in which it is being sent. Choice of communication
channel and your style of communicating also affect communication. So there
are varieties of types of communication.
Types of communication based on the communication channels used are:
1. Verbal Communication
2. Nonverbal Communication
Verbal and nonverbal communications
People communicate and express themselves verbally and nonverbally. Verbal
communication is communication using words, both spoken and written.
Communication takes place without words, too. People send many messages
through facial expressions, posture, eye contact, touch, gestures, and more.
Communication without words is called nonverbal communication. Most
communication is a mixture of verbal and nonverbal messages.

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Verbal Communication
Verbal communication refers to the form of communication in which message
is transmitted verbally; communication is done by word of mouth and a piece of
writing.
Verbal skills: Verbal skill is a soft skill that may not come naturally, but can be
developed through practice. Effective verbal communication uses the correct
language and tone to speak in a way that resonates with an audience.

Verbal communication is further divided in to

Oral communication
Written Communication
1. Oral Communication

In oral communication spoken words are used. It includes face to face

conversations, speech, telephonic conversation, video, radio, television, voice
over internet. In oral communication, communication is influence by pitch,
volume, speed and clarity of speaking.

Advantages of Oral Communication are

It bring quick feedback: in a face to face conversation, by reading facial

expression and body language one can guess whether he/she should trust what’s
being said or not.

Disadvantages of Oral Communication

In face to face discussion, user is unable to deeply think about what he is

delivering.

2. Written communication

In written communication, written signs or symbols are used to communicate. A

written message may be printed or hand written. In written communication
message can be transmitted via email, letter, report, memo etc. message in

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written communication is influenced by the vocabulary and grammar used,
writing style, precision and clarity of the language used.

Memos, reports, bulletins, job descriptions, employee manuals and electronic

mail are the types of written communication used for internal communication.
For communicating with external environment in writing, electronic mail,
internet websites, letters, proposals, telegrams, faxes, Newspaper, postcards,
contracts, advertisements, brochures and news release are used.

Advantages of written communication include

 Messages can be edited and revised many time before it is actually

sent.
 Written communication provides record for every message sent and
can be saved for later study.
 A written message enables receiver to fully understand it and send
appropriate feedback.
Disadvantages of written communication include

 Unlike oral communication, written communication doesn’t bring

instant feedback.
 It takes more time in composing a written message as compared to
word-of –mouth and number of people struggles for writing ability.
Nonverbal Communication
Nonverbal communication is the sending or receiving of wordless messages.
We can say that communication other than oral written, such as gestures, body
language, posture, tone of voice or facial expressions, is called nonverbal
communication. Nonverbal communication is all about the body language of
speaker.

Nonverbal communication helps receiver in interpreting the message received.

Often, nonverbal signals reflect the situation more accurately than verbal

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messages. Sometimes nonverbal response contradicts verbal communication
and hence affects the effectiveness of message.

Reading Nonverbal Cues: Body language and nonverbal messages account for
55% of all communication. So we should be able to both read and use correct
nonverbal cues. While reading body language, look for positive or negative cues
and apply context based on what is being communicated.
You send many messages without ever speaking a word. All forms of nonverbal
communication gestures, facial expressions, posture, eye contact, physical
distance, and even your appearance communicate your thoughts and feelings.
You can use nonverbal communication to make your message stronger. You can
also learn to “read” other people’s nonverbal communication to help you
understand their thoughts and feelings.

1. Body Language: Body language is the use of gestures and other body
movements to communicate. You can use hand gestures to emphasize a key
point or show excitement. A clenched fist might show others that you are
determined, angry, or hostile.
2. Posture: The way you hold your body is an important part of nonverbal
communication. Your posture conveys an attitude. Standing or sitting
comfortably upright as you talk shows interest and confidence. So does
walking with your shoulders back and head up. Stooped shoulders and a
bowed head suggest that you lack confidence or feel sad.
3. Facial Expressions: Facial expressions can encourage or discourage
communication. A smile attracts others and makes them feel at ease. Facial
expressions also reveal a lot about how you really feel. If a friend said
everything was fi ne but had a sad or angry facial expression, what would
you think?
4. Eye Contact: Looking into another person’s eyes shows that you are friendly,
confident, and interested in the speaker. However, be aware that in some
cultures looking directly into the listener’s eyes can be a sign of disrespect.

