Models of communication refers to the conceptual model used to explain the

human communication process. These models help us to visualize the process of

communication more clearly. The basic purpose of a model is to capture the
essential features of a real situation simplified form so that it can be described,
explained and understood more easily.
Schramm was the first academic professional to identify himself as a
communications scholar, he created the first academic degree in communications,
and he trained the first generation of communications scholars. Wilbur Schramm
(19071987) introduced a model that illustrated the importance of interpersonal
communication. He is considered by many people to be the father of the study of
communications, and he played a critical role in the development of this research.
It proceeded from a relatively simple individual form of communication to a
complex model involving interaction between two parties. Schramm established a
model of communication that attempts to explain the problems inherent in human
communication. His model evolved in stages.
The signal is symbols that are produced and transmitted. The decoder is the
process by which symbols are received and converted into ideas by the person
receiving the information. The encoder is the process by which ideas are
converted to symbols for transmission to another person. The source is the mind
of the person starting the communication process. In the first stage of Schramms
model, a source sends a message through an encoder; the message is received by a
decoder and transmitted to its designation.
This is the only portion of the information that is communicated because it is
the only shared portion of the signal that both parties understand. Schramm slowly
modified his first-stage model to include the concept that only the information that
is shared in the respective parties fields of experience is actually communicated.
This model includes the feedback of continuously shared information.
Schramm will be remembered as the father of communications and a remarkable
scholar who formalized the study of this important discipline In the third stage of
the model, communication is viewed as an interaction in which both parties actively
encode, interpret, decode, transmit, and receive signals. Schramms contribution
to communications theory included the concept that each person has a field of
experience that controls both the encoding and decoding of information and
determines the meaning of this information.
-After learning the Shannon weaver model, lets find out about Schramms model of
communication which has its roots from the Shannon weaver model itself.
Wilber Schramm proposed the model of communication in 1954.
Information is of no use unless and until it is carefully put into words and conveyed to others.
Encoding plays a very important role because it initiates the process of communication by

converting the thought into content. When the information reaches the recipient his prime
responsibility is to understand what the speaker intends to convey. Unless and until the second
party is able to understand or decode the information what the sender wants to communicate,
the message is actually of no use. Thus encoding and decoding are two most important factors
of an effective communication without which information can never flow between two
individuals. Schramms model also revolves around the above principle. According to the
Schramms model, coding and decoding are the two essential processes of an effective
communication.
He also emphasizes that the communication is incomplete unless and until the sender receives
a feedback from the recipient. Imagine a person sharing his thoughts with his friend and his
friend not responding to him. Is the communication complete? NO.Schramm believed that
communication is actually a two way process between the first party and the second party.
Let us understand more with the help of an example
Jennifer to Sam -Will you accompany me for a movie ?
Sam kept mum and did not respond and hence the communication between Sam and Jennifer
was not complete. If Sam was not interested for the movie, he could have responded or given
the feedback to Jennifer about his unwillingness. According to Schramms model, whenever the
information reaches the recipient, it becomes his responsibility to give the feedback and let him
know if he has downloaded the message in exactly the same manner the speaker wanted. If he
is not clear with anything or has any doubts, it must be cleared with the speaker. Thus when the
speaker conveys any message to the listener, the listener, decodes the message and once
again passes the message to the speaker after understanding it and completing the full circle.
Sender
M M
Receiver
M - Stands for message
Schramm believed that an individuals knowledge, experience and cultural background also play
an important role in communication. Individuals from diverse cultures, religion or background
tend to interpret the message in different ways.
Billy to Servant - Please bring something hot for me to drink as I am suffering from sore throat.
The servant brought him a glass of lukewarm water but Billy actually wanted a cup of hot
chocolate coffee. Hence different interpretation by the servant. He was not on the common
grounds with Billy and failed to understand his masters information. It was neither Billys nor the
servants fault but actually the differences in both their backgrounds which was to blame.
Go through another example
John to Teddy -I get late for my office, please buy me a clock
Teddy went to a local market and gifted a clock to John and John was never late to office after
that. He could have also misinterpreted the message, then how come he could understand his

friends desire? A Clock is always a clock whether Teddy has to bring it or any other individual
has to bring it. A clock can never be confused with a wrist watch or for that matter something
else. There are some messages which are more or less same for everyone. They are called as
messages with a Denotative meaning which are almost the same for all individuals and in such
cases chances of misinterpretation and misunderstanding gets nullified.
Please once again refer to the above situation of John and Teddy and slightly modify the
situation. When John wanted a clock, Teddy brought two clocks for him as he was two
concerned for John and didnt want him to get late. In this case John actually wanted a single
clock but Teddy brought his emotional quotient and personal affection in between. Such
meanings are called Connotative meaning which are affected by emotional factors. A message
can also get distorted due to wrong body movements, gestures, facial expressions and many
other factors.
To conclude according to this model of communication when a sender passes on the
information to the receiver, the receiver must interpret it in the desired form the sender wants
and give him the feedback or respond accordingly. Any communication where the sender does
not get the feedback, the communication is not complete and thus ineffective.

