Models of Communication

1. Aristotle’s Model of Communication

2. Laswell’s Communication Model
3. Shannon-Weaver Model (1949)
4. Berlo’s Model
5. Transactional Model
6. Schramm’s Model
1.
 2. Laswell’s Communication Model

​This model was developed by

communication theorist Harold D.
Lasswell (1902-1978) in 1948.
 2. Laswell’s Communication Model

- was developed to study the media propaganda

of countries and businesses at that time

- is used for interpersonal communication or group

communication to disseminate messages to
various groups in various situations
 2. Laswell’s Communication Model
Components Meaning Analysis

Who the communicator or Control Analysis

sender or source of
message

Says What the content of the message Content Analysis

In Which Channel the medium or media Media Analysis

To Whom the receiver of the Audience Analysis

message or an audience
With What Effect the feedback of the Effect Analysis
receiver to the sender
 2. Laswell’s Communication Model
Control analysis helps the
sender to have all the
power.

Content analysis is
associated to stereotyping
and representation of
different groups politically.
 2. Laswell’s Communication Model
Media analysis represents
which medium should be used
to exercise maximum power
against the receivers.

Audience analysis shows who

are the target population to be
manipulated or brain-washed.
 2. Laswell’s Communication Model
Effect analysis is done
before the process
starts. It is used to
predict the effect of
message over the target
population to be
exploited.
Disadvantages and Criticisms
The major criticism of Lasswell’s Model is that it does
not include feedback and it ignores the possibility of
noise. Without feedback, a communication process can
not be fruitful.

Lasswell’s model is very linear and does not consider

barriers in the communication process.
Disadvantages and Criticisms
The model is also criticized for being very general and
only including very traditional topics.

The model is very simplistic.

The model is said to be propaganda based as it is more

focused on the resulting outcome and generally used
for media persuasion.
 3. Shannon-Weaver Model (1949)

Shannon Weaver model of communication was created in

1949 when Claude Elwood Shannon wrote an article “A
Mathematical Theory of Communication” in Bell System
Technical Journal with Warren Weaver.
3. Shannon-Weaver Model (1949)
Criticisms

Receiver plays the passive part in the communication

process as sender plays the primary role that sends
messages.

Feedback is taken as less important in comparison to the

messages sent by the sender.
Criticisms
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.
1. Aristotle’s Model of Communication
- the integration of the arts of persuasion
in the model
2. Laswell’s Communication Model
- propaganda, mass communication,
media effects
3. Shannon-Weaver Model
- technical aspect of communication,
information technology
4. Berlo’s Model

This communication model was

developed by David Berlo, a
communication theorist, in 1960. It
is a conceptual framework for SMCR
model of communication.
4. Berlo’s Model
 4. Berlo’s Model

Berlo’s model believes that for

effective communication
to take place, the source and the
receiver need to be on the same
level.
 4. Berlo’s Model

For example, if the communication skill of the source is

good, then the receiver should have equally good
listening skills.

It cannot be said that the receiver does not receive the

whole message because even though he may receive it,
but may not be able to interpret its meaning. For
effective communication, the source and the receiver
need to be on the same level.
 Criticism of Berlo’s SMCR Model
There is a lack of feedback. The effects are practically
unknown.

It does not mention the barriers to communication.

There is no room for noise.

It is a rather complex model.

 Criticism of Berlo’s SMCR Model
It is a linear model of communication.

It requires people to be on the same level for effective

communication to happen.
5. Transactional Model The transactional model of
communication was
developed by scholar Dean C.
Barnlund in 1970.

The transactional model of

communication is a communication
theory that views communication
as a dynamic and simultaneous
process involving both the sender
and the receiver.
 5. Transactional Model

Transactional model of communication is the

exchange of messages between sender and receiver
where each take turns to send or receive messages.
5. Transactional Model
Factors that Affect Transactional Model

1. Social Context
2. Cultural Context
3. Relational Context
 Factors that Affect Transactional Model
Social Context
It refers to the norms, values, laws and other restrictions of a
society to communicate within a specific limit.
Cultural Context
It is the lifestyle and identity of a person. Caste, class, race,
ethnicity, gender, etc are the contexts which promotes
communication.
Relational Context
It refers to the relationship among the participants in the
communication process. It includes manner.
 Important Notes
Feedback is an important component in the communication
process, especially in interpersonal communication as it gives a
space to clarify misunderstandings.

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.
 This communication model was also known
6. Schramm’s as the Interactive Model of Communication.
Communication
Model I was proposed by Wilbur Schramm, a
prominent communication theorist.

Schramm's model builds upon the earlier

work of other communication scholars,
particularly Shannon and Weaver's model of
communication.

