Communication Models



Communication Models

The process of conveying verbal messages is important as it is the activity that we are continuously engaged in. in order to grow into a successful conversationalist we should try to understand the process of communication.

The Action Model

As the name demonstrates it is the type of communication that involves one person only. This sort of communication is unidirectional. A man utters certain words in a planned way and in the end obtains the results which he has desired from the people who were listening to him (Murdock, P. 2012, p. 75). This model is applicable to the public speech but on the other hand this model is also used in Shannon and Weaver's (1949) mathematical model of communication (Mcquail 2003, p. 83).

This model of communication consists of the source, message, communication channel, receiver, noise, encoding and decoding. The process of communication in this type begins when a person starts sending message to the listener (Blackwell. A, et.al. 2000, p. 98). This model needs at least two people to get involved in the communication process. Both verbal and/or non verbal ways can be utilized. All of the five senses sight, touch, taste, smell and hearing are used. For decoding the message sent by the sender, it is sent using some channel. The channels which are usually used can be telephone, email, sms, etc or it can be face to face as well. The process is thought to be completed once the message has been sent by the sender (Maginnis 2011 , p.106). But it happens at time that due to some barrier the receiver does not get or understand the message properly. Noise can cause hindrance in receiving the message properly. It is only when the listener or a person at the receiving end of the message decodes the message correctly; the process of communication is successful.

The Interaction Model

The interaction model is same as the action model as it has all of the elements that action model has with the addition of feedback and context. It can also be said that the interaction model is based on the action model with the two additions in it. Feedback is a response of the receiver to the sender. Feedback can be both verbal and/or non verbal. Adler and Towne states that the interaction model is like a tennis game, the verbal and non verbal message move back and forth between the sender and receiver. Furthermore, Beebe et al. also relates to this idea by using Ping Pong ball which jumps back and forth (Idea 2008, p.308).

In this model, context is the environment in which the communication is taking place. If two persons are in the same physical environment and are having communication then they are having a physical context. Context also includes the method in which the message is sent. Paralinguistic actions are also included in context e.g. body language. As compared to the action model which is unidirectional, it is a two way ...