Communication theory is an area of research that describes how messages are sent, received, and interpreted.
Understanding communication theory concepts can help organizations improve communication in the workplace, develop better relationships with customers and stakeholders, and produce better business results.
This article will discuss the building blocks of communication theory, introduce three communication models, and discuss ways to improve communication.
Communication is the foundation for everything we do. Communication theory distills the process of communication into a few basic components. The most important of these include:
Sender: The individual or group that initiates communication. In some models, the sender is the only active party. In others, the sender is part of a feedback loop, or as a participant in a community of messages.
Message: The information or idea to be shared. Messages can operate on more than one level, offering information, emotion, and more. Messages can also be mixed, stating one idea while implying another.
Medium: The means by which the message is shared. The means can be verbal, non-verbal (including tone of voice and body language), written, or symbolic (including pictures or designs).
Receiver: The audience for the message. In some models, the receiver is passive and adds nothing to the message. In others, the receiver adds feedback, comments, or real-time interaction.
Communication theory can be understood through the use of models. Summarized below are some of the most common models, although there are many more to explore. (The terms used below have not been applied consistently. Readers may find articles describing the models in slightly different ways.)
Transmission Model. The Transmission Model, developed in the 1940s, is one of the earliest efforts to characterize communication. It began in part as a description of mass media communication, which at the time mostly consisted of radio, newspapers, magazines, and movies.
In the Transmission Model, the sender creates the message, chooses the medium, and sends it to the receiver. The receiver’s job is to decode and interpret the message. While the receiver can choose how to interpret the message, its role is mostly passive.
Interactive Model. The Interactive Model is a more recent development in communication theory. It treats sender and receiver more equally. While the sender initiates the message, the receiver is able to comment and react to it, often in real time.
The Interactive Model more closely describes online communication than traditional mass media. It features a feedback loop that can influence or change the message. The sender is still the primary source of information, but the receiver now has a more active role.
Transactional Model. The Transactional Model of communication treats sender and receiver interchangeably. Both are active; both initiate messages and provide feedback on the messages they receive.
The Transactional Model most closely resembles a conversation. Non-verbal cues can take on extra importance to convey meaning, form relationships, and create communities. Unlike the step-by-step, “taking turns” paradigm of the Interactive Model, communication is constant and multi-lateral.
A more detailed discussion of the three models above can be found in this article.
The Four Ears Model. The Four Ears Model (or Four Sides Model) was developed in the early 1980s by Friedemann Schulz von Thun. It applies to all types of communication and can be thought of as a supplement to the models above. In the Four Ears Model, each message contains four parts or levels.
Factual: The factual level contains objective information or data to be conveyed through the message.
Self-disclosure: The self-disclosure level adds information about the sender’s state of mind, values, and preferences.
Relationship: The relationship level contains information about the relations between the parties and how they feel about each other.
Appeal: The appeal is what the sender hopes to achieve by sending the message.
To understand a complete message, all four levels need to be considered.
Schulz von Thun gives the example of a passenger saying to the driver of a car, “The traffic lights are green.” The statement is purely factual, but the driver will also draw from the other levels. From the self-disclosure level, the driver may hear, “I’m in a hurry.” From the relationship level, the driver may hear, “Why must I remind you?” From the appeal level, the driver may hear, “Drive faster or I’ll be late!”
The parts of the message beyond the purely factual may, or may not, be what the sender intended to convey. To decipher the sender’s true intention requires the receiver to consider the complete emotional, relational, and social context of the message.
Here are ways to apply communication theory in the organizations. Each of the models described above has a role to play, depending on the type of communication being used.
One-Way Communications (Transmission Model): Communications that make use of the Transmission Model can include advertisements, departmental memos, group emails, and speaker presentations. The burden is on the sender to make the message as clear and memorable as possible.
The sender must also keep in mind the context of the message (social, economic, etc.), likely interpretations, cultural biases, and more. As a result, a clear, simple message will be much more effective than a subtle, nuanced one that may be misunderstood.
Two-Way Communication (Interactive Model): The Interactive Model describes two-way communication, and it’s particularly useful for online communications like email, texts, or social media posts. It can also describe online interactions like search and shopping. The sender generally has the burden of starting the interaction, while the receiver gives feedback.
The process has become more useful, and user-friendly thanks to artificial intelligence, machine learning, and ubiquitous tracking cookies. Senders know much more about their audience than ever. The challenge is to provide many ways to engage, and to give reasons for users to keep coming back.
Multi-Lateral Communication (Transactional Model): Finally, we come to multi-lateral communication, described by the Transactional Model. As in a conversation, message, feedback, and commentary happen almost simultaneously. The speaker can see the reactions of the audience while still delivering the message, for example.
The best way to master the Transactional Model is to develop active listening and pay attention to non-verbal communication. Becoming a better listener doesn’t just help to understand a message, for example. It can help a speaker craft the message to respond to audience concerns and feedback. In a similar way, improving non-verbal communication can help to reinforce a message and gauge listener reactions.
Communication is central to everything we do. Communication theory offers tools to understand how communication happens and to improve it. Better communication is the key to better results and relationships, both for individuals and organizations.
© Dr. Vic all rights reserved.
TEP.Global not only has a combined 100 years of experience and expertise in people management, talent acquisition, executive assessment, but also deep knowledge in building teams and workplace culture in organizations of all sizes. For more information and insights, please contact us.
Leave a Reply