2.9: Ethical Communication

What Are Communication Ethics?

Communication has ethical implications. Ethics in the broadest sense asks questions about what we believe to be right and wrong. Communication ethics asks these questions when reflecting on our communication. Everyday we have to make communicative choices, and some of these choices will be more or less ethical than other options. It is because we have these different options that our ethics are tested. We can never really say that something is completely ethical or unethical, especially when it comes to communication.

“Murdering someone is generally thought of as unethical and illegal, but many instances of hurtful speech, or even what some would consider hate speech, have been protected as free speech. This shows the complicated relationship between protected speech, ethical speech, and the law” (Communication in the Real World, 2013).

When we make communication choices, the question of whether they are ethical or not depends on a variety of situational, personal, and and/or contextual variables that can be difficult to navigate. Many professional organizations have created ethical codes to help guide this decision-making, and the field of Communication Studies is no different. In 1999, the National Communication Association officially adopted the Credo for Ethical Communication. The NCA Credo for Ethical Communication is a set of beliefs that Communication scholars have about the ethics of human communication (NCA Legislative Council, November 1999).

We should always strive for ethical communication, but it is particularly important in interpersonal interactions. We will talk more about climate, trust and honesty, and specific relationships in the coming chapters, but at the most basic level you should strive to make ethical choices in your communication. Communication is impactful. Our communication choices have lasting impacts on those with whom we engage. While ethics is a focus on what is right and wrong, it is not easy to navigate. What is right in one circumstance may not be in another. To help us make our way through difficult ethical choices we must be competent.

Communication Competence

Communication competence focuses on communicating effectively and appropriately in various contexts (Kiessling & Fabry, 2021). In order to be competent you must have knowledge, motivation, and skills. You have been communicating for most of your life, so you have observational knowledge about how communication works. You are also now a college student actively studying communication so your knowledge will continue to increase. As you learn more about communication, continue to observe these concepts around you and you will expand the information you have to draw on in any given context. In addition to having basic information you must also be motivated to better your own communication and you need to develop the skills necessary to do so. One way to improve your communication competence is to become a more mindful communicator. “A mindful communicator actively and fluidly processes information, is sensitive to communication contexts and multiple perspectives, and is able to adapt to novel communication situations” (Communication in the Real World), 2013. Your path to improving your interpersonal communication competence is just beginning. You will learn more about specific aspects of mindfulness, such as listening, conflict management, deception, etc., in the coming chapters. For now we hope you are motivated to improve your knowledge and grow your skills.

Example \(\PageIndex{1}\)

A physician had been treating an older woman whose health had been declining for months. Each time she came in, she asked the same question—softly, almost pleadingly—“Is it getting worse?” She wanted reassurance, something hopeful to hold onto. The doctor knew the truth: her condition was worsening, and the prognosis was not good.

Each appointment became a crossroads. The physician felt torn between two powerful ethical pulls. On one side was the desire to protect the patient from fear and despair. On the other was the belief that she deserved honesty so she could make informed decisions about her life, her family, and her care.

For several visits, the doctor chose the gentler path—offering vague, comforting statements that avoided the full truth. But the patient’s repeated questions made it clear that she sensed something was being withheld. Her trust in the doctor began to waver; she grew anxious, watching his face more closely than his words.

Eventually, the physician realized that avoiding the truth was causing more harm than good. So at the next appointment, he sat beside her, spoke slowly, and explained her condition honestly but compassionately. He acknowledged the difficulty of the news and stayed with her as she processed it.

To the doctor’s surprise, the patient did not react with anger or despair. Instead, she expressed relief—relief that someone had finally spoken plainly, relief that she could now prepare herself and her family. The honesty strengthened their relationship rather than damaging it.

Bok uses this story to show that ethical communication is rarely simple. The doctor’s dilemma wasn’t between “truth” and “lies,” but between competing responsibilities: protecting the patient’s emotional well‑being and respecting her autonomy. The resolution required mindfulness, contextual sensitivity, and communication competence—the very skills your chapter emphasizes Bok (1978).

