SHANNON – WEAVER COMMUNICATION MODEL

BIOGRAPHY
CLAUDE SHANNON AND WARREN WEAVER were engineers working for Bell Telephone Labs in
the United States.
Their goal was to ensure the maximum efficiency of telephone cables and radio waves.
They developed a model of communication which was intended to assist in developing a mathematical
theory of communication.

Both of them worked together to write an article in Bell System Technical Journal called “A Mathematical
Theory of Communication” and also called the “Shannon-Weaver Model of Communication”.
This model is specially designed to develop the effective communication between sender and receiver.
It is also identifies factors which affect the communication process called “Noise”.
Elements of the Model
An information source, which produces a message.
A transmitter, which encodes the message into signals.
A channel, to which signals are adapted for transmission.
A receiver, which decodes (reconstructs) the message from the signal.
A destination where the message arrives.
Dysfunctional Factor
A sixth element, noise is a dysfunctional factor: any interference with message travelling along the
channel which may lead to the signal received being different from that sent.

EXAMPLES
For the telephone, the channel is a wire, the signal is an electrical current in it, and the transmitter and
receiver are the telephone handsets.
Noise include crackling from the wire.
In conversation, my mouth is is the transmitter, the signal is the sound waves, and your ear is the receiver.
Noise would includes any distraction you might experience as I speak.
Advantages of Shannon and Weavers Model
Simplicity,
Generality, and
Quantifiability
Weaknesses of the Transmission Model of Communication
Linearity
The transmission model fixes and separates the roles of “sender” and “receiver”.
But communication between two people involves simultaneous “sending” and “receiving” (not talking,
but also “body language” and so on).
In Shannon and Weaver’s model the source is seen as the active decision-maker who determines the
meaning of the message; the destination is the passive target.

Linearity –
It is a linear, one-way model, ascribing a secondary role to the receiver, who is seen as absorbing
information.
Communication is not a one-way street. Even when are simply listening to the radio, reading a book or
watching TV we are far more interpretively active that we normally realize.
Feedback
There was no provision in the original model for feedback (reaction from the receiver).
Feedback enables speakers to adjust their performance to the needs and responses of their audience.
Encoding and Decoding
Transmission models treat decoding as a mirror image of encoding, allowing no room for the receiver’s
interpretative frames of reference.
Where the message is recorded in some form senders may well have little idea of who the receivers may
be (particularly, of course, in relation to mass communication.

Sender – the originator of message or the information source selects desire message.
Encoder – the transmitter which converts the message into signals.
The sender’s message converted into signals like waves or Binary data which is compactable to transmit
the messages through cables or satellites. For example: In telephone the voice is converted into wave
signals, and it transmits through cables.
Decoder – the reception place of the signal which converts signals into message. A reverse process of
encode:
The receiver converts those binary data or waves into message which is comfortable and understandable
for receiver. Otherwise receiver can’t receive the exact message and it will affect the effective
communication between sender and receiver.
Receiver : the destination of the message from the sender.
Channel -
Noise
Decoder
Receiver
Example:
Evonne make a call to her friend Fiesta “can we meet today?”. During her call, noise appeared
(transmission error) and Felista only received “can we”. Again Felista asked Evonne (feedback) “what did
you say?”
Sender: Evonne
Encoder: Mobile (Evonne)
Channel: Wireless Connection
Noise: Distraction in Voice
Reception: Mobile (Felisa)
Receiver: Felisa
Due to transmission error or noise, Felisa was not able to understand Evonne’s messages.

Critism of the model

1. One of the simplest model and general applied in various communication theories.
2. The models which attracts both academics of Human communication and Information theorist to leads
their further research in communication.
3. It’s more effective in person-to-person communication than group or mass audience.
4. The model based on Sender and Receiver. Here sender plays the primary role and receiver plays the
secondary role (receive the information or passive).
5. Communication is not a one way process. If it’s behaved like that, it will lose its strength. Audience or
receiver who listening a radio, reading the books, or watching television is a one way communication
because absence of feedback.
6. Understanding Noise will helps to solve the various problems in communication.
Shannon, C.E., Weaver, W. (1949). The mathematical theory of communication. Urbana: University of
Illinois Press

http://communicationtheory.org/shannon-and-weaver-model-of-communication/
In 1948, Shannon was an American mathematician, Electronic engineer and Weaver
was an American scientist both of them join together to write an article in “Bell System
Technical Journal” called “A Mathematical Theory of Communication” and also called
as “Shannon-Weaver model of communication”.

