Communication Models Overview

Study Notes

Linear communication models are one-way and often used for PR, sales, and marketing.
They focus on the sender, the channel, and the receiver.
They may include noise as a factor that can influence the message.

Developed in 300 BC.
Focuses on the sender's effectiveness in persuading the receiver.
The audience is passive.
Key elements for effective communication:
- Ethos: The credibility of the speaker.
- Pathos: Emotional connection between speaker and audience.
- Logos: Logical structure and reasoning in the message.
Main components:
- Speaker: The source of the message.
- Speech: The message delivered.
- Occasion: The context in which the communication occurs.
- Target Audience: The receivers of the message.
- Effect: The intended impact on the audience.

Focuses on five key elements of the communication process:
- Who?: The communicator or sender.
- Says what?: The message being sent.
- In which channel?: The medium used for communication.
- To whom?: The receiver or audience.
- With what effect?: The intended result or impact on the receiver.
This model highlights the importance of understanding the effect the message has on the receiver.

Focuses on the technical aspects of communication, particularly in transmitting information through electronic channels.
It highlights the potential for noise to interfere with clear transmission.
Key elements:
- Sender: The source of the message.
- Encoder: Translates the message into code suitable for the channel.
- Channel: The medium used for transmission.
- Decoder: Interprets the encoded message.
- Receiver: The intended recipient of the message.
- Noise: Any interference that can disrupt communication.

This model outlines a four-step process for effective message transmission:
- Sender: Refers to the communicator and includes their skills, attitudes, knowledge, and socio-cultural background.
- Message: Includes the content, structure, code, and treatment of the message itself.
- Channel: Includes the medium of communication, such as visual, auditory, or tactile.
- Receiver: Refers to the recipient of the message and includes their skills, attitudes, knowledge, and socio-cultural background.
The key is to ensure that the sender and receiver have common ground in their communication.

Emphasizes the importance of feedback in communication.
The sender and receiver both decode and encode messages, creating a continuous flow of information.
It acknowledges that both parties are simultaneously both sender and receiver.

Focuses on gatekeepers, who control the flow of information to different groups.
The model emphasizes that communication is a complex process involving multiple stakeholders.

Highlight the dynamic and interactive nature of communication.
Recognizes that communication is a continuous flow of messages, influence, and meaning-making.

Recognizes that communication is a simultaneous process of sending and receiving messages.
The model illustrates how communication can be influenced by various factors such as cultural background, social context, and personal experiences.

Emphasizes that communication is a cumulative and progressive process.
The model compares communication to a helix, where each turn builds upon the previous one, resulting in a constantly evolving and complex exchange of messages.
This model suggests that communication experiences shape future interactions.