Explain Context and Content with Examples?

Content

Content is the language used in the message that may consist of words or symbols for the exchange of information, ideas and feelings. While context is the psychological, social, physical and time and place setting in which the communication takes place between the participants.

Context

Context in communication refers to the situation in which communication takes place. It includes both the inner situation of the participants involved in any interaction as well as the setting around them. It is the context that influences the interaction going on between the people. For example, the psychological context includes the emotions and mood of the participants.

The reaction of the people may vary depending on the mood of the participant. Person may react differently in the situation of happiness, sadness, depression, tiredness, or satisfaction or discontentment. What he/she says or how he/she interprets the messages may vary according to the mood and emotions of the participant. Similarly, the physical context or external environment also influences the way communication takes place.

For example, if a person is temperature, time, place, lighting or any other physical barrier in the environment like the noise around the place you are communicating also matters. Your response and interest to any conversation taking place in a room that is not air-conditioned in a very hot summer day may be different from that of a interaction taking place in a n air conditioned room. The suitability of the time for any communication also matters.

Similarly, you can think of the social setting. your relation to the person also determine that how you will communicate and interpret his/her messages. Your past experiences and previously held assumptions is another context that determines that how you will interact with a person.