This model is specially designed to develop the effective communication between sender
and receiver. Also they find factors which affecting the communication process called
“Noise”. At first the model was developed to improve the Technical communication.
Later it’s widely applied in the field of Communication.

The model deals with various concepts like Information source, transmitter, Noise,
channel, message, receiver, channel, information destination, encode and decode.

Sender : The originator of message or the information source selects desire message
Encoder : The transmitter which converts the message into signals
Note: The sender’s messages converted into signals like waves or Binary data which is
compactable to transmit the messages through cables or satellites. For example: In
telephone the voice is converted into wave signals and it transmits through cables
Decoder : The reception place of the signal which converts signals into message. A
reverse process of encode
Note : The receiver converts those binary data or waves into message which is
comfortable and understandable for receiver. Otherwise receiver can’t receive the exact
message and it will affect the effective communication between sender and receiver
Receiver : The destination of the message from sender
Note : Based on the decoded message the receiver gives their feed back to sender. If the
message distracted by noise it will affect the communication flow between sender and
receiver
Noise: The messages are transferred from encoder to decoder through channel. During
this process the messages may distracted or affected by physical noise like horn sounds,
thunder and crowd noise or encoded signals may distract in the channel during the
transmission process which affect the communication flow or the receiver may not
receive the correct message
Note : The model is clearly deals with external noises only which affect the messages or
signals from external sources. For example: If there is any problems occur in network
which directly affect the mobile phone communication or distract the messages
Practical Example of Shannon-Weaver model of communication :
Thomson 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 Thomson (feedback) “what do you want Thomson”.

Sender : Thomson

Encoder : Telephone (Thomson)

Channel : Cable

Noise : Distraction in voice

Reception : Telephone (Assistant)

Receiver : Assistant.

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

messages.

*The noise which affect the communication flow between them.

Criticism of Shannon-Weaver model of communication :

1. One of the simplest model and its general applied in various communication
theories
2. The model which attracts both academics of Human communication and
Information theorist to leads their further research in communication
3. It’s more effective in person-to-person communication than group or mass
audience
4. The model based on “Sender and Receiver”. Here sender plays the primary role
and receiver plays the secondary role (receive the information or passive)
5. Communication is not a one way process. If it’s behaved like that, it will lose its
strength. For example: Audience or receiver who listening a radio, reading the books or
watching television is a one way communication because absence of feedback
6. Understanding Noise will helps to solve the various problems in communication
1. Sender (Information Source)
The Shannon Weaver model starts with the sender or “information source”.
They are the person (or object, or thing – any information source) who has the
information to begin with. The information source starts the process by
choosing a message to send, someone to send the message to, and a
channel through which to send the message.

A sender can send a message in multiple different ways: it may be orally

(through spoken word), in writing, through body language, music, etc.

Example: An example of a sender might be the person reading a newscast

on the nightly news. They will choose what to say and how to say it before the
newscast begins.

2. Encoder (Transmitter)
The next step in the Shannon Weaver model is the ‘encoder’. The encoder is
the machine (or person) that converts the idea into signals that can be sent
from the sender to the receiver. The Shannon model was designed originally
to explain communication through means such as telephone and computers
which encode our words using codes like binary digits or radio waves.
However, the encoder can also be a person that turns an idea into spoken
words, written words, or sign language to communicate an idea to someone.

Examples: The encoder might be a telephone, which converts our voice into
binary 1s and 0s to be sent down the telephone lines (the channel). Another
encode might be a radio station, which converts voice into waves to be sent
via radio to someone.

3. Channel
The next step in the Shannon Weaver model is the ‘channel’. The channel of
communication is the infrastructure that gets information from the sender and
transmitter through to the decoder and receiver. We sometimes also call this
the ‘medium’.

Examples: A person sending an email is using the world wide web (internet)
as a medium. A person talking on a landline phone is using cables and
electrical wires as their channel.
If we’re face-to-face, perhaps we don’t have a channel, except the sound
waves from our voice that carry the sound from the sender’s mouth to the
receiver’s ear.

