Human Communication in Society, 6th edition

Published by Pearson (April 1, 2021) © 2022
  • Jess K. Alberts
  • Thomas K. Nakayama
  • Judith N. Martin

Title overview

For courses in Introduction to Communication.

An overview of communication that balances individual and social factors

Human Communication in Society engages students in exploring the implications of communication in their daily lives. Providing a balance between theory and applications, the authors highlight the tension between individual and societal forces and encourage students to recognize the value of multiple perspectives in understanding communication.

The 6th Edition offers a new chapter on the in-person conversation skills needed to complement the constant connectivity of social media, as well as coverage of the communication challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hallmark features of this title

  • To reinforce the authors' emphasis on ethics, each chapter includes one or more detailed sections discussing ethical issues relevant to that chapter's topic.
  • Alternative View boxes offer perspectives that challenge mainstream thinking or offer an interpretation of a chapter-related topic counter to conventional wisdom.
  • Communication in Society boxes serve to reinforce the connection between the individual and society.
  • Did You Know? boxes offer examples of chapter-related material that students may find surprising or unfamiliar.
  • Apply What You Know questions prompt students to work through challenging concepts.
  • Critical thinking prompts encourage students to reflect on how major concepts connect with their everyday experiences.

New and updated features of this title

  • NEW: A new chapter on in-person conversation emphasizes the importance of conversational skills needed to complement the constant connectivity of interactive and social media.
  • UPDATED: References in each chapter have been updated to reflect the most recent available research on the topics addressed.
  • UPDATED: The authors have incorporated fresh examples that address contemporary events and trends, including the communication challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, to help students connect course concepts to their personal experiences.

Key features

Highlights of the DIGITAL UPDATE for Revel (available for Fall 2025 classes)

Instructors, contact your sales rep to ensure you have the most recent version of the course.

  • NEW: A new Chapter 6, Conversational Interaction, explores in-person conversation, emphasizing the importance of the skills needed to complement the constant connectivity of interactive and social media.
  • UPDATED: The Digital Update includes more examples of specific research studies, particularly those that address LGBTQIA+ as well as heterosexual relational communication, in all 3 major paradigms. References in each chapter have been updated to reflect the most recent available research on the topics addressed.
  • UPDATED: Videos cover a wide range of new topics, including listening skills in the classroom, code switching and social media’s impact on communication.
  • UPDATED: Chapter 13, Mass Media and Communication, and Chapter 14, Communicating Through Social and Other Interactive Media, have been revised to more clearly differentiate between communication processes that occur in mass media and interactive media, respectively.
  • UPDATED: Fresh examples highlight contemporary events and trends in order to help students connect the concepts discussed to their personal experiences and concerns.
  • UPDATED: The Digital Update for Revel includes a revised chapter structure. Preview the updated Table of Contents.

Features of Revel for the 6th Edition; published 2021

  • Critical thinking activities prompt students to apply their personal experiences to the concepts within the text.
  • Animated figures help students understand hard-to-grasp concepts through interactive visualizations.
  • It Happened to Me boxes offer real-life accounts of student experiences that illustrate key concepts. Embedded audio narratives bring these stories to life, adding dimension and reinforcing learning in a way that a printed text cannot.

Table of contents

PART I: UNDERSTANDING HUMAN COMMUNICATION PROCESSES

  1. Introduction to Human Communication
  2. Perspectives on Human Communication
  3. Communicating Identities
  4. Communicating, Perceiving, and Understanding

PART II: DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE HUMAN COMMUNICATION SKILLS

  1. Verbal Communication
  2. Nonverbal Communication
  3. Listening and Responding

PART III: COMMUNICATING IN CONTEXT

  1. Communicating across Cultures
  2. Communicating in Close Relationships
  3. Small Group Communication
  4. Communicating in Organizations
  5. Rhetorical Communication
  6. Mass Media and Communication
  7. Communicating through Social and Other Interactive Media

Author bios

About our authors

Jess Alberts is President's Professor in the Hugh Downs School of Human Communication at Arizona State University. She is an interpretive scholar who focuses on interpersonal communication and specializes in the study of conflict.

Thomas Nakayama is a professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Northeastern University. He is a critical scholar who focuses on rhetoric and intercultural communication.

Judith Martin is professor emerita in the Hugh Downs School of Human Communication at Arizona State University. She is a social scientist whose expertise is in intercultural communication.

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