comm class

A Basic Communication Model

COMM/470 Version 4

University of Phoenix Material

A Basic Communications Model

The Basic Communications Model is the starting point for analyzing the communications process in terms of the intent of the sender, the needs of the receiver, and the elements of the communications environment.

Use the model as your starting point when analyzing messages in your assignments.

Purpose

Content

Message

Media

Tools and Channel

Feedback

Noise

Environment

The communications model above shows the basic components present in a simple two-way exchange of information. Every communication, whether it is real-time, such as with a face-to-face meeting or a telephone conversation, or asynchronous, as with e-mail and fax, involves the following:

The environment in which the communication takes place
A sender or encoder who starts with a purpose
A message created to accomplish the purpose through the following:

Content, or the words and images
Media, or the format in which the content is presented, such as audio, text, video, or multimedia

Technology, which is made up of the following:

Encoding and presentation tools
Channels, or data networks appropriate to that technology

Noise, which is anything that reduces the likelihood of the message being interpreted the way the sender intended
A receiver or decoder who interprets the message
A feedback message that reverses the process

Note: A more advanced communication model would consider multiple parties, the different types of each component, and the perceptual filtering of a message done by both the sender and receiver—the characteristics, thoughts, and emotions of all parties that contribute to the message’s formation and interpretation.