It emphasizes the interactive nature of

communication and takes into account the
feedback and shared meanings between the
sender and the receiver.
6. Schramm’s Model
Wilbur Schramm advocated for a more complicated
model, ESD which stands for
Encoder-Signal-Decoder. Here, he specifically made
noteworthy notion about field of experience.
6. Schramm’s Model
 COMPARISON & CONTRAST
Aristotle’s Laswell’s Shannon-Weaver Berlo’s Transactional Schramm’s
Focus rhetoric and propaganda, mass technical aspects of interpersonal communication as interactive
persuasive communication and communication and communication an interactive and communication
media effects Information Theory and human dynamic process and feedback
communication
processes

Key Speaker, Speech, Who, Says What, In Source, Encoder, Source, Message, Sender, Message, Source/Sender,
Elements Audience Which Channel, To Channel, Decoder, Channel, Receiver, Channel, Receiver, Encoder, Message,
Whom, With What Receiver Feedback Feedback, Context Channel, Decoder,
Effect Receiver, Field of
Experience
Feedback

Emphasis persuasion and analyzing the impact transmission of encoding and simultaneous two-way
effective public of mass media on information with a decoding of encoding and communication,
speaking society and focus on signal messages, decoding, shared mutual
individuals processing and understanding the meanings, and understanding,
noise reduction communication contextual and shared
process influences meanings

Nature linear model Linear model linear model linear model with interactive model interactive model
feedback loops with simultaneous with feedback
communication loops
between sender
and receiver
 Maxims of Communication
1. Maxim of Quantity relates to the amount
of information provided in conversations.
2. Maxim of Quality refers to truthfulness
and reliability of statements in
communication.
3. Maxim of Relation is considered when
one tries to be relevant.
4. Maxim of Manner focuses on how the
information is presented. It suggests
being clear, organized, and using
appropriate language and tone.
 .

Which is the best communication model for you?

Why?
.
 Models of Communication

1. Aristotle’s Model of Communication

2. Laswell’s Communication Model
3. Shannon-Weaver Model (1949)
4. Berlo’s Model
5. Transactional Model
6. Schramm’s Model
Context. It is the
environment in which your
message is being delivered. For
example, If you’re making a work
presentation chances are you will
be speaking more professionally,
than if you were conversing
casually with a neighbor or friend.
Meanings are in People
 A Filipino pre-schooler and his parents have just
arrived for the first time in the U.S. The kindergarten
teacher told the kids to bring “tissue paper” in several
colors (red, green, yellow, pink and purple). The Filipino
mother missed her work to be able to buy such “tissue
paper” only to find out that “tissue paper” in Philippine
standard only come in green, white, light blue, and light
yellow – no red or purple. The teacher scolded the kid
because what she assigned was not “toilet paper” (the
mother’s idea of tissue paper) but “crepe paper” which
comes in bright colors. The kids were supposed to
make paper flowers in their art class.
 Content Contexts
tissue paper 1. Philippine Context
toilet paper
2. American Context
art paper
 In the Philippines, we refer to Coca-Cola, 7-Up, Sprite,
Mountain Dew, and the like as soft drinks; here is a
dialog in a restaurant in downtown New York between
an American waiter and a Filipino new comer:
Filipino: Waiter, soft drinks, please.
Waiter: D’you want it alcoholic or non-alcoholic?
(To Americans, soft drinks can be alcoholic or non-
alcoholic because what the waiter meant was “ladies
drink”. To refer to “Coke” or “Royal”, the costumer
should ask for “soda”.
 Content Contexts
soft drink Philippine Context
cola
American Context
alcoholic
non-alcoholic
The scenario changed when the Filipino “balikbayan”
came home after a couple of years. She requested the
helper to bring “soda”.

Balikbayan: Bili ka nga ng soda sa

tindahan.

After a few minutes, the helper came back and said

“Ma’am heto na po ang soda (cracker) na pinabili nyo.
 Content Contexts
soda 1. Philippine Context
cracker (pop brand of cracker)

2. American Context
soda (soft drink in the Phils.)
 The word lift has many connotations. To one who
engages in body-building activities, the lift weight is to
carry a barbell or dumbbell with specific weights. In
England, a lift is an elevator, to carry a passenger from
one place to another.

British: I need a lift. I’m so tired.

American: Sorry, I can’t give you a lift. Have run
out of gas, maybe another time.

(To an American, a lift is a free ride.)

 Content Contexts
lift 1. British Context
elevator

2. American Context
free ride

3. Body builder
barber, dumbbell
 .
Create any concept where you can portray on the
importance of any model of communication. Please
observe these basic parts in your presentations:
introduction, performance proper and explanation of
your performance as the conclusion.