Now in its fourth edition, Communication and Human Behavior continues to offer students a broad introduction to the study of communication which is expansive yet integrated, that links theory to practice, and that is rigorous yet readable. Neither a watered-down treatment of the subject nor a how-to text, this volume presumes that the study of communication in human affairs is a complex phenomenon with important and far-reaching effects. Employing a thorough description of a variety of approaches and using the cohering insights of systems theory, the text presents to students the broad and colorful landscape of the field, outlines the history of communication study, and focuses on communication as a basic life process. Further, it develops an awareness of verbal and nonverbal codes used in sending and receiving messages, and examines the role of media in multiple contexts of human life.