What refers to how people change messages consciously or unconsciously?

The concept that refers to how people change messages, whether consciously or unconsciously, is commonly known as distortion. This process involves altering the original message's content, meaning, or intent during communication, which can happen for various reasons, including personal biases, emotional states, or misunderstandings.

Distortion can occur in numerous forms, such as omitting details, changing facts, or altering the emotional tone of the message, making it different from what was originally intended. This is significant in understanding effective communication, as recognizing that messages can be perceived and interpreted differently is essential for reducing misunderstandings in interactions.

The other terms, while related to communication, do not encapsulate the idea of changing messages in the same way. Manipulation implies a deliberate intention to influence or control the message for a specific gain, while exaggeration involves overstating or inflating aspects of a message. Miscommunication generally describes scenarios where the intended message is not understood as meant, but does not specifically address the act of altering the message itself. Hence, distortion is the most accurate term to describe this phenomenon of message change.