The interactive model of communication is a conceptual framework that views communication as a transactional and interactive process. It deviates from earlier linear models of communication, such as the Shannon-Weaver model, which portrayed communication as a one-way flow of information from sender to receiver. In contrast, the interactive model recognizes that communication is a complex and dynamic exchange involving both the sender and the receiver as active participants.
Communication is an essential part of human interaction, allowing us to convey thoughts, ideas, and emotions to one another. Among the various models of communication, the interactive model stands out as a dynamic and two-way process that emphasizes the active participation of both the sender and the receiver.
To understand the interactive model of communication, it is essential to grasp its key components:
Sender: The sender is the individual or entity initiating the communication. They encode their thoughts, ideas, or messages into a form that can be transmitted to the receiver.
Message: The message is the content or information being communicated. It can take various forms, including spoken words, written text, visual images, gestures, or nonverbal cues.
Channel: The channel is the medium or means through which the message is transmitted. It can be face-to-face conversation, a telephone call, an email, a television broadcast, or any other communication medium.
Receiver: The receiver is the individual or entity who receives and decodes the message. They interpret the message based on their knowledge, experiences, and cultural background.
Feedback: Feedback is the response or reaction provided by the receiver after interpreting the message. It can be verbal or nonverbal and serves as a crucial element in the interactive model.
Context: The context refers to the circumstances, environment, and situation in which the communication occurs. It includes factors such as the physical setting, cultural norms, and the relationship between sender and receiver.
Dynamic Nature of the Interactive Model
What sets the interactive model apart from linear models is its dynamic nature. In this model, communication is an ongoing and iterative process that involves continuous feedback and adjustment. Here’s how it works:
The sender encodes their message and transmits it through a chosen channel.
The receiver receives the message, decodes it, and provides feedback to the sender.
The sender, in turn, interprets the receiver’s feedback and adjusts their message or communication style if necessary.
This cycle continues, with each iteration potentially refining the understanding and effectiveness of the communication.
Significance of the Interactive Model in Modern Society
The interactive model of communication holds significant relevance in modern society for several reasons:
1. Facilitating Understanding
In complex and diverse societies, effective communication is essential for mutual understanding. The interactive model encourages active listening and feedback, fostering clearer and more accurate communication between individuals and groups.
2. Enhancing Relationships
Effective communication is at the heart of healthy relationships, whether in personal, professional, or societal contexts. The interactive model promotes open dialogue, empathy, and the resolution of conflicts through active engagement.
3. Adapting to Diverse Audiences
In an interconnected world, individuals and organizations often communicate with diverse audiences. The interactive model acknowledges the need to adapt messages and communication styles to suit the specific needs and backgrounds of receivers.
4. Supporting Technological Advancements
The rapid advancement of communication technologies has transformed how people connect and interact. The interactive model accommodates these technological changes by emphasizing the importance of feedback and responsiveness in virtual and digital communication.
5. Encouraging Inclusivity
Effective communication requires recognizing and respecting cultural differences, language preferences, and communication norms. The interactive model promotes inclusivity by valuing the perspectives and feedback of all participants.
Examples of the Interactive Model of Communication
The interactive model of communication is pervasive in various real-life scenarios:
1. Workplace Communication
In a professional setting, effective communication involves more than just conveying information. It requires active listening, interpreting nonverbal cues, seeking clarification, and providing feedback to ensure that messages are clearly understood and objectives are met.
2. Educational Settings
In classrooms and educational institutions, the interactive model plays a critical role. Teachers and students engage in a continuous exchange of ideas, questions, and responses. Students ask questions, seek clarification, and provide feedback to enhance their understanding.
3. Social Media
Social media platforms exemplify the interactive model of communication. Users share posts, comments, and messages with their followers, who respond with likes, shares, comments, and reactions. This ongoing dialogue shapes the content and direction of online discussions.
4. Customer Service
When customers interact with businesses or service providers, the interactive model comes into play. Customers convey their inquiries, complaints, or feedback, and customer service representatives respond with information, solutions, or further assistance. The iterative nature of this communication aims to meet the customer’s needs effectively.
Challenges in the Interactive Model of Communication
While the interactive model offers many advantages, it is not without its challenges:
1. Noise and Distortion
The transmission of messages through various channels can introduce noise or distortion that interferes with effective communication. Noise can include physical distractions, language barriers, or misinterpretation of nonverbal cues.
2. Receiver Interpretation
The interpretation of messages by receivers can vary based on their individual perspectives, beliefs, and experiences. This subjectivity can lead to misunderstandings or miscommunication.
3. Feedback Receptiveness
Not all communicators are equally receptive to feedback. Some may resist criticism or become defensive, hindering the iterative nature of the interactive model.
4. Technology-Mediated Communication
In the digital age, the reliance on technology for communication can present challenges, such as misinterpretation of tone in text-based messages or the loss of nonverbal cues in virtual interactions.
