DEAN BARNLUND (1920-1992)

 1970: he proposed a transactional model of communication for basic interpersonal communication which
articulates that sending and receiving of messages happens simultaneously between people which is popularly
known as Barlund’s Transactional Model of Communication
BARNLUND’S TRANSACTIONAL MODEL
 It is a multi-layered feedback system
 This is a continuous process where sender and receiver interchanges their places and both are equally important.
 articulates that sending and receiving of messages happens simultaneously between people
 The message passing takes place with a constant feedback being provided from both parties. A feedback for one
is the message for the other.

A. Components of Barlund’s model

Communicator refers to both sender and receiver since their role reverses each time in the communication process as
both processes of sending and receiving occurs at the same time. It can be humans or machines.
Since both sender and receiver are necessary to keep the communication alive in transactional model, the
communicators are also interdependent to each other. For example, transactional communication is not possible if the
receiver is not listening to sender.

Message & Feedback. The layers of feedback consist of both verbal and non-verbal cues sent concurrently with the
message itself. This further suggests that the feedback could take equal standing as the message itself.

Medium. In transactional model, efficiency and reliability of communicated message also depends on the medium used.
For example, the same message might not be perceived by a person the same way when it is send through a phone and
when it is provided face to face. It is because of possible loss of message on a phone call or absence of gestures.

Cues refers to the signs for doing something.

 Public cues (Cpu): physical, environmental or artificial and natural or man-made.
 Private cues (Cpr): also known as private objects of orientation which include senses of a person. Both these cues
can be verbal as well as non-verbal. Another set of cues are behavioral cues.
 Behavioral cues: can be verbal (Cbehv) as well as non-verbal (Cbehnv).
*arrows and their directions show that the message is intentionally sent and actively taken where the receiver plays a
key role of giving feedback. Arrows also show the process of production of technical encoding, interpretation and
decoding.
*jagged lines show that the availability of cues can be unlimited and are denoted as VVVV.
*valence signs, +,0 and – are also attached to these types of cues which illustrates the amount/degree/strength of
attractiveness of the cues in the message.

Speech act refers to particular instance of communication in the model.

Filters are the realities of people engaged in communication. Here the senders’ and receivers’ personal filters might differ
according to cultures, traditions, content of the message, etc

Context. The interaction model portrays context as physical and psychological influences that enhance or impede
communication. While these contexts are important, they focus on message transmission and reception. Since the
transaction model of communication views communication as a force that shapes our realities before and after specific
interactions occur, it must account for contextual influences outside of a single interaction.
a. Social context in communication refers to the norms, values, laws and other restrictions of a society to
communicate within a specific limit. It also includes rules that bind people’s ability to communicate. Society
shapes the way a person communicates. Some of the examples are: greeting people when meeting, thanking,
apologizing, et
b. Cultural context is the lifestyle and identity of a person. Caste, class, race, ethnicity, gender, etc are the contexts
which promotes communication. If two people are from the same cultural group, they will have better
communication with each other.
c. Relational context of communication relates to relationship history and manners.

Noise is the problem that arises in communication flow and disturbs the message flow.

B. Advantages and Disadvantages of Barnlund’s Transactional Model of Communication

Advantages
 The model shows shared field experience of the sender and receiver.
 Transactional model talks about simultaneous message sending, noise and feedback.
 Barnlund’s model is taken by critics as the most systematic model of communication.

Disadvantages
 Barnlund’s model is very complex.
 Both the sender and receiver must understand the codes sent by the other. So they must each possess a similar
“code book”. (The concept of code book is not mentioned in the model but understood.)
 Without verbal response, the sender cannot be sure that the receiver got the message as intended. Feedback is an
important component in the communication process, especially in interpersonal communication as it gives a space
to clarify misunderstandings.
 The transactional model gives the opportunity for a lot of noise because the communication is simultaneous. For
example, when many people are talking at the same time in a meeting, the objective of the meeting will not be
fulfilled.