Communication

Models
 3 Standard Models
of Communication

1. Linear Models
2. Interactive Models
3. Transactional Models
Communication Models

1. Linear Model
• one-way communication
• the speaker/sender sends
the message and the
receiver only receives it.
• there is no feedback
Communication Models
PROS/ADVANTAGES CONS/DISADVANTAGES

• Good for audience • Communication is not

persuasion and continuous
propaganda setting • No feedback
• Promotes advise and • No way or it is hard to
influence know if communication
• Intentional results is effective
LINEAR Models

1. Aristotle’s Model
2. Lasswell’s Model
3. Shannon - Weaver
Model
4. Berlo’s S-M-C-R Model
1. Aristotle’s Model

• proposed by Aristotle
before 300 B.C.
• first developed among the
Greeks
• considered as the oldest and
the most simple and basic
model of communication
1. Aristotle’s Model

• has 3 primary elements:

OCCASION EFFECT

SPEAKER SPEECH AUDIENCE

(message) (listener)
1. Aristotle’s Model
• was designed to examine
how to become a better
and more persuasive
communicator.
•ethos; pathos; and logos
• Ethos – credibility and
trustworthiness of the speaker
• Pathos – the emotional appeal or
the connection with the audience’s
feelings and needs.
• logos – the logical appeal; the use
of facts, evidence, and reasoning.
1. Aristotle’s Model
• primarily focuses on the
sender
• speaker communicate
in such a way that
the audience gets
influenced and
respond accordingly.
1. Aristotle’s Model
ACTIVE
PASSIVE

S
P A
E U
A D
K I
E E
R N
C
E
1. Aristotle’s Model
Ex.
A politician gives a
speech to get votes from the
civilians during an election
campaign.
The civilians only vote if
they are influenced by the
• also considered as the things
Golden the Rule
politician
for says in
public
his speech, so the content
speaking, lectures and seminars.
• This model was created mustforbe very
the impressive.
purpose of
understanding how to become a more effective &
persuasive communicator
……..
• proposed by Aristotle before 300 B.C.
• the oldest and the most simple and basic
model of communication
• primarily focuses on the sender
• designed to examine how to become a
more effective and persuasive
communicator
• Golden rule for public speaking, lectures
and seminars.
• sender – active member; audience –
passive member
……..

• 3 key elements
 Speaker
 Speech (Message)
 Audience

The speaker must base or depend the

message on the occasion. The effect
depends on how the speaker influenced
the audience.
2. Lasswell’s Model

• was developed by an American

Political Scientist and
Communications Theorist,
Harold D. Lasswell in 1948.
• he was especially interested in mass
communication and propaganda – a
method of spreading biased ideas,
information, or rumors to help or harm
an institution, cause, or person.
2. Lasswell’s Model

• this model is about the

process of communication
and its function to society.
• views communication as the
transmission of a message
with the effect as the result
2. Lasswell’s Model
*3 functions for communication:

CULTURAL
SURVEILLANC CORRELATION
TRANSMISSIO
E
N
- a tool to alert people - the society forms - refers to spreading
- the transmission and meaningful response information or socialization
dissemination of news across towards the information - transmission of information
the street and around the world from one generation to another.
 LASSWELL’S MODEL
- a basic framework for analyzing one-way
communication
by asking five questions:

