Communication

Communication
Derived from the Latin word “communis” which means common
sense. It means sharing the same ideas.

The transmission and interaction of facts, ideas, opinions,

feelings or attitudes.

Communication is a Latin word which means “to share”. There

are different modes of communication available today. These
include emails, chats, WhatsApp, skype (conference calls), etc.
Effective communication makes people’s work easier and
smooth.
 Elements of
Communication
Process
 SENDER
The sender is also known as the source of
the information. They come first on
the list of elements in communication.
They share information which can be in
various forms such as opinions, ideas,
news, etc. with a person or group of
persons.
 ENCODING
Encoding in the communication
process refers to the means that the sender
uses to communicate information. The
sender uses words, pictures, symbols, etc. to
put together thoughts and ideas in a way
that would be easily understood by the
receiver. The goal of the encoding process is
to ensure a clear flow of information from
sender to receiver.
 MESSAGE
Once the encoding process is decided, the
sender must develop the message that
contains the information they wish to
convey. The message may be written,
symbolic, verbal, or non-verbal. It must be in
a form that is transmittable for the
appropriate channel in the communication
process.
 CHANNEL

A channel is the means by which the sender

communicates a message to the receiver. It
is a form of communication that relies on a
medium to deliver a message. For example,
written communication is a channel of
communication that relies on mediums such
as letters, business reports, emails, etc. to
convey information.
 CHANNEL

Oral: In oral communication, the sender

directly interacts with the receiver in a face-
to-face conversation.

Written: Messages are also transmitted in

written format between sender and receiver.
For example, letters, memos, business
communication reports, emails, notices,
manuals, etc.
 CHANNEL

Audio/Video: The audio channel

involves video tapes, video
conferences, video chats, etc.
 RECEIVER
The sender uses a channel to
communicate the message to the receiver.
The receiver is simply the party the
message was intended for. The receiver
may read, see or hear the message. They
can also be active parts of the
communication process if the sender
contacts them directly.
 DECODING

Same as a sender encoding a message, the

receiver must decode the message
received. Decoding in the communication
process involves the receiver interpreting
the message based on their individual
backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints.
 RESPONSE
Once the receiver has seen, heard, or read
the message, how they react to it makes up
their response. The response of a receiver
can vary from person to person.
A receiver may simply store the information
in their memory or act immediately by
replying or taking action. For example, a
customer buys a product right after
communicating with the salesperson.
 FEEDBACK

Feedback is part of various elements of

communication. It is a form of reverse
communication where the receiver encodes a
message for the sender to decode.
In simple words, the receiver tells the sender
how they interpreted the message and offer
their own thoughts and ideas.
 NOISE
During the communication process, outside
factors may distract or interfere with the
reception of the message. This distortion of
unplanned factors is referred to as noise.
Noise can disrupt any and all elements of
communication. For example, ineffective
communication by an inexperienced sender
can cause the message to be poorly
interpreted by the receiver.
 NOISE
There are two types of noise:
1.Channel Noise: This covers mechanical
failures, static, and technical problems such
as the legibility of text, volume, etc.

2.Semantic Noise: This type of noise is

related to problems in the message.
Examples are grammatical errors, wrong
punctuation, spelling mistakes, etc.
 MODELS OF
COMMUNICATION
Models of communication provide us with a visual
representation of the different aspects of a
communication situation.

It is not easy to determine where a conversation

begins and ends, because communication is a
complex process. That is why we have models of
communication — to simplify the process of
understanding communication.
Since communication is the lifeblood of any
organization, we have to strive towards
understanding how it works.
So, using communication models helps us make
better decisions and enables us to be successful
communicators.
Understanding communication models can help us:
•Think about our communication situations more
deliberately,
•Better prepare for future situations, and
•Learn from our previous experiences.
3 MAIN
CATEGORIES OF LINEAR MODELS
MODELS OF
COMMUNICATION
INTERACTIVE MODELS

TRANSACTIONAL MODELS
MODELS OF LINEAR MODELS
COMMUNICATION
Only look at one-way communication.
The most prominent linear models of
communication are:

