Models of

Communication
Models of Communication
Linear Communication Model
✔ Lasswell's Model
✔ Aristotle’s Model
✔ Berlo's SMCR Model

Transactional Model
✔ Barnlund’s Model
✔ Shannon and Weaver Model

Interactive Model
✔ Schramm's Model
✔ White's Communication Model
Components of Linear Commun1ct1t1on
Linear model has defined set of components required for a
communication to be established where

o Sender is the person who sends a message after

encoding.
o Encoding is the process of converting the message into
codes compatible with the channel and understandable
for the receiver.
o Decoding is the process of changing e encoded
message into understandable language by the
receiver.
Components of Linear Commun1ct1t1on
o Message is the information sent sender to the receiver.
o Channel is the medium through which the message is

sent.
o Receiver is the person who gets the message after

decoding.
o Noise is the disruptions that are caused in the

communication process in channel or in

understandability o he message.
Lasswell’s Communication Model
​ asswell’s communication model was developed by
L
communication theorist Harold D. Lasswell (1902-1978) in
1948. Lasswell’s model of communication (also known as
action model or linear model or one way model of
communication) is regarded as one the most influential
communication models.
Aristotle's Model of Communication
The first and earliest linear model is that of
Aristotle, who was a teacher of Rhetoric and even put
up an academy to produce good speakers.

Criticisms of Aristotle’s Model of

Communication
There are few criticisms around this model. Some of them
are

o There is no concept of feedback, it is one way from

speaker to audience.
o There is no concept of communication failure like noise
and barriers.
o This model can only be used in public speaking.
Berlo’s SMCR Model of Communication
In 1960, David Berlo postulated Berlo’s Sender-Message
Channel-Receiver (SMCR) model of communication from
Shannon Weaver’s Model of Communication (1949). He
described factors affecting the individual components in
the communication making the communication more
efficient.
The model also focuses on encoding and decoding which
happens before sender sends the message and before
receiver receives the message respectively.
Criticisms of Berlo’s SMCR Model
o There is no concept of feedback, so the effect is not
considered.
o There is no concept of noise or any kind of barriers in
communication process.
o It is a linear model of communication, there is no two
way communication.
o Both of the people must be similar according to all the
factors mentioned above.
Transactional Model of Communication
Transactional model of communication is the exchange of
messages between sender and receiver where each take
turns to send or receive messages.
Here, both sender and receiver are known as
communicators and their role reverses each time in the
communication process as both processes of sending and
receiving occurs at the same time.
Transactional Model of Communication
Criticisms of Transactional Model
o Without verbal response, the sender can not be sure
 that the receiver got the message as intended.
Feedback is an important component in the
communication process, especially in interpersonal
communication as it gives a space to clarify
misunderstandings.
o The transactional model gives the opportunity for a lot of

noise because the communication is simultaneous. For

example, when many people are talking at the same
time in a meeting, the objective of the meeting will not
be fulfilled.
Differences Between Transactional and Other Communication
Models
Transactional Model Other Models
 Used for interpersonal communication Used for intrapersonal, interpersonal, group
or mass communications.
Senders and Receivers are known as Senders and receivers are different people
Communicators, they interchange their

roles Includes the role of context and Role of context and environment are
not mentioned in other models
environment Not necessarily have the concept of noise

Includes noise and communication barriers

as factors Ignores non-verbal communication

Talks about non-verbal Feedback comes later in interaction model

and is not included in linear model
communication Simultaneous

feedback

Shannon and Weaver Model Of

Communication
The second model is that of Claude Shannon and Warren
Weaver (1948) which gave us the concept of "NOISE". This
is often called Telephone Model because it is based on the
experience of having the message interfered with by
"noise" from the telephone switchboard back in 1940s.
Shannon-Weaver Model of Communication
Example of Shannon Weaver Model
A businessman sends a message via phone text to his
worker about a meeting happening about their brand
promotion. The worker does not receive the full message
because of noise. It goes like this:

Businessman: We have a meeting at the office (“at 8 am” goes missing

due to phone network disruption or noise)

Worker (feedback) : At what time?

Example of Shannon Weaver Model

Here,

Sender: Businessman

Encoder: Telephone network company

Channel: Mobile network

Noise: Missing text due to disruption

Decoder: Mobile phone

Receiver: Worker

Advantages of Shannon Weaver Model

o Concept of noise helps in making the communication
effective by removing the noise or problem causing
noise.

o This model takes communication as a two way process.