SAYS IN WHICH TO WITH

WHO? WHAT? CHANNEL? WHOM? WHAT?
Communicator Message Medium Receiver Effect
2. Lasswell’s Model
Ex.:
You are watching an infomercial channel on TV.
A suitcase salesman is promoting his brand of
suitcases as the best. Aware that millions of
viewers are watching his presentation, the
salesman is determined to leave a remarkable
impression.
By doing so, he is achieving brand awareness,
promoting his product as the best on the market,
and consequently increasing sales revenue.
Who? : The salesman (Communicator)
Says What? : Promotion of his brand of suitcases as
the best
(Message)
In which
Channel? : Television (Medium)
To whom? : TV viewers in the _____
(Receiver/Audience)
With what? : Raising brand awareness and
increasing sales
revenue (Effect)
2. Lasswell’s Model
Ex.:
CNN News: a water leak from
Japan’s tsunami-crippled nuclear
power station resulted in about 100
times the permitted level of
radioactive flowing into the sea,
operator Tokyo Electric Power Co said
on Saturday.
Who? : TEPC Operator
Says What? : Water leak resulted radioactive flowing into
the sea
In which
Channel? : Television – CNN News
To whom? : Public
With what? : Alert people of Japan regarding the radiation
…….
• was developed by Harold D. Lasswell in
1948
• about the process of communication
and its function to society:
 Surveillance; Correlation; Cultural Transmission
• a basic framework for analyzing one-
way communication by asking 5
questions:
 WHO – SAYS WHAT – IN WHAT CHANNEL
– TO WHOM – WITH WHAT EFFECT
3. Shannon-Weaver Model

• In 1949, it was introduced by Claude

Elwood Shannon who was an
American Mathematician and
Electronic Engineer and Warren
Weaver who was an American
Scientist.
• they wrote an article in Bell System
Technical Journal called “A
Mathematical Theory of
Communication”
3. Shannon-Weaver Model

• Known as the “Mother of all

Communication Models”
• often called as the “Telephone
Model”, since it was developed
because of the technology of the
telephone (Flores, 2016).
• It emphasizes the importance of encoding
and decoding messages for them to be sent
(e.g. turning them into written words, morse
code, etc.).
• this model is the first to introduce the role
of “noise” in the communication process,
such as static on a radio broadcast, or even
extend to mishearing a conversation or
misspelling an email.
• The idea of feedback was introduced in this
model.
3.

NOISE
……..
• was introduced by Claude Elwood Shannon and
Warren Weaver in 1949.
• they wrote an article in Bell System Technical
Journal called “A Mathematical Theory of
Communication”
• the “MOTHER OF ALL COMMUNICATION
MODELS”, often called as the “Telephone
Model”
• emphasizes the importance of encoding and
decoding
• first to introduce the role of noise
……..
• 6 key elements:
 Sender
 Encoder
 Channel
 Decoder
 Receiver
 Noise
 4. Berlo’s S-M-C-R Model

• was created by American

communication theorist,
David Berlo in 1960 in his book The
Process of Communication
• The unique aspect of Berlo’s model is
that it gives a detailed account of the key
elements in each step that will affect
how well the message is communicated
4. Berlo’s S-M-C-R Model

• SMCR represents the sequential

flow of communication
• this model breaks down
communication into four key
components: Source, Message,
Channel, and Receiver (SMCR) – and
that these components are
influenced by different factors.
4. S-M-C-R
SOURCE
Communication Skills - An individual must
possess excellent communication skills to make
his communication effective and create an
impact among the listeners.
 Attitudes - The sender must have the right
attitude to create a long lasting impression on
the listeners.
4. S-M-C-R
SOURCE
Knowledge - Here knowledge is not related to the
educational qualification of the speaker or the
number of degrees he has in his portfolio.
Knowledge is actually the clarity of the information
which the speaker wants to convey to the second
party.
Social System - the social set up of the place of the
receiver should be considered, including their
sentiments, cultural beliefs, religious feelings.
4. S-M-C-R
SOURCE

Culture - refers to the cultural background of

the community or the listeners where the
speaker is communicating or delivering his
speech.
4. S-M-C-R
MESSAGE
Content - The content has to be sensible,
accurate, crisp, related to the thought to hit the
listeners bang on and create an immediate impact.
Elements - Hand movements, gestures, postures,
facial expressions, body movements, gestures all
come under the elements of the message. These
elements can capture the attention of the listeners
and make the speech impressive.
4. S-M-C-R
Treatment - Treatment is actually the way one
treats his message and is conveys to the
listeners. One must understand the importance
of the message and must know how to handle
it.
Structure - A message cannot be expressed in
one go. It has to be properly structured in order
to convey the message in the most desired
form.
4. S-M-C-R
SOURCE

