The Physical Context:
Where communication takes place is important because it sets the tone for the conversation(s) that occur. The physical context of communication can take place in a dorm room, business setting or even park.
For example, as university students, if we were to have lunch with some friends in the cafeteria and start talking to them, the physical context of the communication situation would be the cafeteria.
The Social-Psychological Context:
The conversations that we have depend on the social psychological context that we share with other people. Social psychological context refers to a certain type of communication that is formed through status relationships, roles and games that people play, and the cultural rules with in a society.
An expereince that we have all had at some point relates to the differing ways that we communicate with our parent(s) versus our friend(s). For most people, the context of our our relationships with these individuals are on completely different levels. An example is that you might be very informal, loud, and use foul language with friends, but you wouldn’t dare talk in that way to your parent(s).
The Temporal (or time) Context:
The time and time in history that all communications takes place, is called the temporal ( time ) context. Time in communication helps decipher the sequence of different communication events.
The time of day has a huge impact on your communication. Some people are not “morning people”, meaning they are not very peppy/talkative/friendly during the morning hours. If you were to try and talk to one of these people in the morning, you may not get the most engaging response- or even be met with resistance.
The Cultural Context:
When communication takes place the cultural context is very important. The cultural context involves the beliefs, values and ways of behaving that are shared by a group of people. These beliefs, values and ways of behaving are passed down from generation to generation.
Variations in cultural context can both make for more interesting conversations, as well as cause barriers to communication. An example one can share from their own life regards the varying ways people behave at the workplace. Some of my colleagues value socialization while working (talking to fellow employees); while others prefer just to keep to themselves while working and only interact with customers (not fellow employees).
Check out the video below for an insightful example of how culture impacts communication!
Introduction To Human Communication 