Animal vs Human Communication
Conveying of meaningful information is known as communication, and it has been an integral part of success and hence, the longevity of any animal species and so for the humans. There are so many different ways of communication. Humans have various well developed communication techniques to serve a major distinction between animals’ and humans’.
Animal Communication
Animals have different forms of communication viz. gestures, facial expressions, gaze following, vocalization, and olfactory signals. Displaying body parts is a very common form of animal communication, especially in birds as their males become extremely attractive during the breeding season. The facial expressions are another form of communication, mostly in dogs. The dogs’ facial expressions reveal their intentions. When a dog is ready to play, the expressions from its face could be understood. Some of the better explained examples for gaze following among animals are bees and ants. Foraging bees play an act called the waggle dance, in order to let the other bees know of the source of food with the direction and the farther. Animal vocalizations have been well identified, and trying to characterize their functions by the scientists with the use of hormonal variations. Among most of the animals, sound has been a very effective form of communication. Olfaction, or the sense of smell is a pioneering form of animal communication, and it has been utilized by human also by using dogs most of the time. Through all forms of communication, animals are able to let others know about their requirements viz. feeding, breeding, aggression, alarming…etc.
Human Communication
Humans have developed many ways of communication ranging from gestures, facial expressions, letters, vocalizations, visualizations…etc. Usually, the distance matters for communication but, humans have invented many ways to overcome the distance. First, it was by sending messages via animals, then by creating postal services. The communication process was tremendously developed with the invention of telephone by Alexander Graham Bell and later, radio, newspapers, magazines, journals, television, internet, emails, and social networking websites appeared. However, still people prefer to meet and communicate with the gestures and facial expressions because, the real meaning could be conveyed through those ways. For communication, humans use many different languages but, English is the common global language. Visualization and olfaction have been other forms of communication in humans. Scenes or smell of delicious foods make the humans salivate, and these are being used by the restaurants and food companies to attract more customers. All those ways of communication function differently according to the needs.
What is the difference between Animal and Human Communication?
Both animals and humans communicate among themselves according to their needs in the lifestyle. The forms of communication look similar in both animals and humans but, the functions are different. Although, the forms could be classified and explained as similar in animals and humans, the humans have developed a very complex and rapidly expanding means of communication. Humans have been trying to understand the animal behaviours and their means of communication through the scientific method, which is another form of communication in humans.