1. Aristotle’s model of
communication
2. Laswell’s model
3. The Shannon-Weaver model
4. Berlo’s S-M-C-R model
MODELS OF INTERACTIVE MODELS
COMMUNICATION
They look at two-way
communication. These are the
following:

1. The Osgood-Schramm
model
2. The Westley and Maclean
model
MODELS OF TRANSACTIONAL MODELS
COMMUNICATION
They look at two-way
communication where the
message gets more complex as the
communication event progresses.
These include:

1. Barnlund’s transactional
model
2. Dance’s helical model
MODELS OF
COMMUNICATION
LINEAR MODELS
1. ARISTOTLE’S MODEL
1. ARISTOTLE’S MODEL
This is the oldest communication model that dates back
to 300 BC.

Aristotle’s model was designed to examine how to

become a better and more persuasive communicator.

It is a foolproof way to excel in public speaking, seminars,

and lectures, where the sender (public speaker, professor,
etc.) passes on their message to the receiver (the
audience). So, the sender is the only active member in this
model, whereas the audience is passive.
1. ARISTOTLE’S MODEL
Aristotle identified three elements that improve
communication:
•Ethos — defines the credibility of the speaker. Speaker
gains credibility, authority, and power by being an expert
in a field of their choice.
•Pathos — connects the speaker with the audience
through different emotions (anger, sadness, happiness,
etc.)
•Logos — an important element that signifies logic. It is
not enough for the speech to be interesting — it needs to
follow the rules of logic.
ARISTOTLE’S MODEL EXAMPLE
Professor Hustvedt is giving a lecture on neurological disorders to her
students. She is delivering her speech persuasively, in a manner that
leaves her students mesmerized. Professor is in the center of attention,
whereas her audience — her students, are merely passive listeners.
Nevertheless, her message influences them and makes them act
accordingly.
So, professor Hustvedt is the speaker, and her lecture on disorders is
the act of speech.
The occasion in question is a university lecture, the students being
her target audience.
The effect of her speech is the students gaining knowledge on this
subject matter.
One of the major drawbacks of this model is that it does not pay
attention to the feedback in communication because the audience is
passive.
2. LASWELL’S MODEL
 2. LASWELL’S MODEL
According to this model, communication
is the transmission of a message with th
effect as the result.

The effect is the measurable and obviou

change in the receiver of the message,
that is caused by the elements of
communication. If any of the elements
change, the effect also changes.
 2. LASWELL’S MODEL
Laswell’s model aims to answer the
following 5 important questions
regarding its elements:

1.Who created the message?

2.What did they say?
3.What channel did they use (TV, radio,
blog)?
4.To whom did they say it?
5.What effect did it have on the receiver
LASWELL’S MODEL EXAMPLE
Let’s say you are watching an infomercial channel on TV and
on comes a suitcase salesman, Mr. Sanders. He is promoting
his brand of a suitcase as the best. Aware that millions of
viewers are watching his presentation, Mr. Sanders is
determined to leave a remarkable impression. By doing so, h
is achieving brand awareness, promoting his product as the
best on the market, and consequently increasing sales
revenue.
So, Mr. Sanders is the communicator.
The message he is conveying is the promotion of his brand o
a suitcase as the best.
The medium he uses is television.
His audience consists of evening TV viewers in the US.
The effect he is achieving by doing this is raising brand
awareness and increasing sales revenue.
3. SHANNON-WEAVER MODEL
3. SHANNON-WEAVER MODEL

Strangely enough, Shannon and Weaver were mathematicians, who

developed their work during the Second World War in the Bell
Telephone Laboratories. They aimed to discover which channels are
most effective for communicating.

So, although they were doing the research for engineering endeavors,
they claimed that their theory is applicable to human communication as
well.
3. SHANNON-WEAVER MODEL

Shannon and Weaver were the first to introduce the role of

noise in the communication process. In his book Introduction to
Communication Studies, John Fiske defines noise as “anything
that is added to the signal between its transmission and reception
that is not intended by the source.”

