COMMUNICATION

MODELS
 WHAT IS A COMMUNICATION
MODEL?
• A communication model is a pictorial representation of the communication
process, ideas, thoughts, or concepts through diagrams, etc. They can be
considered to be systematic representations of the process that help us
understand how communication can be carried out.
• Communication models help in understanding the potential barriers to
effective communication, roles of different elements involved, and the
importance of feedback for successful communication.
• By applying the models of communication, individuals & organizations can
enhance their communication skills & improve the interaction quality.
 WHY ARE COMMUNICATION MODELS
IMPORTANT?
• Understanding the communication process
• Analyzing communication problems
• Enhancing communication skills
• Guiding organizational communication
• Improving the message design
• Facilitating interpersonal communication
• Planning & evaluating communication campaigns
TYPES OF COMMUNICATION
MODELS

COMMUNICATION MODELS
Linear Communication
Model

Interactional
Communication Model

Transactional
Communication Model
 LINEAR COMMUNICATION MODELS
• Linear communication models describe communication as a one-way
process, where a sender transmits a message directly to a receiver without
expecting immediate feedback.
• This model views communication as a straightforward transmission, like a
line, and doesn't account for the receiver's response or the complexities of
interaction. It's often referred to as the action or transmission model of
communication.
 KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF LINEAR
COMMUNICATION MODELS
• One-way flow: The message moves from sender to receiver without
immediate feedback.
• Sender-focused: The sender's role is primary, with the focus on message
construction and delivery.
• No feedback loop: The receiver's response or interpretation is not
considered part of the communication process.
• Noise: Linear models may acknowledge noise as a potential barrier to
effective communication, but they don't delve into how noise impacts the
receiver's understanding.
 PROMINENT MODELS OF
LINEAR COMMUNICATION
I. ARISTOTLE’S MODEL OF
COMMUNICATION
• Being 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.
• Aristotle’s model of communication primarily focuses on the sender (public speaker,
professor, etc.) who passes on their message to the receiver (the audience).
• The sender is also the only active member in this model, whereas the audience is passive.
This makes Aristotle’s communication model a foolproof way to excel in public
speaking, seminars, and lectures.
Aristotle model of communication consists of 5 main elements which make up
the framework:
1. Speaker -The one who conveys the message
2. Speech - The message
3. Occasion - Where/when/why the message is being conveyed
4. Target audience - To whom the message is to be conveyed
5. Effect - What impact did the message create?

• Aristotle model of communication does not assign any importance to the

role of feedback in communication.
• This model was created for the purpose of understanding how to become a
more effective & persuasive communicator
II. LASSWELL’s MODEL OF
COMMUNICATION
• The Lasswell model of communication attempts to understand a
communication event by asking five important questions:
1. Who? - The one who wants to convey the message
2. What?- The message that is to be conveyed
3. Which channel? - The medium used to convey the message
4. To whom? - Whom is the message conveyed?
5. What effect? - What effect did it have on the receiver?

• Lasswell's model of communication, developed by Harold Lasswell in 1948, is a linear