Code - our body movements, your language,

your expressions, your gestures are actually
the codes of the message and have to be
accurate otherwise the message gets
distorted and the recipient will never be able
to decode the correct information.
4. S-M-C-R
CHANNEL
All the five senses are the channels which
help human beings to communicate with
each other.
Hearing - How does one know what the other
person is speaking ?
Seeing - How does one know that there is a
diversion ahead or it’s a no parking zone?
4. S-M-C-R
CHANNEL
Touching - How will you find out whether the
milk is hot or not?
Smelling - How will an individual come to know
that the food is fresh or not? How do we find out
the fragrance of a perfume?
Tasting - How does one know whether the pasta
he has ordered is made in white sauce or not?
4. S-M-C-R
RECEIVER
The receiver should be on the same platform as the
speaker for smooth flow of information and better
understanding of the message. He should possess good
communication skills to understand what the speaker
is trying to convey; have the right attitude to
understand the message in a positive way; the
knowledge should also be at par with the sender and
must know about the subject; should also be from the
same social and cultural background just like the
speaker.
……..
• was created by David Berlo in 1960 in
his book The Process of
Communication
• represents the sequential flow of
communication
• four key components: Source,
Message, Channel, and Receiver
(SMCR) – and that these components
are influenced by different factors.
……..
 SOURCE – Communication Skills, Attitudes,
Knowledge, Social System, and Culture
 MESSAGE – Content, Elements, Treatment,
Structure, and Code
 CHANNEL – Seeing, Hearing, Touching,
Smelling, and Tasting
 RECEIVER – Communication Skills, Attitudes,
Knowledge, Social System, and Culture
Communication Models
2. Interactive Model
• also known as “convergence model”
• two-way method of communication
with feedback.
• feedback is not simultaneous,
providing slow and indirect feedback.
• indicates mediated and internet-
based communication.
Communication Models
PROS/ADVANTAGES CONS/DISADVANTAGES

• There is feedback, even • Slow, delayed and/or

in mass communication indirect feedback
• New communication • Both the sender and
channels receiver might not know
who the other person is.
INTERACTIVE Models

1. Osgood-Schramm Model
2. Westley and Maclean
Model
 1. Osgood-Schramm Model

• In 1954, Charles E. Osgood, an

American Psychologist, explained
that for communication to be
effective, it has to occur in a circular
manner.
• Wilbur Schramm, also known as the
authoritarian of Mass Communication,
took Osgood's thoughts and expanded
them.
1. Osgood-Schramm Model

• Wilbur Schramm thought to

create a model in which the
sender and the receiver
engage in a circular way, as
opposed to a linear way,
where both the receiver and the sender
exchange roles and give each other
feedback which completes the process.
1. Osgood-Schramm Model

• encoding and decoding is the

most important component.
• In electronic communication,
Schramm explains the
substitute for encoder
(microphone) and decoder
(earphone).
1. Osgood-Schramm Model

Semantic
Noise

FEEDBAC
K
Semantic
Noise
SENDER RECEIVER
……..

• Introduced by Charles E.
Osgood and Wilbur Schramm
in 1954
• encoding and encoding is the
most important component
Indicates that:

 Communication is not linear, but

circular;
 Communication is reciprocal and/or
equal;
 Messages are based on
interpretation;
 Communication involves encoding
and decoding.
 2. Westley and Maclean Model

• was developed in 1957

• proposed by Bruce Westley, one
of the creators of journalism
studies who served as a teacher at
the University of Wisconsin,
Madison, between 1946 and 1968
and Malcolm S. MacLean Jr, who
was the director of University of
Journalism School (1967-74) and
co-founder of the University
2. Westley and Maclean Model

• this model suggests that the

communication process does
not start with the source/sender,
but rather with environmental
factors - the culture or society
the speaker lives in, whether the
speaker is in a public or private
space, etc.
2. Westley and Maclean Model

• this model also takes into account

the object of the orientation
(background, culture, and beliefs) of
the sender and the receiver of
messages.

