LESSON 2:

The Communication Models

 As human beings, we always keep on communicating. In fact, we
spend a large percentage of our waking hours in communicating and even if
we are in silence, we are also conveying a message to the people around us.

Familiarizing ourselves with the communication models will help us

know about the various aspects of communication. Moreover, essential
elements of communication process are presented through the
communication models and such models help us to measure the
effectiveness of communication.
Here are the different models of communication that will help us
understand the process of human connection.
 Here are the different models of communication that will help us understand the
process of human connection.

1. Aristotle’s Model of Communication

Aristotle, an ancient Greek philosopher, was the proponent of the

earliest mass communication model known as “Aristotle’s Model of
Communication”, he stressed the importance of the audience in the
communication process. This model focuses on public speaking than
interpersonal communication.
 The Aristotle’s Model of Communication consists of five elements. These are
the speaker, speech, occasion, audience and effort.

The speaker has a significant role in public speaking. The speaker must
prepare his speech by taking into consideration of his audience –their age,
education, knowledge of the topic, etc. before he steps into the stage. This
model is the golden rule in public speaking, lectures, symposium, seminars
where the speaker has to carefully plan his speech and cautiously choose his
words that will impact the audience’s mind and persuade them to act
accordingly.
 For example:

Miss Sanchez gave a lecture to her students in the Speech class to

overcome stage fright.

Speaker-Miss Sanchez
Speech- how to conquer stage fright
Occasion-Speech class
Audience-students
Effect- overcome stage fright
This model is more focused on public speaking than interpersonal communication.
Speaker plays an important role in Public speaking. The speaker must prepare his
speech and analysis audience needs before he enters into the stage. His words
should influence in audience mind and persuade their thoughts towards him.
2. Laswell’s Communication Model
Harold Dwight Laswell described communication being focused on the
following W’s: Who says What in Which channel and to Whom and with
Whom and with What effect as seen in the model below:

While this model is like Aristotle’s in the sense that both are linear and have the same
components, Laswell’s also differs in that there are five variables involved, with the
addition of two: medium and effect.
3. Shannon-Weaver’s Model of Communication

Shannon Weaver model of communication was created in 1948 when Claude Shannon
wrote an article in title “A Mathematical Theory of Communication.” In Bell System
Technical Journal” with Warren Weaver. Shannon was an American mathematician were as
Weaver was a scientist. The mathematical theory later came to be known as Shannon –
Model of Communication or Mother of all models.

This model is particularly designed to develop effective communication between

the sender and the receiver. In this model, “Noise” is an important factor, which affects the
communication process. At first, model was conceived to improve technical
communication, but later it has been widely used in field of communication.
Concept in Shannon Weaver Model

Sender (Information source) – Sender is the person who makes the message,
chooses the channel and sends the message.
Encoder (Transmitter) –Encoder is the sender who uses machine, which
converts message into signals or binary data. It might also directly refer to the
machine.
Channel –Channel is the medium used to send message.
Decoder (Receiver) – Decoder is also known as the machine used to convert
signals or binary data into message or the receiver who translates the message
from signals.
Receiver (Destination) –Receiver 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, which does
not let the message get to the receiver as what is sent.
Practical Example of Shannon-Weaver model of communication :

Erik made call to his assistant “come here I want to see you”. During his call,
noise appeared (transmission error) and his assistant received “I want” only.
Again Assistant asked Erik (feedback) “what do you want Erik”.
Sender : Erik
Encoder : Telephone (Erik)
Channel : Cable
Noise : Distraction in voice
Reception : Telephone (Assistant)
Receiver : Assistant.

Due to transmission error or noise, Assistant can’t able to understand Erik’s

messages.

*The noise which affect the communication flow between them.

Practical Example of Shannon-Weaver model of communication

A person is talking on the phone with his friend but

the storm ruins their communication
SHANNON WEAVER MODEL OF
COMMUNICATION
4. Schramm’s Model of Communication

This communication model consists of the source, which is

also known as the encoder, the message or the signal, and
the destination which is also called as the decoder. The
model addresses the sociological aspect involved in
communication
 Schramm’s model also stresses the importance of encoding and
decoding processes in an effective communication. Schramm’s believe that
an individual’s knowledge , experience and cultural background also plays a
vital role in communication. He also pointed out that communication is
incomplete without the feedback from the recipient. Moreover, he believed
that communication is actually a two-way process between the source and
the receiver.
The diagram illustrates the model proposed by Schramm.
 He suggested that communication is a two-way
process where both sender and receiver take
turns to send and receive a message.
Information is of no use unless and until it is
carefully put into words and conveyed to others.

A student asked the professor about their

assignment and the professor gave the feedback
clearly

Wilbur Schramm (1907-1987)

5. Berlo’s Model of Communication

David Berlo pioneered this model of communication or the SMCR model in

1960. He emphasized the relationship between the sender and the receiver of
the message. According to this model , for the message to be accurately
encoded and decoded, the communication skills of both sender and the
receiver must be at their best. The communication will be remarkably
successful only if the two individual possess the necessary skills
While the Aristotle model of communication puts the speaker in the central
position and suggests that the speaker is the one who drives the entire
communication, the Berlo’s model of communication takes into account the
emotional aspect of the message. Berlo’s model of communication operates on the
SMCR model.

In the SMCR model

S - Stands for Source
M - Message
C - Channel
R - Receiver
 Berlo’s model has four components and each component has its own sub components
that support each element.
6. Helical Model of Communication

In 1967, the Helical Model of communication was proposed by Frank

Dance, an American Communication professor to better understand how
communication works. The name helical comes from “Helix” which means
an object having three-dimensional shape like that of a wire wound
uniformly around a cylinder or cone. According to Dance’s model, the
process of communication evolves from the very birth of an individual and
continues for as long as he lives. Just like human being all living entities start
communicating from the very first day of their existence.
Let us understand the model with the help of an example.

A child from the very moment he comes to this

world starts communicating. When a baby is born,
the nurse rubs his back to make the child cry. If the
child doesn’t cry, it is an indication of a still born
child.

What does crying in this case refer to ?

 This non-linear model believes that communication process is just like
a helix, which moves forward as well as comes backward and is
independent on the person’s past behavior with some changes as he
grows. At first, the helical spring is small at the bottom and become
bigger as the communication become more complex, the spiral grows
wider. It grows steadily as life goes on. The helix gradually leaves its
lower levels of behavior and grows upward in a new way. It always
relies on the lowest level to form the message. Thus, communication
goes to the next level in which people share more information.
Frank Dance proposed a communication
model inspired by a helix in 1967, known
as Helical Model of Communication. A helix is a
three dimensional spring like curve in the shape of a
cylinder or a cone. Helix is compared with evolution
of communication of a human since birth to
existence or existing moment.
https://www.businesstopia.net/communication/helical-model-
communication#:~:text=Frank%20Dance%20proposed%20a%20communication,to%20existence%20or%
20existing%20moment.
 Child (Day 1) communication evolves
↓
Communication continues
↓↑
(Communication depends on past activities)
↓
(Current day) communication continues with modifications