The noise appears in the form of mishearing a conversation,

misspelling an email, or static on a radio broadcast.
 SHANNON-WEAVER MODEL EXAMPLE
Paula, a VP of Marketing in a multinational company, is briefing Julian on new marketing strategies they are about to
introduce next month. She wants a detailed study on the competitor’s activity by the end of the week. Unfortunately,
while she was speaking, her assistant Peter interrupted her, and she forgot to tell Julian about the most important issue.

At the end of the week, Julian did finish the report, but there were some mistakes, which had to be corrected later on.

Paula is the sender, her mouth being the encoder.

The meeting she held was the channel.

Julian’s ears and brain were decoders, and Julian was the receiver.

Can you guess Peter’s role?

Yes, he was the noise.

The trouble in this process was the lack of feedback. Had Julian asked Paula for clarification after Peter interrupted her,
the whole communication process would have been more effective, and there would have been no mistakes.
4. BERLO’S S-M-C-R MODEL
4. BERLO’S S-M-C-R MODEL

Berlo’s model of communication

is unique in the sense that it
gives a detailed account of the
key elements in each step.
 4. BERLO’S S-M-C-R MODEL
The source or the sender carefully puts their
thoughts into words and transfers the message to
the receiver.
Communication skills — First and foremost, the source
needs good communication skills to ensure the
communication will be effective. The speaker should
know when to pause, what to repeat, how to pronounce a
word, etc.

Attitude — Secondly, the source needs the right attitude.

Without it, not even a great speaker would ever emerge
as a winner. The source needs to make a lasting
impression on the receiver(s).
 4. BERLO’S S-M-C-R MODEL
Knowledge — The third element on our list is knowledge. Here,
knowledge does not refer to educational qualifications. It refers
to the clarity of the information which the source wants to
transfer to the receiver.

Social system — Moving on to the fourth element on the list —

the social system. The source should be familiar with the social
system in which the communication process takes place. That
would help the source not to offend anyone.

Culture — Last but not least, culture. To achieve effective

communication, the source needs to be acquainted with the
culture in which the communication encounter is taking place.
This is especially important for cross-cultural communication
 4. BERLO’S S-M-C-R MODEL
The speaker creates the message when they
transform their thoughts into words.

Content — Simply put, this is the script of

the conversation.

Elements — Speech alone is not enough

for the message to be fully understood.
That is why other elements have to be
taken into account: gestures, body
language, facial expressions, etc.
 4. BERLO’S S-M-C-R MODEL
Treatment — the way the source treats the message.
They have to be aware of the importance of the
message so that they can convey it appropriately.

Structure — The source has to properly structure

the message to ensure the receiver will understand
it correctly.

Code — All the elements, verbal and nonverbal,

need to be accurate if you do not want your message
to get distorted and misinterpreted.
 4. BERLO’S S-M-C-R MODEL
To get from the source to the receiver, the
message goes through the channel.
All our senses are the channels that help us communicate
with one another.
Our sense of hearing lets us know that someone is
speaking to us.
Through our sense of taste, we gather information about
the spiciness of a sauce we are eating.
Our sense of sight allows us to decipher traffic signs while
driving.
We decide whether we like a certain perfume or not
by smelling it.
By touching the water we feel whether it is too cold for a
swim.
4. BERLO’S S-M-C-R MODEL

A receiver is a person the source is speaking

to — the destination of the conveyed
message.

To understand the message, the receiver

should entail the same elements as the
source. They should have similar
communication skills, attitudes, and
knowledge, and be acquainted with the social
system and culture in which they
communicate.
BERLO’S S-M-C-R MODEL EXAMPLE

Watching the news on the television is

the perfect example of Berlo’s S-M-C-R
Model of communication.

The news presenter is the source of the

news and she conveys the message to the
audience. The news is the message, the
television — the channel, and the
audience are the receivers of the
message.
References:
https://www.vedantu.com/commerce/communication

https://clearinfo.in/blog/elements-of-communication-process/

https://pumble.com/learn/communication/communication-
models/