Laswell’s Model of Communication

Members: Jared Justiniano

Alessandra Lei Besmonte Glennard Salvador
Leeanne Salvador Vergel Berona
Andrei Kyle Yortas

1. The Lasswell communication model is named after American political scientist and
communication theorist Harold Lasswell. Lasswell, a former Yale University professor,
developed the model in 1948 to analyze mass communication and the effect of media
propaganda in various countries and businesses.

Though Lasswell’s model was developed to analyze mass communication, this model is used for
interpersonal communication or group communication to be disseminated message to various
groups in various situations.

2.

In this model, the communication component who refers the research area called “Control
Analysis”, control analysis helps the sender to have all the power.

“Says what” refers to “Content Analysis”,

content analysis is associated to stereotyping and representation of different groups politically. It
is also related to the purpose or the ulterior motives of the message.

“In which channel” refers to “Media Analysis”, media analysis represents which medium should
be used to exercise maximum power against the receivers.

“To Whom” refers to “Audience Analysis”, audience analysis shows who are the target
population to be manipulated or brain washed.

“With What Effect” refers to “Effect Analysis”, Effect analysis is done before the process starts.
It is used to predict the effect of message over the target population to be exploited.

3. Examples in
A. personal communication:

Jared is having his wedding in a month, and he would like to invite his family and friends to
the wedding. He stated in his invitation the venue, reception, date, and motif of the wedding.
 Communicator - Jared (the groom)
Message - An invitation to his wedding containing the necessary details.
Channel - Letter Invitations
Receiver - Families and Friends
Effect - They are informed about the wedding and the details they need.

B. professional communication:

CNN NEWS – A water leak from Japan’s tsunami-crippled nuclear power station resulted in
about 100 times the permitted level of radioactive material flowing into the sea, operator
Tokyo Electric Power Co said on Saturday.

Communicator – TEPC Operator

Message – Radioactive material flowing into sea
Channel – CNN NEWS (Television medium)
Receiver – Public
Effect – Alert the people of japan from the radiation.

4. 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. The model is
also said to be propaganda based as it is more focused on the resulting outcome and generally
used for media persuasion.

Designed for Mass Communication: The model has a specific usefulness for mass
communication and propaganda analysis. It wants to look at one-way communication methods
used by powerful governments and corporations.

This could be improved by giving feedback in the communication process. This type of the
model provides a blueprint for breaking down and analyzing any communication in five steps.
Considering other barriers like cultural, language, psychological, and technological barriers.

5. Sources:

Cuofano, G. (2023, January 9). What Is The Lasswell Communication Model? The Lasswell
Communication Model In A Nutshell. FourWeekMBA.
https://fourweekmba.com/lasswell-communication-
model/?fbclid=IwAR12az9NaZnQInJCsCG0rlpvH3Vj8J19Z67kWufvMaeFyXkkc1rK1
VGNM6Q

Lasswell’s model. (2010, January 3). Communication Theory.

https://www.communicationtheory.org/lasswells-
model/?fbclid=IwAR3qeueliPQjZ4CD67phPi0mipgOJ9poc5UUhgraYmUu5NdWrWM
XSG9NBXY