Communication Theories

 

Synopsis of the topic

 A theory is a set of statements or principles devised to explain a group of facts or phenomena, especially one that has been repeatedly. Theories of communication have been developed until the Roman times but between Roman times and the World War 1, communication theories did not evolve a lot.

 

Harold Lasswell develops the first model of communication in 1948. He focuses on verbal message. He emphasizes on the third elements of the communication process: the speaker, the message, and the audience. He suggests different effects for different communication: communicate to inform people, to entertain people, to discuss with them…

 

The Shannon and Weaver’s model (who were mathematicians) measures the accuracy of a message. Information is the most important concept they developed. But the limitation of the model is that it deals with repetitive communication. It is a one-way process. E.g. radio information, when you have no feedback.

 

Schramm’s first model tries to established common element between source and destination. Schramm’s third model becomes circular with a feedback. The sender is also a receiver when he gets the feedback.

 

In the Westley – Malcom MacLean model every communication become with an event.

 

In Kincaids’s convergence model, communication is a process, not a single event. Mutual understanding is the goal of each communicating people.

 

Mass media are TV, the Internet, advertisement, newspapers…

 

Personal examples

 

Theories in communication are really interesting especially those concerning body language. When I make presentations in class, or interviews for jobs, I know that the way I speak, the way I look or the way I move is very important for the audience who listen to me and would impact the message I am communicating.

 

Feedback is really important while communicating. Often when I do team working, I make sure that I have understood my coworkers’ ideas by repeating what I have understood and make them confirm that I get the right message. This is especially true this year because I am in an English-speaking country and this is not my native language which multiplies the risks of miscomprehension.

 

Additional resources

 

- The American Communication Association (ACA), Website: http://www.americancomm.org/about.php

 

- (n.d.), Body language definition, [www page], Answers.com, URL:

http://www.answers.com/topic/body-language?cat=health

 

-  Andy DeSoto, (2008), New theories of using nonverbal communication persuasively, [www page], URL: http://www.andydesoto.com/psychology/new-theories-of-using-nonverbal-communication-persuasively/