Models of Communication

 A model is use to depict any idea, thought or concept in a simpler way through diagrams or
pictorial representation.
 Models of communication simplify the process by providing a visual representation of a various
aspect of a communication encountered.
 Communication models describe the process of communication, visually showed the
relationship among the elements and help find incorrect communication problems.

What are the standard models of communication?

Many authors and researchers have produced their models based on what they want to consider as an
important component of communication.

For purposes of clarification, we have 3 standard models of communication namely:

 The Linear Model

 Interactive Model
 Transactional Model

The 1st model of communication is the linear model:

 It is a one-way process of communication that is unidirectional.

 The speaker sends messages to the receiver with or without effect.
 It also presents a simple communication act, because the transmission of message, shows only
the beginning and the end, and that there is no interchanging of roles between the sender and
the receiver.

This is the basic illustration of the linear model of communication.

*INSERT PICTURE*

The message flows in a straight line from the sender to the receiver. There is no concept of
feedback, the only tasks that the receiver does here is to receive the message.

Advantages of the linear model:

Since the linear model is one-way, the sender is more prominent, it promotes advice and influence
rather than mutual understanding between the sender and the receiver.

Disadvantages of the linear model:

The main criticism of the linear model is the lack of feedback. Since communication only occurs in
one direction, is does not show how context or our personal experiences impact communication.
 The television serves as a good example of the linear model. Have you ever talked back to your
television while you were watching it? Maybe you were watching a sport event or a dramatic show
and you talked at the people in the television, did they respond to you? Well, surely, they did not.
No matter what how much you talked to the television, it will never respond to you.

Different models that follow the linear model of communication are:

 Aristotle’s
 Laswell’s
 Berlo’s
 Shannon-Weaver model of communication

Aristotle’s model – is considered as the oldest models of communication and was proposed before 300
BC. This model is mainly focus on the speaker and the speech, is has five primary elements; the speaker,
the speech, the occasion, the audience, and the effect. This model was highly used to developed public
speaking skills and create propaganda at that time, so the audience remains passive.

Laswell’s model – this was developed by the communication theories, Harold B. Laswell in 1948. It is also
known as an action model and was used to analyze mass communication. This model described who is
saying something, which channel is used to convey the messages, who the message is aimed at, and
what effect the message has.

Berlo’s SMCR model – David Berlo, postulated this model which has four components to described the
communication process. They are the sender, message, channel and receiver. He also described factors
affecting this individual components making the communication more efficient.

Shannon-Weaver model – the Shannon-weaver model was formed in 1949 by the mathematician Claude
Shannon and the scientist Warren Weaver, known as the “mother of all communication models”. It was
developed to improved technical communication in radio and television. It has five elements which are
the source, transmitter, channel, receiver and destination. It was being criticist because the model does
not include feedback among its elements, however, the 6 th element was found which is noise but it is
considered as a dysfunctional factor.

The 2nd model of communication is the interactive model which is also known as the convergence
model:

It deals with the exchange of ideas in messages, taking place both ways from the sender to the receiver
and vice versa. This model incorporates feedback and the field of experience which makes
communication a more interactive two-way process.

This is the basic illustration of the interactive model

*INSERT PICTURE*
It puts more focus on the interaction and less on the message as it is concern with the communication
process as a whole. It aims to form bonds and relationships among people. The commonality of
experience between the sender and the receiver makes the communication process more engaging.

Advantages of the interactive model:

This model of communication is relatively new is these useful new technologies like the web or the
internet. The internet provides a great opportunity to the receivers who can give feedback even in social
media, journals, magazines, books and newspapers.

Disadvantages

The main drawback of the interactive model is the lack of simultaneous feedback. When using the
internet, the feedback maybe slow and indirect. An example of this is sending your friend a message
through facebook messenger, sometimes the feedback can take a very long time. He may not reply to
your message within days, weeks or even months, still you remain friends. The communication becomes
linear if the receiver does not respond.

An example of the interactive model is Wilbur Schramm’s Interactive Model of Communication

Schramm’s model – man’s field of experience affect the communication process according to Wilbur
Schramm, because the commonality of experience taking place between the sender and the receiver,
allows them to interact. For example, a professor of calculus would have a very little lack communicating
important math principles to a classroom of kinder garden students, because they do not share a field of
experience that makes the message easy to understand.

The transactional model is the 3rd model of communication

It illustrates how the sender and the receiver take turns in conveying and receiving messages in a
referred do as communicators. The communication is continuous and their interdependent to each
other. The field of experience incorporates what is mutually understood between the sender and the
receiver.

This is the basic illustration of the transactional model

*INSERT PICTURE*

In here, both the senders and the receivers of messages must be active at the same time to keep the
communication open. This is why transactional communication can’t occur in case the person who is
receiving the message is unable to listen to what the sender has said. A best example of this is placing
your order in a fast food chain, the communication doesn’t stop until the transaction is complete.

The main advantage of this model is the simultaneous and instant feedback, since it used
communication as a transaction, no discrimination happens between the sender and the receiver.
Communication can end when its purpose is already achieved.

When you finally get the parcel you ordered online, the seller stop contacting you.

In the transactional model, communication is simultaneous and this results in a lot of unnecessary noise.
It sometimes encourages nonverbal feedback and without the verbal responds, it may be impossible to
determine whether the receiver of the information has received the message as intended.
The Barlund’s Transactional model and the Helical model fall under the transactional models of
communication

Barlund’s Model – this is a multi-layered feedback system proposed by Dean Barlund in 1970, which
articulates that sending and receiving of messages happen simultaneously between people. The
message passing takes place with constant feedback being provided from both parties. A feedback for
one, is the message for the other.

Helical model – Frank Dance proposed the helical model 1967, which was inspired by a helix. A helix is a
three dimensional spring-like curved, in the shape of a cylinder or a cone. Communication is taken as a
dynamic process, it progresses with age as our experiences and vocabulary increased.