1. COMMUNICATING
2. Communication can occur in many ways
3. TRANSMISSION MODEL OF COMMUNICATIONAll of this parts models are important
in order for yourcommunication to be successful or a failure.
4. SENDERThe sender is the primary communicator, the sender controlsthe type of
communication.
5. ENCODINGWe use encoding by using verbal/non-verbal ideas andthoughts to
process the communication
6. MESSAGEThe message if what the sender wants you to know.
7. CHANNELThe channel is the way the message is send, the way you wantto
message to be translated to.
8. RECEIVERThe receiver is the person that receives the message that thesender
communicated.
9. DECODINGThe purpose for decoding is for the receiver to be able tocomprehend
the senders message to its best ofunderstanding.
10. FEEDBACKThe feedback that is giving to the sender provides the proofhow well
the receiver was able to decode the message.
11. NOISEThe noise can be anything that prevents the sender messageto be
received correctly.

Aristotle, a great philosopher initiative the earliest mass communication model

called Aristotles Model of Communication. He proposed model before 300 B.C
who found the importance of audience role in communication chain in his
communication model. This model is more focused on public speaking than
interpersonal communication.
Aristotle Model of Communication is formed with 5 basic elements
(i) Speaker, (ii) Speech, (iii) Occasion, (iv) Audience and (v) Effect.
Aristotle advises speakers to build speech for different audience on different time
(occasion) and for different effects.

Speaker plays an important role in Public speaking. The speaker must prepare his
speech and analysis audience needs before he enters into the stage. His words should
influence in audience mind and persuade their thoughts towards him.
Example:
Alexander gave brave speech to his soldiers in the war field to defeat Persian Empire.
Speaker

Alexander

Speech

about his invasion

Occasion

War field

Audience

Soldiers

Effect

To defeat Persia

Aristotle was the first to take an initiative and design the communication model.
Let us first go through a simple situation.
In a political meeting, the prospective leader delivers speech to the audience urging for more
votes from the constituency. He tries to convince the crowd in the best possible way he can so
that he emerges as a winner.What is he actually doing ?
He is delivering his speech in a manner that the listeners would get convinced and cast their
votes only in his favour, or in other words respond in the same manner the speaker wanted to.
Here the leader or the speaker or the sender is the centre of attraction and the crowd simply the
passive listeners.
The example actually explains the Aristotle model of communication.
According to this model, the speaker plays a key role in communication. He is the one who
takes complete charge of the communication. The sender first prepares a content which he
does by carefully putting his thoughts in words with an objective of influencing the listeners or
the recipients, who would then respond in the senders desired way. No points in guessing that
the content has to be very very impressive in this model for the audience or the receivers to get
convinced. The model says that the speaker communicates in such a way that the listeners get
influenced and respond accordingly.
The speaker must be very careful about his selection of words and content in this model of
communication. He should understand his target audience and then prepare his speech. Making
eye contact with the second party is again a must to create an impact among the listeners. Let
us again go through the first example. The politician must understand the needs of the people in
his constituency like the need of a shopping mall, better transport system, safety of girls etc and
then design his speech. His speech should address all the above issues and focus on providing
the solutions to their problems to expect maximum votes from them. His tone and pitch should
also be loud and clear enough for the people to hear and understand the speech properly.
Stammering, getting nervous in between of a conversation must be avoided. Voice modulations
also play a very important role in creating the desired effect. Blank expressions, confused looks
and similar pitch all through the speech make it monotonous and nullify its effect. The speaker
should know where to lay more stress on, highlight which words to influence the listeners.
One will definitely purchase the mobile handset from that store where the sales man gives an
impressive demo of the mobile. It depends on the sales man what to speak and how to speak in
a manner to influence the listeners so that they respond to him in a way he actually wants i.e.
purchase the handset and increase his billing.
The Aristotle model of communication is the widely accepted and the most common model of
communication where the sender sends the information or a message to the receivers to
influence them and make them respond and act accordingly. Aristotle model of communication
is the golden rule to excel in public speaking, seminars, lectures where the sender makes his

point clear by designing an impressive content, passing on the message to the second part and
they simply respond accordingly. Here the sender is the active member and the receiver is
passive one.