This is a field and and area of study in and of itself. To learn more see the references below.

Key Terms

• Communication Ethics – The study of right and wrong in communication and how our choices impact others.
• Ethical Communication – Communicating in ways that are honest, fair, respectful, and mindful of consequences.
• Protected Speech – Expression that is legally safeguarded, even when it may be offensive or harmful.
• Ethical Dilemma – A situation where multiple communication choices exist and none are clearly right or wrong.
• Contextual Ethics – The idea that what is ethical depends on the situation, people involved, and cultural norms.
• NCA Credo for Ethical Communication – A set of principles adopted by the National Communication Association to guide ethical communication behavior.
• Communication Choices – Decisions we make about how, when, and what to communicate.
• Impact of Communication – The lasting influence our messages have on others and our relationships.
• Communication Competence – Communicating effectively and appropriately across different contexts.
• Knowledge (Competence Component) – Understanding communication concepts and how they apply in real situations.
• Motivation (Competence Component) – The desire to improve one’s communication and engage ethically.
• Skills (Competence Component) – The behavioral abilities needed to communicate effectively and appropriately.
• Mindful Communicator – Someone who processes information thoughtfully, adapts to situations, and considers multiple perspectives.
• Mindfulness in Communication – Being aware, intentional, and present during interactions.
• Interpersonal Ethics – Ethical considerations that arise specifically in one‑on‑one or relational communication.

References

Bok, S. (1978). Lying: Moral choice in public and private life. Pantheon Books.

Cho, S., Doren, N. V., Minnick, M. R., Albohn, D. N., Adams, R. B., & Soto, J. A. (2018). Culture moderates the relationship between emotional fit and collective aspects of well-being. Frontiers in Psychology, 9. doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01509(opens in new window)

Cooley, R. E., & Roach, D. A. (1984). A conceptual framework. In R. N. Bostrom (Ed.), Competence in communication: A multidisciplinary approach (p. 25). Sage Publications.

Communication in the Real World (2013). University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing.

Culture and Communication (2012). In A Primer on Communication Studies. 2012books.lardbucket.org (opens in new window)

Davis, R. (June 18, 2015). Petitioner v. Hector Ayala on Writ of Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. No. 13–1428. www.supremecourt.gov/opinion...1a7d.pdf (opens in new window)Hargie, O. (2011). Skilled interpersonal interaction: Research, theory, and practice. (5th ed.). Routledge.

Kiessling, C., & Fabry, G. (2021). What is communicative competence and how can it be acquired?. GMS journal for medical education, 38(3), Doc49. Linabary, J. R. (date). Small Group Communication: Forming & Sustaining Teams. Pressbooks.

Liptak, A. (2022, February 14). 27 years in solitary confinement, then another plea for help in Texas. The New York Times. www.nytimes.com/2022/02/14/us/supreme-court-solitary-confinement.html

Martin, J. N., & Nakayama, T. K. (2010). Intercultural communication in contexts (5th ed.). McGraw-Hill.

McCroskey, J. C. (1984). Communication competence: The elusive construct. In R. N. Bostrom (Ed.), Competence in communication: A multidisciplinary approach (p. 259). Sage Publications.

McLean, S. (2005). The basics of interpersonal communication. Allyn Bacon.

NCA Credo for Ethical Communication (approved by the NCA Legislative Council, November 1999).

Shedletsky, L. (2017). Intrapersonal communication. In M. Allen (Ed.)., SAGE encyclopedia of communication research methods. Sage Publications.

Stokes-Rice, T. (2019). Taxonomies of cultural patterns. In Creating intercultural communication competence (2.1 ed.) Open Educational Resources Publication.

Waggoner, M. (2019, October 16). Lawsuit challenges state's use of solitary confinement. ABC News.

Wrench, J. S., Punyanunt-Carter, N. S. & Thweatt, K. S. (2020). Interpersonal dommunication: A mindful approach to relationships. Open SUNY.