It makes the model applicable in general
communication.

o Communication is taken as quantifiable in Shannon

 Weaver model.
Criticisms of Shannon Weaver Model
o It can be applied more for interpersonal communication
than group communication and mass communication. o
Receiver plays the passive part in the communication
process as sender plays the primary role that sends
messages.
o Feedback is taken as less important in comparison to

the messages sent by the sender.

o The model is taken by some critics as a “misleading

misrepresentation of the nature of human

communication” as human communication is not
mathematical in nature.
Barnlund’s Transactional Model of
Communication
Dean Barnlund proposed a transactional model of
communication in 1970 for basic interpersonal communication
which articulates that sending and receiving of messages
happens simultaneously between people which is popularly
known as Barlund’s Transactional Model of Communication.
The model has been further adapted and reformed by other
theorists as General Transactional Model. The model shifted
from the trend of linear model to dynamic and two way
communication model.
Components of Barlund’s Model
Advantages of Barnlund’s Transactional Model
of Communication
o The model shows shared field experience of the sender
and receiver.

o Transactional model talks about simultaneous message

sending, noise and feedback.

o Barnlund’s model is taken by critics as the most

systematic model of communication.
Disadvantages of Barnlund’s Transactional
Model of Communication
o Barnlund’s model is very complex.

o Both the sender and receiver must understand the

 codes sent by the other. So they must each possess a
similar “code book”. (The concept of code book is not
mentioned in the model but understood.)
Interactive Model of Communication
Interactive model (also known as convergence model) deals with
exchange of ideas and messages taking place both ways from
sender to receiver and vice-versa.

The communication process take place between humans or

machines in both verbal or non-verbal way. This is a relatively new
model of communication for new technologies like web.
Concepts of Interactive Model
In Interactive model, whenever a source sends a message
to a receiver (source), he/she encodes the message first.
The encoded message is then received by the receiver
where it is decoded to get the original information. Again,
the receiver acts as a source, encodes another message
(also knows as a feedback) and sends it back to the
sender.
Interactive Model and Other Models Differences
Interactive Model of Communication Other Models of Communication
 Indirect and slow feedback Direct and fast feedback

Feedback is a whole new process of Feedback is the part of a single

communication communication process

For new media For all other kinds of media like print, news, etc.

No engagement of sender and receiver Engagement of sender and receiver

in communication in communication

Sender and receiver is equally important Sender is important and overpowering

than receiver

It can become linear if the receiver does The receiver is bound to give some kind
not respond of response verbal or nonverbal

An example of Interactive model is that of Wilbur

Schramm, who is considered the Father of Mass
Communication. He came up the five models, but the
Schramm Model in (1995) we are concerned with is the
concept that explains why communication breakdown
occurs. Schramm asserts that communication can take
place ff and only if there is an overlap between the Field of
Experience of the Speaker and the Field of Experience of
the Listener.
Schramm's Model of Communication
What is Field of Experience?
Field of Experience are the things that influences that
understanding and interpretation of message like culture,
social background, beliefs, experiences, values and rules.

Examples:

a person who always eats with spoon is informed· that that he

o
has to eat with hands in that place, the person will get offended
 because he will think it is impolite to eat that way.
o the teacher must deliver his/her lecture in either English or
Filipino because that is the language that students know and
use.
Advantages of Schramm Model
o Circular communication gives opportunity to both parties to
give their opinion.

o As it is dynamic and ever changing model it is helpful in

general practice.

o Sender and receiver interchanges and are equally active.

o Semantic noise included as a concept helps in understanding

problems that ca occur during interpretation of message
Advantages of Schramm Model
o Feedback makes it easier to know if the message is interpreted
by the receiver as intended or not.

o Concept of interpretation makes the communication effective.

o There can only be two sources communicating, many sources

complicates the process and the model can not be
implemented.

o Message sent and received might e interpreted differently

than intended.
Disadvantages of Schramm Model
o his model can not deal with multiple levels of communication
and complex communication processes.
 o There can only be two sources communicating, many sources
complicates the process and the model can not be
implemented.

o Message sent and received might e interpreted differently

than intended.

o Message sent and received might e interpreted differently

than intended.
Eugene White’s
Model (1960)
The Communication Process
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