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5. Tone of Voice: The way you speak is just as important as the words you use.
Your emotions can come through in your tone of voice. Strive to use a tone
and inflection (pitch and loudness) that accurately conveys your message.
Controlling your emotions makes it easier for you to achieve the right tone
and for people to understand what you are saying.
6. Physical Distance: The space between you and another person often sends a
message without words. Usually, the closer the relationship, the less distance
people put between each other when they speak. However, people in conflict
often stand close when sending messages of aggression.
7. Appearance: Your appearance sends messages, too. A clean and healthy
appearance sends a message that you respect and care about yourself. It also
shows respect for others. What does your personal appearance say about
you?

Nonverbal communication can include many components, including:

Facial expressions

Can convey a lot of information about a person's thoughts and feelings, and can even impact
the meaning of words they say.

Gestures

Deliberate movements and signals that can emphasize words during a conversation.

 Paralinguistic

Vocal communication that's separate from language, such as tone of voice, loudness,
inflection, and pitch.

Body language

Posture and movement can convey a lot of information, including eye contact, keeping an
open posture, and using appropriate gestures.

Proxemics

The use of physical space and distance, such as personal space.

 Eye gaze

Looking, staring, and blinking can all be important cues.

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Appearance

Clothing, hairstyle, and other appearance factors can be considered nonverbal

communication.

Haptics

The study of touch as a form of nonverbal communication, such as greeting, comfort,

affection, task accomplishment, and control.

Chronemics

The study of how time is used in nonverbal communication.

Assertiveness as a type of communication-

Passive (Submissive) communication and aggressive

communication

Assertiveness involves acting in one’s own best interests by expressing one’s

thoughts and feelings directly and honestly.

Essentially, assertiveness involves standing up for your rights when someone

else is about to violate on them. To be assertive is to speak out rather than pull
your punches. The nature of assertive communication can best be clarified by
contrasting it with other types of communication.

Submissive or passive communication is deferential or polite, as it involves

giving in to others on points of possible conflict. Submissive people often let
others take advantage of them. Typically, their biggest problem is that they
cannot say “no” to unreasonable requests. A common example is the college
student who can’t tell her roommate not to borrow her clothes. In traditional
trait terminology, submissive people are timid or reticent.

Although the roots of submissiveness have not been investigated fully, they
appear to lie in excessive concern about gaining the social approval of others.
However, the strategy of “not making waves” is more likely to garner others’
contempt than their approval. Moreover, individuals who use this style often
feel bad about themselves (for being “pushovers”) and resentful of those they
allow to take advantage of them. These feelings often lead submissive
individuals to try to punish others by withdrawing, sulking, or crying (Bower &
Bower 2004). Such manipulative attempts to get one’s own way are sometimes
referred to as “passive aggression” or “indirect aggression”

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At the other end of the spectrum, aggressive communication focuses on saying
and getting what one wants at the expense of others’ feelings and rights. With
assertive behavior, however, one strives to respect others’ rights while
defending one’s own. The problem in real life is that assertive and aggressive
behaviors may overlap. When someone is about to violate on their rights, people
often lash out at the other party (aggression) while defending their rights
(assertion). The challenge, then, is to be firm and assertive without becoming
aggressive and demanding.

Advocates of assertive communication argue that it is much more adaptive than

either submission or aggression (Bower & Bower, 2004). They maintain that
submissive behavior leads to poor self-esteem, self-denial, emotional
suppression, and worried or forced interpersonal relationships. Conversely,
aggressive communication tends to promote guilt, alienation, and disharmony.
In contrast, assertive behavior is said to foster high self-esteem, satisfactory
interpersonal relationships, and effective conflict management.

Here are three different ways to express the same desire:

Aggressive: I want to watch football all day today, so that is the only thing that
will be on the TV. End of story.

Assertive: I feel like watching football on the TV today—do you?

Submissive: It’s okay with me if we don’t watch football; whatever you feel
like watching is fine with me.

The essential point with assertiveness is that you are able to state what you want
clearly, directly, and honestly. Being able to do so makes you feel good about
yourself and will usually make others feel good about you, too. And, although
being assertive doesn’t guarantee your chances for getting what you want, it
certainly enhances them.

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End

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