• the role of feedback is also

significant.
• can be applied in both
interpersonal and mass
communication.
9
Component The physical and psychological situation where the message is being

s 1
created and sent. This may include:
•
•
How the wider media talks about the topic?;
The culture and society in which you live in;
• Where you are when you send the message (private space, public
space, etc.)
3 The source of the message.

5 The recipient of the message.

8 Editors of the message which the senders are trying to communicate to

receivers. usually occurs in mass communication, rather than in
interpersonal communication.

7 Important for influencing how messages are sent.

The speaker sees or experiences something in their environment in some
way or another, which motivates him/her to sent the message. The speaker
2 may receive the initial stimulus by:
• Watching a television;
• Hearing something from a friend or someone;
• Seeing an event or a situation
4 The sender’s own personal perspectives, beliefs or
experiences.

6 The receiver’s own personal perspectives, beliefs or experiences, which

influence how the message is received.
9 Key Elements
1. X = ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS

- The physical and psychological

situation where the message is being
created and sent. This may include:
• How the wider media talks about the topic?;
• The culture and society in which you live in;
• Where you are when you send the message
(private space, public space, etc.)
9 Key Elements
2. X1 = SENSORY EXPERIENCE

- The speaker sees or experiences something in

their environment in some way or another, which
motivates him/her to sent the message.
The speaker may receive the initial stimulus
by:
• Watching a television;
• Hearing something from a friend or someone;
• Seeing an event or a situation.
9 Key Elements

3. A = SENDER

- The source of the message.

9 Key Elements

4. X2 = OBJECT OF
ORIENTATION
(SENDER)

- The sender’s own personal

perspectives, beliefs or experiences.
9 Key Elements

5. B = RECEIVER

- The recipient of the

message.
9 Key Elements

6. X3 = OBJECT OF
ORIENTATION
(RECEIVER)

- The sender’s own personal

perspectives, beliefs or experiences.
9 Key Elements
7. F = FEEDBACK

- Important for influencing how messages are

sent.
- It is crucial for this model because it
makes this model circular, rather than linear.
- That means that a receiver and a gatekeeper are
sending messages back to the sender.
- After they have received the feedback, the
sender modifies the message and sends it back.
9 Key Elements
8. G = GATEKEEPERS

- This element usually occurs in mass

communication, rather than in interpersonal
communication.
- Gatekeepers are editors of the messages
senders are trying to communicate to receivers.
For example are newspaper editors who edit
the message before it reaches the readers.
9 Key Elements
9. OPINION LEADERS

- This element of communication refers to

mass communication situations.
- Namely, opinion leaders have an
immense influence as an environmental
factor (X) on the sender of the message (A).
These are political leaders, celebrities, or
social media influencers.
Example:

Imagine that on your

way to the office, you witness
a road accident.
Example:

You are sleeping on your

bed, when suddenly you
experience the shaking and
trembling of the earth’s crust or
indications of an earthquake.
9
Component The physical and psychological situation where the message is being

s 1
created and sent. This may include:
•
•
How the wider media talks about the topic?;
The culture and society in which you live in;
• Where you are when you send the message (private space, public
space, etc.)
3 The source of the message.

5 The recipient of the message.

8 Editors of the message which the senders are trying to communicate to

receivers. usually occurs in mass communication, rather than in
interpersonal communication.

7 Important for influencing how messages are sent.

The speaker sees or experiences something in their environment in some
way or another, which motivates him/her to sent the message. The speaker
2 may receive the initial stimulus by:
• Watching a television;
• Hearing something from a friend or someone;
• Seeing an event or a situation
4 The sender’s own personal perspectives, beliefs or
experiences.

