You may recall the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards for one reason: rapper Kanye West jumped on stage during Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech for best female music video to declare that Beyoncé had been robbed of that award. West later expressed regrets about his behavior and offered apologies on talk shows like The View and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Yet no amount of apologizing could change what West had done, how Swift had reacted, or how audiences worldwide perceived the incident. That’s because communication is a transactional process: it involves two or more people acting in both sender and receiver roles, and their messages are interdependent—influenced by those of their partner. Once a message has been sent (intentionally or not) and received, it cannot be reversed,
As we illustrate throughout this book, whenever you communicate with others, you try to influence them in some way. Equally important, you are influenced by others. Who has the most influence, however, depends on the communication situation. For example, in close friendships or romantic relationships, each party tends to exert influence equally. But during a formal presentation, the speaker is usually seen as attempting to influence the audience.
| Characteristic | Behavior |
| Communication is symbolic. | Both parties understand the meaning of “regular.” Both parties understand the smile and nod greeting. |
| Communication requires a shared code. | Both parties speak English. |
| Communication is linked to culture. | Both parties are New Yorkers. |
| Communication can be unintentional. | The customer uses gestures and facial expressions. |
| Communication occurs through various channels. | The woman uses both words and gestures; they are not ambiguous to the street vendor. |
| Communication is transactional. | The woman understands the message she is giving, and the vendor understands the message he is receiving. |