WHAT IS A COMMUNICATION

MODEL?

A communication model is chiefly a process in which

information is channeled, then imparted by the sender to
the receiver through a medium. There are different models
of communication that are relevant to a nurse. These are the
linear, interactive and transactional models.
 3 Different Models of
Communication

Linear model
Interactive model
Transactional model
Linear Model
In linear model, communication is considered one
way process where sender is the only one who sends
message and receiver doesn’t give feedback or
response. The message signal is encoded and
transmitted through channel in presence of noise. The
sender is more prominent in linear model.
Lasswell’s Communication Model

• It was developed by communication

theorist Harold D. Lasswell in 1948.
• Though Lasswell’s model was developed to
analyze mass communication, this model is used
for interpersonal communication or group
communication to disseminate a message to
various groups in various situations.
Aristotle’s Model of Communication
• Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and writer born in Stagira,
Northern Greece.
• While exploring human nature scientifically, Aristotle developed
a linear model of communication for oral communication known as
Aristotle’s Model of Communication.
• This 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.
• It is mainly focused on
speaker and speech. It
can be broadly divided
into 5 primary
elements: Speaker,
Speech, Occasion,
Audience and Effect.
 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.
For instance, a politician(speaker) gives a speech to get
votes from the civilians(audience) at the time of election
(occasion). The civilians only vote if they are influenced by
the things the politician says in his/her speech so the
content must be very impressive to influence the mass and
the speaker must design the message very carefully.

The speech must be clear as well as the speaker must have a

very good non-verbal communication with the audience like
eye contact.
Shannon and Weaver Model Of
Communication
• was created in 1948 when Claude Elwood Shannon wrote
an article “A Mathematical Theory of Communication”
in Bell System Technical Journal with Warren Weaver.
• Shannon was an American mathematician whereas
Weaver was a scientist. The Mathematical theory later
came to be known as Shannon Weaver model of
communication or “mother of all models.” This model is
more technological than other linear models.
 Concepts in Shannon Weaver Model
Sender– is the person who makes the message, chooses
the channel and sends the message.
Encoder– 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– is the machine used to convert signals or binary
data into message or the receiver who translates the
message from signals.
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– is the physical disturbances like environment,
people, etc. which does not let the message get to the
receiver as what is sent.
For instance, brain might be the sender,
mouth might be the encoder which
encodes to a particular language, air
might be the channel, another person’s
ear might be the receptor and his brain
might be the decoder and receiver.
Berlo’s SMCR Model of
Communication
• 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.
• The model also focuses on encoding and decoding
which happens before sender sends the message and
before receiver receives the message respectively.
Berlo’s Model has
mainly, four
components to
describe the
communication
process. They are the
sender, message,
channel and receiver.
Each of the
component is affected
by many factors.
SENDER
The following are the factors related to SENDER and is
also the same in the case of RECIEVER;
• Communication Skills
Communication skills of a person is a factor that affects the communication process. If the
sender has a good communication skills, the message will be communicated perfectly. But if
the receiver cannot grasp the message, then the communication will not be effective.
Communication skills include the skills to speak, present, read, write, listening, etc.
• Attitude
The attitude of the sender and the receiver creates the effect of the message. The person’s
attitude towards self, the receiver and the environment changes the meaning and effect of
the message.
• Knowledge
Familiarity with the subject of the message makes the communicated message have its
effect more. Knowledge on the subject matter makes the communicator send the message
effectively.
• Social Systems
Values, beliefs, laws, rules, religion and many other
social factors affect the sender’s way of
communicating the message. It creates difference in
the generation of message. Place and situation also
fall under social systems.
• Culture
Cultural differences make messages different. A
person from one culture might find something
offensive which is very much accepted in another
culture.
MESSAGE
The key factors affecting the MESSAGE are;
•Content
Content is the thing that is in
the message. The whole
message from beginning to the
end is the content.
•Elements
Elements are the non verbal
things that tag along with the
content like gestures, signs,
language, etc.
•Treatment
Treatment is the way in which the
message is conveyed to the
receiver. Treatment also effects the
feedback of the receiver.
•Code
Code is the form in which the
message is sent. It might be in
the form of language, text,
video, etc.
•Structure
The structure of the message or
the way it has been structured
or arranged, affects the
effectiveness of the message.
•Code
Code is the form in which the
message is sent. It might be in
the form of language, text,
video, etc.
CHANNEL
In mass communication and other forms of communication, technical
machines might be used as a channel like telephone, internet, etc. But
in general communication, the five senses of a human being is the
channel for the communication flow and it affects the effectiveness of
the channel.

Hearing – we receive the message through hearing.

