COMMUNICATION MODELS

Why is it important that you know the communication models?

You will realize their importance because they will help you understand how a communication that you will be able to make
the communication process effective. It is only by knowing the flow of communication that you will be able to make the
communication process effective.

A model is often abstract. It is a representation of a real world phenomenon applied to different forms. The interplay of
variables in the model is represented graphically. Try to assess later what comprises the communication models and what
variables are common to each of them.

There are many conceptual models for human communication but in this lesson, you will be exposed to only four:
1. Aristotle’s model
2. Laswell’s model
3. Shannon-Weaver’s model
4. David Berlo’s model

Aristotle’s Model
Classical rhetoric dates back to ancient Greece during the time of Plato, Aristotle, and the Greek Sophists who were great
rhetoricians. Effective public speaking was an important consideration in the study of communication. They were good at
argumentation and debate and speech was characterized by repartee.

Note that the speaker variable here is very important. Without the speaker, there will be no speech to be produced. Depending on
the profile of the audience, the speaker adjusts his/her speech. Some considerations for the audience demographics are age, sex,
background, culture, race, religion, gender, social and economic status, and political orientation or inclination, among others.

LASWELL’S MODEL
In 1948, Harold Dwight Laswell described communication as being focused on the following Ws: Who says What in Which channel
to Whom and with What effect as seen in the model below:

The whole process of communication begins with the communicator (who) sending the message ( what) using a medium ( in which
channel) for a receiver ( to whom) experiencing an effect ( with what effect) afterwards. The process may be analyzed through the
content sent, the medium used, as well as the effect on the recipient of the message.

While this model is similar to 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.

SHANNON-WEAVER MODEL
Claude Elwood Shannon and Warren Weaver’s model of communication was introduced in 1949, a year after Laswell’s, for Bell
Laboratories. Originally, it was conceptualized for the functioning of the radio and television serving as model for technical
communication and, later on, adopted in the field of communication.

In this model, other components such as noise, reception, destination, and feedback have been identified. Other terms such as
information source for the sender, transmitter for the encoder, decoder ( reception), and receiver ( destination) were introduced.

BERLO’S MODEL
David Berlo’s model conceptualized in 1960 is probably the most well-known among the communication models. Initially, Berlo’s
model was called SMCR which stands for sender of the message, sent through a channel or medium to a receiver. However, it was
modified later on to include noise, hence the acronym SMCRN
The major variables involved in the communication skills such as listening, speaking, reading, and writing. His/Her attitude towards
the audience or the subject as well as his/her knowledge about the topic on hand likewise counts along with the social system that
he/she is in which includes values, beliefs and practices, and culture.

The second variable which is message includes (1) content; (2) elements such as the language used and gestures employed; (3)
treatment or the manner by which the message is transmitted; and (4) structure which refers to the arrangement or parts or flow
of the message.

The code shows how the message is sent: that is, the language ( verbal code) used and the accompanying gestures ( non-verbal
code) employed. Note that there should be no mismatch between the verbal and non-verbal codes.

The third variable which is channel refers to the different senses: seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching. Finally, the
fourth variable is receiver, the one who decodes the message. Note that the components of this last variable are similar to those of
the first since for communication to be effective, both the source and the receiver should have good communication skills.

If you were to insert noise as an additional variable for SMCR, where do you think will it fit?

GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

Since communication is a two-way process, it is important that you know the principles to be observed to make it effective. For
both oral and written communication, you should be able to apply the following principles:

1. Know your purpose in communicating. ( to inform, to entertain, or to persuade) While you may have one purpose, there is still
a more dominant objective or reason why you communicate.
2. Know your audience. Knowing your audience will dictate the speaking or writing style you are going to employ.

3. Know your topic. You communicate essentially because you want to share something. In speaking situations, speakers are
invited because they have something to share.
4. Adjust your speech or writing to the context of the situation. The environment in which your speech or writing is to be
delivered determines the kind of language you will use.

5. Work on the feedback given you. Once you receive comments from the listeners/readers, work on them. Take kindly the
criticisms. In the long run, constructive criticism will prove beneficial to you as you learn to address them.