5/26/23, 5:08 PM The Basic Elements of the Communication Process

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The Basic Elements of the

Communication Process
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ThoughtCo / Hilary Allison

By Richard Nordquist
Updated on April 05, 2020

Whenever you've had a conversation, texted a friend, or given a business

presentation, you have engaged in communication. Any time two or more
people get together to exchange messages, they are engaging in this basic
process. Although it seems simple, communication is actually quite complex
and has a number of components.

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5/26/23, 5:08 PM The Basic Elements of the Communication Process

Communication Process Definition

The term communication process refers to the exchange of information

(a message) between two or more people. For communication to
succeed, both parties must be able to exchange information and
understand each other. If the flow of information is blocked for some
reason or the parties cannot make themselves understood, then
communication fails.

The Sender
The communication process begins with the sender, who is also called the
communicator or source. The sender has some kind of information — a
command, request, question, or idea — that he or she wants to present to
others. For that message to be received, the sender must first encode the
message in a form that can be understood, such as by the use of a common
language or industry jargon, and then transmit it.

The Receiver
The person to whom a message is directed is called the receiver or the
interpreter. To comprehend the information from the sender, the receiver must
first be able to receive the sender's information and then decode or interpret it. 

The Message
The message or content is the information that the sender wants to relay to the
receiver. Additional subtext can be conveyed through body language and tone of
voice. Put all three elements together — sender, receiver, and message — and
you have the communication process at its most basic.

The Medium
Also called the channel, the medium is the means by which a message is
transmitted. Text messages, for example, are transmitted through the medium

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5/26/23, 5:08 PM The Basic Elements of the Communication Process

of cell phones.

Feedback
The communication process reaches its final point when the message has been
successfully transmitted, received, and understood. The receiver, in turn,
responds to the sender, indicating comprehension. Feedback may be direct,
such as a written or verbal response, or it may take the form of an act or deed in
response (indirect).

Other Factors
The communication process isn't always so simple or smooth, of course. These
elements can affect how information is transmitted, received, and interpreted:

Noise: This can be any sort of interference that affects the message being
sent, received, or understood. It can be as literal as static over a phone line
or radio or as esoteric as misinterpreting a local custom.

Context: This is the setting and situation in which communication takes

place. Like noise, context can have an impact on the successful exchange
of information. It may have a physical, social, or cultural aspect to it. In a
private conversation with a trusted friend, you would share more personal
information or details about your weekend or vacation, for example, than
in a conversation with a work colleague or in a meeting.

The Communication Process in Action

Brenda wants to remind her husband, Roberto, to stop by the store after work
and buy milk for dinner. She forgot to ask him in the morning, so Brenda texts a
reminder to Roberto. He texts back and then shows up at home with a gallon of
milk under his arm. But something's amiss: Roberto bought chocolate milk
when Brenda wanted regular milk. 

In this example, the sender is Brenda. The receiver is Roberto. The medium is a
text message. The code is the English language they're using. And the message
itself is "Remember the milk!" In this case, the feedback is both direct and
indirect. Roberto texts a photo of milk at the store (direct) and then came home
with it (indirect). However, Brenda did not see the photo of the milk because

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the message didn't transmit (noise) and Roberto didn't think to ask what kind
of milk (context).

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