Seeing – we perceive through seeing. We also get non-verbal messages
by seeing.
Touching – many of the non-verbal communication happens from
touching like holding hands.
Smelling – we collect information from smelling.
Tasting – taste also provides the information to be sent as a message.
 RECEIVER
This model believes that the thinking pattern and all
other factors mentioned must be in sync to the sender
for the communication to be effective.
The message might not have the same effect as
intended if the receiver and sender are not similar. The
receiver must also have a very good listening skill.
 Transactional Model of
Communication
 In transactional model, senders and receivers both are
known as communicators and both play equally important
role in communication. Transactional model relates
communication with social reality, cultural up-bringing
and relational context (relationships). Non-verbal
feedback like gestures, body language, is also considered
as feedback in this model.
Barnlund’s Transactional Model of
Communication
• Barnlund’s Transactional Model is a multi-layered
feedback system.
• The message passing takes place with a constant
feedback being provided from both parties. A
feedback for one is the message for the other.
Components of Barlund’s model
Public cues(Cpu) are physical, environmental or
artificial and natural or man-made. Private
cues(Cpr) are also known as private objects of
orientation which include senses of a person.
Cues refers to the signs for doing something. Both
these cues can be verbal as well as non-verbal.
Another set of cues are behavioral cues.
• Behavioral cues can be verbal (Cbehv) as well as non-
verbal (Cbehnv).
The arrows and their
directions show that the
message is intentionally
sent and actively taken
where the receiver plays a
key role of giving feedback.
Arrows also show the
process of production of
technical encoding,
interpretation and
decoding.
Helical Model of Communication
• 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. Helical
model gives geometrical testimony of communication. The
model is linear as well as circular combined and disagrees
the concept of linearity and circularity individually.
 Concept of Helical Model of
Communication
It introduces the concept of time where continuousness of
the communication process and relational interactions are
very important. Communication is taken as a dynamic
process in helical model of communication and it progresses
with age as our experience and vocabulary increases.
At first, helical spring is small at the bottom and grows bigger
as the communication progresses. The same effect can be
seen with communication of humans, where you know
nothing about a person at first and the knowledge grows
steadily as you know the person better.
Slowly, the helix leaves its lower levels of behavior and grows
upward in a new way. It always depends on the lowest level
to form the message. Thus, the communicative relationship
reaches to the next level in which people share more
information.
 Concept of Helical Model of
Communication
It introduces the concept of time where continuousness of
the communication process and relational interactions are
very important. Communication is taken as a dynamic
process in helical model of communication and it progresses
with age as our experience and vocabulary increases.
At first, helical spring is small at the bottom and grows bigger
as the communication progresses. The same effect can be
seen with communication of humans, where you know
nothing about a person at first and the knowledge grows
steadily as you know the person better.
Slowly, the helix leaves its lower levels of behavior and grows
upward in a new way. It always depends on the lowest level
to form the message. Thus, the communicative relationship
reaches to the next level in which people share more
information.
Example of Helical Model of Communication
A child crying at birth signifies the communication of the child to its parents that he/she is
alive. After some years, the child cries whenever the child needs anything like food or
attention. He/she learns words and starts communicating with words.
The child learns specific languages and communicates with the people who know the
language that he/she knows. Communication becomes more complex as the child grows
into adult and to the existing moment. The adult uses the same pronunciations and use of
words or facial expressions that he/she learned when he/she was a child. Communication
is directly dependent on his/her past behavior as a child but can also modify as the person
grows.
In this example, communication evolves with the child crying. This is where the helix is
small at the bottom. And he continues communication, the helix gradually grows. When
the communication becomes more complex, the spiral grows wider. From then on, it grows
steadily as his life goes on.
 Becker’s Mosaic Model of
Communication
• According to Sam Becker, the classical models of
communication are not very useful in contemporary
communication.
• This model explains the complexity of human
communication. It also describes the randomness of
the origin of messages and communication as a
dynamic process. And is believed to reduce the
limitations of the linear models. This model stresses
the meaning of messages.
Every person lives and exists in the web of communications
which reciprocally makes the person unique. Messages
construct humans and humans construct messages. The
constructed message is just a small step to the formation of
complicated communication environment which is known as a
“Mosaic”.

The mosaic is formed from the network of bits of information.

Bits of information help in making a complete picture of any
situation.
There are many sources of information and messages. Every
individual will take the information that he/she needs and
ignores all others. These fragments of information can be
about anything, in any time and in any space. The channels
the bits sent can also vary. These bits are pieced together by
a person as per the needs to form a message. When another
person receives the message, the second person not only
interprets according to the bits of information that is in the
message, but also interprets it with the help of all the past
bits of information the person can relate the message to.
Interactive Model of Communication
 Interactive model or Convergence model is similar to
transactional model as they are both two way
communication model. But, interactive model is
mostly used for new media like internet. Here, people
can respond to any mass communications like videos,
news, etc. And people can exchange their views and
ideas.
THANK YOU