4. Noise
The next step in the Shannon Weaver model is ‘noise’. Noise interrupts a
message while it’s on the way from the sender to the receiver. It’s named after
the idea that ‘noise’ could interrupt our understanding of a message. There
are two types of noise: internal and external.

Internal noise happens when a sender makes a mistake encoding a

message or a receiver makes a mistake decoding the message. Here’s the
two points where it can happen:

 At the point of encoding (for example, when you misspell a word

in a text message);
 At the point of decoding (for example, when someone
misinterprets a sentence when reading an email)
External noise happens when something external (not in the control of
sender or receiver) impedes the message. So, external noise happens:

 At the point of transmission through the channel (for example,

when we’re having a conversation by a busy highway and the
receiver is having trouble hearing over the sound of cars).
 One of the key goals for people who use this theory is to identify the
causes of noise and try to minimize them to improve the quality of the
message.
 Examples: Examples of external noise may include the crackling of a
poorly tuned radio, a lost letter in the post, an interruption in a television
broadcast, or a failed internet connection.
 Examples of internal noise may include someone having a headache so
they can’t concentrate, someone speaking with a heavy accent, or when
the sender mumbles when speaking.
 5. Decoder
 The next step in the Shannon Weaver model is ‘decoder’. Decoding is
the exact opposite of encoding. Shannon and Weaver made this model
in reference to communication that happens through devices like
telephones. So, in this model, there usually needs to be a device that
decodes a message from binary digits or waves back into a format that
can be understood by the receiver.
If we’re talking about direct communication between people without the use of
technology, there may still be a need for decoding. For example, you might
need to decode a secret message, turn written words into something that
makes sense in your mind by reading them out loud, or you may need to
interpret (decode) the meaning behind a picture that was sent to you.
Examples: Decoders can include computers that turn binary packets of 1s
and 0s into pixels on a screen that make words, a telephone that turns signals
such as digits or waves back into sounds, and cell phones that also turn bits
of data into readable (and listenable) messages.

6. Receiver (Destination)
The next step in the Shannon Weaver model is ‘receiver’ The receiver is the
end-point of the original Shannon and Weaver model of the technical
communication process. This is the step where the person finally gets the
message, or what’s left of it after accounting for noise.

Examples: Examples of a receiver might be: the person on the other end of a
telephone, the person reading an email you sent them, an automated
payments system online that has received credit card details for payment, etc.

7. Feedback
The final step in the Shannon Weaver model is ‘feedback’. Actually, the
‘feedback’ step was not originally proposed by Shannon and Weaver in
1948. Norbert Weiner came up with the feedback step in response to criticism
of the linear nature of the approach. (‘Linear’ means that the messages are
only going one way).
Feedback occurs when the receiver of the message responds to the sender in
order to close the communication loop. They might respond to let the sender
know they got the message or to show the sender:

 Whether they got the message clearly without noise

 How well they understand the message
Nonetheless, the ‘feedback’ elements seems like a post-hoc add-on to the
model, and is the subject of a lot of criticism (see later in this article on
‘disadvantages of the model’ for details).

Examples: Feedback does not occur in all situations. Sometimes, like when
watching TV, we don’t tend to let the people talking on the TV know what
we’re thinking … we simply watch the show.
Some times when feedback will occur include:

 During a chat between friends

 When you write a reply email
 Through your facial expressions and body language during a
conversation
 Etc.
Examples Of The Shannon Weaver Model Of
Communication
The Shannon-Weaver model of communication was originally proposed for
technical communication, such as through telephone communications.
Nonetheless, it has been widely used in multiple different areas of human
communication.

Here are some examples of how the Shannon Weaver model works:

A) A Telephone Conversation
Sender: The sender is the person who has made the call, and wants to tell
the person at the other end of the phone call something important.

Encoder: The telephone turns the person’s voice into a series of binary data
packages that can be sent down the telephone lines.

Channel: The channel is the telephone wires itself.

Noise: Noise may occur if the speaker mumbles, the telephone wires are
interrupted in a storm, or the telephone encoders/decoders are
malfunctioning.

Decoder: The telephone that the receiver is holding will turn the binary data
packages it receives back into sounds that replicate the voice of the sender.