6 The receiver’s own personal perspectives, beliefs or experiences, which

influence how the message is received.
Example:

Jim works with a leading

advertising firm. His key responsibility
area is to design ads for his clients.
One fine day, while he was driving
back to his apartment, he noticed a
hoarding advertising a certain product.
Example:

You are planning for a

day of picnic with your family,
the moment you stepped out
the door, heavy downpour
starts.
……………….
• Westley and Maclean’s Model was proposed by
Bruce Westley and Malcolm S. MacLean Jr. in 1957.
• It can be applied in both interpersonal and mass
communication. The difference between the
interpersonal and mass communication is the
feedback. In interpersonal, the feedback is direct
and fast while, in mass communication, the
feedback is indirect and slow.
• This model introduced environmental and cultural
factors to the process of communication.
• The communication does not start with the source
or sender, but rather with the environmental
factors.
……………….
• 9 KEY COMPONENTS:
1. Environmental Factors
2. Sensory Experience
3. Sender
4. Origin of Orientation
5. Receiver
6. Origin of Orientation
7. Feedback
8. Gatekeeper Mass
9. Opinion Leaders Communication
Communication Models
3. Transactional Model
• two-way communication with immediate
and/or simultaneous feedback – can be
non-verbal, like gestures, facial
expressions, and sign language.
• views communication as a transaction
• we do not just exchange info during
interactions, but create relationships
• first introduce a new term for senders
and receivers — communicators.
Communication Models
PROS/ADVANTAGES CONS/DISADVANTAGES

• Can become quite time-consuming as

• Simultaneous and instant the continuous reciprocation often
feedback - helps to ensure extend conversations beyond what is
effective feedback between the required.
two parties • Relies heavily on nonverbal cues,
• Both parties can provide their which could lead to misinterpretations.
thoughts and feelings on a topic • although open dialogue is encouraged,
• encourages open dialogue, which it could also become too personal if
encourages creativity and critical participants go beyond the scope of
thinking among participants. what is appropriate, causing tension
• can develop better problem- and discomfort between them.
solving skills • makes it hard for it to be used for mass
communication.
Transactional Models

1. Barnlund’s Model
2. Dance’s Helical Model
 1. Barnlund’s Model

• proposed by an American
Communication Theorist, Dean
Barnlund in 1970.
• this model is a multi-layered
feedback system
• continuous communication
process
• communication is defined as “a
word that describes a process of
creating a meaning” (Barnlund, 1962).
1. Barnlund’s Model

• two types:
 intrapersonal (encoding and
decoding messages within one's
self)
 interpersonal (encoding and
decoding messages with another).
• Seven (7) Communication Postulates

Communication describes the evolution

of meaning
 Communication is dynamic
 Communication is continuous
 Communication is circular
 Communication is unrepeatable
 Communication is complex
 Communication is irreversible
1. Barnlund’s Model

Shows the unlimited

availability of cues, and are
denoted as VVVV

graphic representation to the

assumptions like public cues and private
cues.
Components:
 Communicators ;
 Encoding;
 Message
- including the cues, environment and
noise;
 Context; and
 Decoding
 This model emphasizes the role of
cues in impacting our messages:
 Public Cues (Cpu) – physical,
environmental, artificial or natural or
man-made cues
 Private Cues (Cpr) – person’s
personal thoughts and background, can
be verbal or non-verbal
 Behavioral Cues – can be verbal
(Cbehv) and nonverbal (Cbehnv)
 All these cues, as well as the
environment and noise, are part of
the message. Each communicator’s
reaction depends on their
background, experiences, attitudes,
and beliefs.
Examples:

• Face-to-face interactions,
• Chat sessions,
• Telephone conversations,
• Meetings, etc.
2. Dance’s Model

• proposed by France Dance, an

American Communication
Professor, in 1967.
• He used the form of a Helix to
describe the communication
process. He developed this
theory based on a simple helix
which gets bigger and bigger as it
moves or grows. The main
characteristics of a helical model
of communication is that it is
2. Dance’s Model

• This model
emphasized the
difficulty of
communication and it’s
role of disruptions and
problems in
communication
• views communication
as: cyclical, dynamic,
2. Dance’s Model

• “with
every cycle of communication,
we expand our circle”
• in the communication process, the
feedback we get from the other
party involved influences to our next
statement and we become more
knowledgeable with every new cycle.
 2. Dance’s Model

• We become more knowledgeable with

each cycle of communication, enabling
up to ‘expand our circle’, as represented
by the increasingly wider and wider
circles. The movement up the spiral
indicates that each communication
practice is new and different from the
previous, as communication does not