Oral Communication (Week 2)

Communication Models
Communication models describe the process of communication, visually show the relationship among variables,
and help find and correct communication problems.

Three standard models of communication

1. Linear Model of Communication (Transmission Model)

The linear model was the first kind of model that experts have made to understand the process of
communication. It has improved and has been updated through the years.
The following are the remarkable characteristics of the linearmodel:

1.1. Unidirectional - Linear model is one-way communication where the speaker

sends messages to the receiver with or without effect. Senders can only transmit
messages while receivers can only receive the messages. This model of
communication applies to mass communication.
1.2. Simple - This model 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 receiver.
1.3. Persuasion not Mutual understanding - This model shows one-way direction of
communication which promotes advice and influence rather than mutual
understanding between receiver and sender.
1.4. Values psychological over social effects - This model focuses more on the
psychological effects (such as understanding the messages) rather than the social
effects (like building the relationship among communicators).

2. The Shannon-Weaver model(1949), also known as the transmission model and the mother of all
communication models, is one best example of a one-way or linear process of communication consisting of
five elements (see diagram below) which has been criticized for missing one element in the
communication process, feedback.

Shannon - Weaver Model acknowledges only 5 elements in the linear process and noise is a kind
of disturbance coming from people, the environment, internal knowledge, beliefs, etc. which
hinders the receiver from getting and understanding the message.

The Shannon - Weaver Model illustration below shows the characteristics of the Linear Model of
Communication. First, as shown in the direction of the arrow, it is unidirectional or one-way
direction where the speaker sends messages to the receiver with or without effect. Second, it is simple
as it only shows beginning and end of communication but there is no interchanging of communication
roles between communicators. The first two characteristics emphasize persuasion and understanding the
message rather than mutual understanding and social relationship.

Example of the elements of the Shannon-Weaver Model

Elements Example:
 Sender You
Receiver Your friend
channel Your mobile network
encoder Your mobile’s network company
Decoder The receiver’s smartphone
Noise Your friend receives only parts of the SMS message you tried to send
due to disruption of mobile signal

3. Transactional Communication Model - illustrates how the sender and receiver take turns in conveying
and receiving messages and are called as “communicators”.
The sender and receiver’s roles are reversed each time sending and receiving messages occur at the
same time. Since both sender and receiver are necessary to keep the communication alive in Transactional
Model, the communicators are also
interdependent to each other. Thus, if the receiver is not listening to the sender,
Transactional Communication is not possible.

Frank Dance (1967) introduced the Helix model that best illustrates Transactional Model by showing
how the development of communication is based on previous experiences or behaviors as well as how
the knowledge-base of a person deepens and expands throughout life. He emphasized “that
communication while moving forward is at the same time coming back to itself and being affected by its
past behavior…” . Dance’s model also shows how the external and internal factors that are learned
throughout life influence the person’s understanding of a message.

The characteristics of Transactional Model

1. Communication evolves from the very first day (origin) until the existing moment.
2. Communication is largely dependent on its past.
3. Concept of time.
4. Communication process is the product of what we learned.

Transactional Model of Communicationinvolves three principles:

1. people send messages continuously and simultaneously
2. communication events that have a past, present, and future, and;
3. participants play certain roles in the conversation.

4. Interactive Communication Model - also known as convergence model or the Schramm Model
ofCommunication, emphasizes the coding and decoding elements of the processwhich also focuses
on the message exchanges between the sender and receiver and vice versa. Rather than linear or a
one-way process, communication is a two-way street, with a sender and a receiver.

Wilbur Schramm introduced the interactive communication model where he emphasized the need for
the source to encode the message as well as for the receiver to decode the message. These messages will
always be affected by the “field of experience” from various factors namely; social, cultural,
psychological, situational experiences or gained knowledge. In this model, noise is considered as a form of
barrier in communication. The following elements are included in this model of Communication:

Elements Functions
1. Sender sends the message
(transmitter)
2. Encoder converts the message into codes before sending

3. Decoder gets the encoded message then converts it into the

language understandable by the receiver
 4. Interpreter tries to understand and analyze the message. Message is
considered received after interpretation is done and message
is understood. Interpreter and receiver are the same.

5. Receiver gets the message. Decoding and interpreting is also part

of his/her role.

6. Message data sent by the sender and information that the receiver gets.

7. Feedback process where in receiver responds to the received message

8. Medium channel used to send the message.

9. Noise interference disruptions during the process. This is also

(interference / created when the intended meaning sent by the sender is
disruptions) different from what was interpreted by the receiver.

10. Field of patterns which affect the communication process. This can be
Experience from society, culture, situations, psychological or sociological
events or experiences of the sender and receiver.

Features of Interactive Communication Model

1. It has a never-ending process of communication and feedback where there is role-
switching between the sender and the receiver as they continue the exchange of
messages. It means that in the next flow of communication, the sender may become
the receiver while the receiver in the first communication process becomes the
sender in the next communication flow when gives his feedback or response.
2. Feedback is seen as an important part of this model to ensure that communication takes place. With
feedback, it gives the sender the chance to know whether his / her receiver got the message the
way he / she intended it to be understood. Feedback in
short, helps communicator to seek for clarification.
3. The field of experience affects the messages being exchanged. It means that the
background of the persons involved in the communication process plays a role in
how they interpret the messages received or how they encode the messages they
will be sending.
4. It encourages interaction. This means that the Interactive model triggers the
communicators to give their response because they share common experience and
thus share common understanding.