Receiver: The receiver will hear the sounds made by the decoder and
interpret the message.
Feedback: The receiver may speak in response, to let the sender know what
they heard or understood.

B) Listening To The Radio

Sender: The radio host will speak into her microphone.

Encoder: The microphone and its computer will turn the voice of the radio
host into binary packets of data that are sent to the radio transmitter. The
radio transmitter, also part of the encoder, will turn that data into radio waves
ready to be transmitted.

Channel: The channel will be the radio waves that are sent out by the radio
transmitter.

Feedback: The receiver may speak in response, to let the sender know what
they heard or understood.

B) Listening To The Radio

Sender: The radio host will speak into her microphone.

Encoder: The microphone and its computer will turn the voice of the radio
host into binary packets of data that are sent to the radio transmitter. The
radio transmitter, also part of the encoder, will turn that data into radio waves
ready to be transmitted.

Channel: The channel will be the radio waves that are sent out by the radio
transmitter.

C) A Face-To-Face Discussion
Here’s another example of how the Shannon and Weaver model of
communication might work for human communication:

Sender: The person starting the conversation will say something to start the
communication process.

Encoder: The ‘encoder’ step is usually used to explain a machine that

encodes a message for transmission. For a face-to-face discussion, you could
consider the ‘encoding’ to be the ways the sender turns their idea into
intelligible words and sentences.

Channel: There isn’t any wire or radio waves involved here – instead, the
sound is transmitted through sound waves made by the voice.

Noise: The sender may have mumbled or have an accent that caused the
message to be distorted (internal noise). There might be a wind or traffic that
made the message hard to hear (external noise).

Decoder: While there’s no machine here, the listener still has to turn the
words they hear into a legible message in their mind.

Receiver: The receiver is the second person in the conversation, who the
sender is talking to.

Feedback: Face-to-face communication involves lots of feedback, as each

person takes turns to talk. If someone’s message is not heard to to noise, they
can ask for clarification easily.

Advantages And Disadvantages Of The Shannon

Weaver Model
The Shannon and Weaver model of communication has many pros and cons.
Here are a few:

Advantages:
1. It Explains The Barriers To Effective Communication Very Well
The Shannon Weaver information theory was revolutionary because it
explains the concept of ‘noise’ in detail. It shows how information is
interrupted and helps people identify areas for improvement in
communication.
For example, the model also includes three ‘levels’ where communication can
be interrupted. These are: technical problems, semantic problems, and
effectiveness problems:

 Technical problems: when the decoder, encoder or channel

causes the problems. For example, when a machine important for
the communication of the message has a fault.
  Semantic problems: This is when the message that was sent is
different from the message that was received (a practical way to
think about this is the game ‘Telephone’, also known as ‘Chinese
whispers’ or ‘telephono roto’. The message is lost somewhere in
the retelling.).
 Effectiveness problems: This explains how well the message
can cause a response or reaction from the receiver.
 2. It breaks down communication into understandable parts
 The model enables us to look at the critical steps in the communication
of information from the beginning to end.
 3. Transferable to multiple situations
 The communication model was originally made for explaining
communication through technological devices. However, it’s been used
to explain just about any form of communication you can think of.
 Disadvantages:
 1. It’s A Linear Model / There’s Insufficient Regard For Feedback
 The original 1948 Shannon Weaver blueprint did not contain the
‘feedback’ component. When it was added by Weaver later on, it was
included as a bit of an afterthought.
 Thus, it lacks the complexity of truly cyclical models such as
the Osgood-Schramm model.
 2. It doesn’t account for power relationships
 The model doesn’t take a social scientific look at how information is
interpreted differently based on power relationships or identities of those
people communicating with one another.
 3. It doesn’t address one-to-many communication
 The ‘mother of all models’ is silent on the issues that arise when there is
one sender and multiple receivers. For a better analysis of mass
communication, use a model like the Lasswell model of communication.
Conclusion
The Shannon Weaver model of communication is the ‘mother of all models’ of
human communication. It is also known as the ‘information theory’. It is a
mathematical theory considered to be a ‘linear’ communication model.
Created be Claude Shannon and Warren Weaver, it is considered to be a
highly effective communication model that explained the whole
communication process from information source to information receiver.
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