model that analyzes communication by breaking it down into five key questions: Who
(says) What (message) In Which Channel (medium) To Whom (receiver) With What
Effect. It's considered a foundational model in communication studies, particularly for
understanding mass communication.
 III. SHANNON-WEAVER MODEL
• The Shannon-Weaver model, also known as the "mother of all models", is a
linear communication model that describes how information flows from a
source to a destination.
• Developed by Claude Shannon and Warren Weaver in 1949, it was initially
designed to improve the efficiency of technical communication, particularly
in the field of telecommunications.
• The model identifies five key elements: the information source, transmitter,
channel, receiver, and destination. It also acknowledges the concept of
"noise" which can interfere with the transmission of the message.
Information Source: The origin of the message, which generates the information to be
communicated.
Transmitter: The device or person that encodes the message into a signal suitable for
transmission through a channel.
Channel: The medium through which the signal travels from the transmitter to the
receiver.
Receiver: The device or person that decodes the signal back into a message.
Destination: The intended recipient of the message.
Noise: Anything that interferes with the transmission or reception of the message,
potentially distorting or preventing its accurate delivery.
• While the Shannon-Weaver model is foundational in communication studies, it has been
criticized for its linear nature and lack of emphasis on feedback and the social context of
communication. Later models, such as the transactional model, have addressed these
limitations by incorporating feedback loops and acknowledging the interactive and
contextual nature of communication.
 IV. BERLO'S SMCR MODEL OF
COMMUNICATION
• Berlo's SMCR model of communication is a linear communication model
that breaks down the communication process into four key components:
Source, Message, Channel, and Receiver.
• Developed by David Berlo in 1960, it focuses on how these components
influence each other and ultimately affect the effectiveness of
communication.
• Source: The sender or originator of the message. Factors like communication skills,
attitudes, knowledge, and social-cultural system influence how the source encodes and
transmits the message.
• Message: The content being communicated. It includes elements like content (the actual
information), structure (how the information is organized), code (the symbols used to
convey the message), and treatment (the style and presentation of the message).
• Channel: The medium through which the message is transmitted. It can be a physical
medium like sound waves (for speaking) or light waves (for visual communication), or a
technological medium like email.
• Receiver: The recipient of the message. Similar to the source, the receiver's
communication skills, attitudes, knowledge, and social-cultural system impact how they
decode and interpret the message.
 KEY ASPECTS OF THE MODEL
• Linear Model: The SMCR model depicts communication as a one-way process, from
sender to receiver, without explicit feedback or interaction.
• Influencing Factors: Berlo emphasizes that each component is influenced by various
factors, which can either facilitate or hinder communication.
• Importance of Alignment: The model suggests that for effective communication, there
should be a degree of alignment or similarity between the source and receiver in terms of
their communication skills, knowledge, and cultural background.
 INTERACTIONAL COMMUNICATION MODELS
• Interactive communication models describe communication as a two-way
process where both the sender and receiver actively participate and influence
each other.
• Unlike linear models that view communication as a one-way transmission,
interactive models emphasize the role of feedback in shaping the
communication exchange.
• This feedback loop allows for adjustments and mutual understanding to be
built between communicators.
KEY FEATURES OF INTERACTIONAL
MODEL
•Two- way communication
•Used for new media like the internet
•Integrates Feedback
•Interactive but not simultaneous
 SCHRAMM’s INTERACTIVE MODEL
• Schramm’s model views communication as a process wherein the message
is transmitted using a medium by a sender to a receiver.
• The message is encoded by the sender and sent using correct verbal and
visual symbols and transmitted.
• The receiver decodes the message and can respond to this message from the
sender which will confirm the correct reception of the message that was
sent. Thus, a feedback loop is created.
• The concept of noise, interference and field of experience was included in
this model by Schramm.
• Concept of Noise: Noise is non-intelligent interruptions in the message
process, it can happen at any point in the process, and acts to blot out part or
all of the message.
• Concept of Interference: Interference is intelligent interruptions in the
message process, in other words alternative messages that confuse the
receiver.
• Concept of field of experience: An individual’s experience, culture,
background influences his or her communication. The communication
between people can be smooth when “the sender’s field of experience and
the receiver’s field of experience must overlap, at least to the extent of
having a common language. An absence of this common field of experience
could contribute to a lack of understanding or varied types of noise that
emanate from a misunderstood communication.
 TRANSACTIONAL COMMUNICATION
MODELS
• The transactional model of communication views communication as a dynamic,
ongoing process in which people are both senders and receivers of messages at the
same time.
• Rather than seeing communication as a linear transfer of information, this model
emphasizes that communication is simultaneous and involves constant adjustments
based on feedback from all participants.
• In this sense, communication is never static; it’s shaped by various elements, such
as non-verbal cues, the cultural context, and the nature of the relationship between
the communicators.
• Unlike the linear model of communication, which simply describes communication
as a process where one party sends a message and the other receives it, the
transactional model recognizes that communication involves multiple layers of
feedback, context, and non-verbal communication. Each person involved in the
communication process plays an active role, constantly encoding and decoding
messages in real-time.
 CORE ELEMENTS OF THE TRANSACTIONAL
MODEL
• Communicators: In the transactional model, both participants are referred to as
"communicators" instead of "sender" or "receiver." Both parties engage simultaneously in
sending and receiving messages.
• Message: The content of communication, which includes both spoken words and
non-verbal signals like gestures, facial expressions, and tone of voice.
• Channel: The medium through which the communication occurs, such as face-to-face
communication, phone calls, email, or social media.
• Feedback: Real-time responses from communicators that allow them to adjust their
messages in response to reactions. Feedback is a key feature in the transactional model,
helping participants refine their communication for better understanding.
• Noise: External or internal factors that can disrupt the communication process. For
instance, background noise, emotional distractions, or preconceived notions can interfere
with how a message is received and interpreted.
• Context: The environment in which communication occurs, including social, cultural, and
relational contexts. This context greatly influences how messages are interpreted, as it
encompasses the shared values, norms, and expectations within the communication setting.
 EXAMPLES OF TRANSACTIONAL
COMMUNICATION

Video
Face-to-Face Text
conference
conversations messaging
calls

Emails and Business Social media

letters presentations interactions
 PROMINENT MODEL OF
TRANSACTIONAL COMMUNICATION
 I. BARNLUND’S TRANSACTIONAL
MODEL
• Barnlund’s Transactional Model is a multi-layered feedback system.
• This is a continuous process where sender and receiver interchanges their
places and both are equally important.
• The message passing takes place with a constant feedback being provided
from both parties. A feedback for one is the message for the other.
 COMPONENTS OF BARLUND’S MODEL
Cues refers to the signs for doing something.
As per Barnlund there are:
public cues, private cues and behavioral cues.

• Public cues (Cpu) are physical, environmental or artificial and natural or

man-made.
• Private cues (Cpr) are also known as private objects of orientation which
include senses of a person. Both these cues can be verbal as well as
non-verbal. Another set of cues are behavioral cues.
• Behavioral cues can be verbal (Cbehv) as well as non-verbal (Cbehnv).