Models o f

C o mmuni cat i o n
b y: B e v e r l y Q . C o n c e p c i o n , L P T
Models o f Communication
 Linear Communication Model
 Aristotle’s Model
 Lasswell’s Model
 Berlo’s SMCR Model
 Shannon-Weaver Model

 Interactive Model
 Schramm’s Model

 Transactional Model
 Barnlund’s Model
Schramm’s Model of Communication
 The first and earliest linear model is that of
Aristotle, who was a teacher of Rhetoric and even put
up an academy, Lyceum, to produce good speakers.

SPEAKER (Message) (Listener)

EFECT
SPEECH AUDIENCE
Occasion

Aristotle’s Model of Communication

The Aristotle’s communication model is
a ”speaker centered model” as the speaker
has the most important role in it and is the only
one active. It is the speaker’s role to deliver a
speech to the audience.

The role of the audience is

passive, influenced by the speech. This makes
the communication process one way, from
speaker to receiver.
The speaker must organize the
speech beforehand, according to
the target audience and situation
(occasion).

The speech must be prepared so

that the audience be persuaded or
influenced from the speech.
He believed “Rhetoric” is the study of
communication and persuasion and
different message or speech should be
made for different audiences at different
situations to get desired effects.
Rhetoric has 3 elements namely; ETHOS (speaker's credibility) PATHOS (emotional appeal of the speech to the
audience) LOGOS (logical reasoning of the speech)

This model was highly used to

develop public speaking skills.
There are few criticisms around
this model. Some of them are:
•There is no concept of feedback,
it is one way from speaker to
audience.
•This model can only be used in
public speaking.
Lasswell's communication model
was developed by communication
theorist Harold Lasswell in 1948.
Who?
Component: This is the communicator, also called the
sender, who formulates and spreads a message.

Analysis: This is about a management and audit analysis,

that helps the sender to have the power to communicate.

What?
Component: This is the content of the message or the
message that the sender spreads.

Analysis: The content analysis is related to the aim of the

message and/or the secondary intent.
Which channel?
Component: The channel describes the medium
or media that is/are used to convey and spread
the message. The medium can consist of several
communication tools, mass media and social
media.
Analysis: The media analysis shows which
medium is best used to convey a message to the
receivers as effectively as possible.

To whom?
Component: This describes the receiver(s),
such as a target group or an individual. With
mass communication, there’s an audience.
Analysis: The target analysis shows who the
message is meant for and how they are best
reached and/or influenced.
Which effect?
Component: The effect is the result the message
leads to. The so-called triangle of success
‘knowledge, attitude, behaviour’ is often used to
describe the desired effect.

Analysis: The effect analysis will need to be

started beforehand, so the messages can be
aimed at and fitted to the target audience.
 In 1960, David Berlo postulated
Berlo's Sender-Message-Channel-Receiver
(SMCR) Model of Communication from
Shannon Weaver's Model of Communication
(1949).

He described factors affecting the

individual components in the
communication making the communication
more efficient. This model also focuses on
encoding and decoding which happens
before sender sends the message and
before receiver receives the message
respectively.
 There is no concept of feedback, so
the effect is not considered.
 There is no concept of noise or any
kind of barriers in communication.
 It is a linear model of
communication, there is no two way
communication.
 Both of the people must be similar
according to all the factors
mentioned above.
Shannon-Weaver’s Model of Communication
 This model is that of Claude Shannon
and Warren Weaver (1948) which gave
us the concept of “NOISE”. This is often
called Telephone Model because it is
based on the experience of having the
message interfered with by “noise” from
the telephone switchboard back in
1940s. Shannon Weaver model of
communication is also known as
“mother of all models.”
 Sender (Information source) – is the
person who makes the message,
chooses the channel and sends the
message.
Encoder (Transmitter) – is the
sender who uses machine, which
converts message into signals or
binary data. It might also directly
refer to the machine.
Channel – is the medium used to send
message.
Decoder (Receiver) – is the machine used to
convert signals or binary data into message or
the receiver who translates the message from
signals.
Receiver (Destination) – is the person who
gets the message or the place where the
message must reach. The receiver provides
feedback according to the message.
Noise –Noise is the physical disturbances like
environment, people, etc. which does not let
the message get to the receiver as what is
sent.
Example of Shannon-Weaver model
communication process
A businessman sends a message via phone text to
his worker about a meeting happening about their
brand promotion. The worker does not receive
the full message because of noise. It goes like
this:

Businessman: We have a meeting at the

office ("at 8 am" goes
missing due to phone network disruption or
noise) Worker (feedback) : At what time?
Sender : Businessman

Encoder : Telephone network company

Channel : Mobile network

Noise : Distraction in voice

(workplace noises)

Decoder: Mobile phone

Receiver : Worker
 Simply put, the Interactive Model takes
the Linear Model and multiplies it times
two with a quick flip of the return message.
It now allows for a feedback element
because after a message is encoded and
sent to the decoding receiver, the roles then
reverse and the receiver encodes and sends
a response to the original sender who has
now turned receiver.
Schramm’s Model of Communication
 An example of Interactive model is that of
Wilbur Schramm, who is considered the
Father of Mass Communication. He came
up with five models, but the Schramm Model
in (1995) we are concerned with is the
concept that explains why communication
breakdown occurs.

Schramm asserts that communication can

take place if and only if there is an overlap
between the Field of Experience of the
Speaker and the Field of Experience of the
Listener.
Schramm’s Model of Communication
 Field of Experience are the things that
influences the understanding and
interpretation of message like culture, social
backg round, beliefs, experiences, values
and rules.
Examples:
•a person who always eats with spoon is informed
that that he has to eat with hands in that place,
the person will get offended because he will think
it is impolite to eat that way.
•the teacher must deliver his/her lecture in either
English or Filipino because that is the language
that students know and use.
 TRANSACTIONAL MODEL
This model depicts face-to-face
interaction, or “trans-action” as a dynamic
and changeable process that is not limited
to simple definition. In the Transactional
Model, receiver and sender can play the
same roles simultaneously, as sometimes
happens, as messages can be sent back and
forth simultaneously.
Schramm’s Model of Communication
 Dean Barnlund (1970) proposed a
transactional model of communication in
for basic interpersonal communication
which articulates that sending and
receiving of messages happens
simultaneously between people which is
popularly known as Barlund’s
Transactional Model of Communication.
 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.
Barnlund’s Transactional Model
Schramm’s Model of Communication
Schramm’s Model of Communication
Schramm’s Model of Communication
 Reminder for the quiz tomorrow:

Please read with understanding of

each model. Bear in mind the proponent,
elements of the model, how the model
happen, and how do these models happen
in real life. ☺