|

 

Molly Anderson
 i  

O After reading this presentation, the learner will

be able to:
± identify the first two models of communication
± define mass communication
± and compare and contrast mass communication to
interpersonal communication
2  |

 

O A number of models of communication have

been proposed over the last fifty years. Most
of these models have been built and modified
from previous models.

|

 

O |ommunication science concentrates on the

human aspect of processing information,
regardless of the medium or communication
system being utilized.
O These models are similar to each other, but
each adds at least one important element to
the process and definition of communication
2  |

 

O ¦ome criticism has been made against these

models as being:
± to simplistic
± too linear
± and not reflective of the process of communication
itself.
2  |

 

O ëowever, understanding these models serves

the dual purpose of providing a foundation for
communication theory and improving
communication in multimedia.

2  
|

 

O The first major theory of communication was

developed by |laude ¦hannon, a
telecommunications engineer at Bell
Telephone laboratories.
O Years after ¦hannon¶s model was introduced it
became a general model for human
communication, popularly known as a ³linear
model of communication.´

2  
|

 


 

 




 
 
 
 
a

  


  

2  
|

 

O ¦hannon¶s model as it applies to human

communication is based upon several
fundamental concepts, each of which required
definition and clarification
 
 

O The word information in this theory is used in a

special sense that must not be confused with
its ordinary usage. In particular, information
must not be confused with meaning.
2

O The message is the material that the

information source wishes to transmit to the
destination. The message may consist of
words spoken, sung, written, stored in a
computer and so on.
 
  

O The information source is the entity that is

responsible for selecting or formulating a
particular, desired message out of a set of
possible messages. The information source is
where the message originates or is created.


O The signal is the form in which the message is

physically sent to the recipient.
|


O The channel is the medium over which the

signal is sent.
 


O The transmitter is the entity that changes the

message from the form in which it is created by
the information source into the form in which it
can be sent to the receiver, the signal.
ÿ  

O A noise source is any entity that introduces

something to the signal that was not intended
by the information source.
è

O The received signal is the combination of the

signal and any noise that has been introduced
to the channel.
è

O The receiver performs the opposite function

from the transmitter; it translates the signal into
the message in a form that can be processed
by the destination.
Ñ 

O The destination is the recipient of the message.

 è

O In the basic concepts of ¦hannon¶s model

which concept is responsible for the originating
and creating the message?
 
 




 
   
 

O The correct answer was

± D = Information ¦ource
± The information source is where the message
originates or is created
 
  | 



2  
|

 

O ilbur ¦chramm is considered one of the

founders of modern communication theory. ëe
played an important role in legitimizing
communication as a unique discipline in
academe. ¦chramm¶s research and writing
dealt primarily with the process and effects of
mass communication.



2  
|

 

O ¦chramm added some detail to the existing

model, he included feedback loops, and what
he termed ³field of experience´ and ³role
exchangeability.´



 




 

 


       

   
 
 

   



 

 

 !



   
 
     
 
   



 
  




2 

O ·ncoding and decoding are an integral part of

¦hannon¶s model, but ¦chramm emphasized
that these roles are performed by both the
sender and the receiver.
è

O ¦chramm added a few essential details to

¦hannon¶s model of communication what was
one of the essential details?
 




 

a

| 

O ¦chramm added a feedback loop to the

existing model!
  

O The correct answer was Feedback.

O ¦chramm added a feedback loop to the design.



2 

O ¦chramm introduced the concept he termed

³feedback´ in his model of communication.
Feedback is the return process in which the
originator of a message also acts as the
recipient of a message resulting directly from
the first message.



2 

O In addition to obtaining feedback from the

recipient of the message, people are constantly
monitoring their personal communication
behavior and evaluating it- what is sometimes
termed ³self-monitoring.´
O In face-to-face communication, feedback is
immediate and simultaneous. In mass
communication the feedback is delayed and
indirect.
2|

 

O Mass communication is defined traditionally as

a sender (usually a large media organization)
transmitting messages (usually one-way) to a
large, diverse and heterogeneous, anonymous,
geographically dispersed and socially distant
audience termed ³the mass.´
2|

 

O ëerbert Blumer and Robert ·. Park, over 40

years ago summarized ³the mass´ as follows:
± First it is heterogeneous in composition, its
members coming from all groups of society.
± ¦econd, it is composed of individuals who do not
know each other.
± Third, the members of the mass are spatially
separated from one another or exchanged
experience.
2|

 

± Fourth, the mass has no definite leadership and has

a very loose organization if any at all.
O In addition to the four points listed, many
scholars also note that mass communication
permits only a rather low level of interaction or
feedback both between the sender and the
receiver and among the members of the
audience, compared to face to face
communication.
Ñ 

 

 

O Prior to the advent of personal computers, local

and wide area networks, multimedia and the
widespread use of e-mail and the orld-ide
eb, rather clear distinctions were drawn
between mass communication and
interpersonal communication.
Ñ 

 

 

O iutlined below are the many differences.

± The size of the audience for mass communication is far larger.
± Mass communication consists of many individuals creating one
message.
± Mass communication is a one-way flow of information, not
interactive.
± Mass communication is mediated by sophisticated technology.
± Messages for mass communication are produced, packaged,
distributed, and public.
è

a   

O Mass communication consist of many
individuals creating one message.
| 
  

O The answer was true, mass communication

consist of many individuals creating one
message.
è

O I hope after reading this short presentation on

communication you have gained a better
understanding of how the first two models were
developed as well as what mass
communication is and how it differs from
interpersonal communication.