Strategies for Effective Interactive Communication
To navigate the challenges and harness the potential of the interactive model of communication, individuals and organizations can adopt the following strategies:
1. Active Listening
Actively listen to others by giving them your full attention, asking clarifying questions, and demonstrating empathy. This fosters better understanding and more meaningful interactions.
2. Open and Honest Feedback
Encourage open and honest feedback from all parties involved in the communication process. Constructive criticism and feedback can lead to improved communication and outcomes.
3. Adaptation to Audience
Recognize the diversity of your audience and tailor your communication style and message to suit their needs, preferences, and cultural backgrounds.
4. Nonverbal Communication
Pay attention to nonverbal cues, such as body language, facial expressions, and gestures, as they can convey important information and emotions.
5. Use of Technology
Leverage technology to enhance interactive communication, but be mindful of its limitations. Utilize video calls, instant messaging, and collaboration tools effectively while considering the nuances of virtual interactions.
6. Conflict Resolution
Develop conflict resolution skills to address disagreements and misunderstandings promptly and constructively. Effective conflict resolution is essential for maintaining productive relationships.
Conclusion
The interactive model of communication offers a dynamic and participatory framework for understanding how individuals and groups connect, convey information, and build relationships. Its emphasis on active participation, feedback, and adaptation to diverse audiences makes it a valuable approach in modern society, where effective communication is pivotal for understanding, collaboration, and progress. By recognizing the significance of the interactive model and employing strategies for effective communication, individuals and organizations can navigate the complexities of human interaction with greater success and empathy.
Company
Scenario
Interactive Communication Strategy
Outcome
Slack
Internal tool for Tiny Speck
Engaged directly with early users for feedback through community channels and direct interaction
Refined product, rapid user growth, strong community advocacy
Airbnb
Targeting conference attendees
Actively communicated with early hosts and guests for feedback, iterated on platform based on direct input
Built trust and credibility, refined platform, expanded rapidly
Dropbox
Focused on tech-savvy early adopters
Used forums and user feedback to iterate on features and fix issues quickly
Rapid adoption, high user satisfaction, growth through referrals
Buffer
Social media scheduling tool
Engaged users via social media and surveys for feature suggestions and feedback
Developed a loyal user base, improved product features, increased subscriptions
Spotify
Music enthusiasts in Sweden
Leveraged user feedback and data analytics to personalize recommendations and improve user experience
High user engagement, rapid growth, expanded globally
Notion
Productivity enthusiasts
Interacted with users through forums and direct feedback to refine features and usability
Built a dedicated user base, strong word-of-mouth growth, expanded to larger teams
Clubhouse
Audio-based social networking
Engaged directly with high-profile users for feedback and suggestions, used user input to shape platform development
Generated media buzz, rapid growth, widespread adoption
Instagram
iPhone users for mobile photography
Used user feedback and data to improve features like filters and hashtags
Rapid adoption, strong community engagement, expanded to broader audience
Snapchat
Teenagers and young adults
Continuous feedback loop with users to introduce new features like Stories and Snap Map
High engagement, rapid growth, became a leading social media platform
LinkedIn
Professionals and job seekers
Engaged with users through surveys and direct interaction to improve profile features and networking tools
Built a strong professional network, expanded features, increased user engagement
Twitter
Tech-savvy early adopters
Actively monitored user feedback and suggestions to improve platform and introduce new features
High user engagement, widespread adoption, significant impact on social media landscape
Zoom
Small businesses and startups
Collected user feedback through surveys and direct interaction to improve video conferencing features
Rapid user adoption, high satisfaction, became a dominant player in the market
Yelp
Urban dwellers for local business reviews
Encouraged user feedback and reviews, engaged with reviewers directly to improve platform
Built a strong community, increased site traffic, expanded service offerings
Pinterest
Hobbyists and DIY enthusiasts
Leveraged user feedback to improve visual bookmarking and discovery features
High user engagement, rapid growth, expanded to broader audience
Glossier
Beauty enthusiasts
Used social media and direct feedback to co-create products with users
Built a loyal customer base, strong brand recognition, expanded product line
Trello
Project managers and small teams
Collected user feedback through forums and direct interaction to improve task management features
High adoption among small teams, continuous feature improvement, acquired by Atlassian
Medium
Writers and bloggers
Engaged directly with writers for feedback, used suggestions to improve publishing platform
Attracted high-quality content, built a loyal reader base, expanded to a broader audience
Kickstarter
Creators and backers in creative fields
Actively communicated with project creators and backers for platform improvements and feature suggestions
Rapid growth in projects and backers, significant funding for creative endeavors
Hootsuite
Social media managers and marketers
Collected feedback through user forums and direct interaction to improve social media management tools
Built a loyal user base, continuous feature development, increased market presence
Peloton
Fitness enthusiasts and busy professionals
Used user feedback to improve workout content and bike features, engaged with community through forums and social media
Built a dedicated user base, rapid growth in subscriptions, expanded product offerings
Casper
Young adults and urban dwellers
Engaged with customers through surveys and direct feedback to improve mattress quality and customer experience
Rapid growth in sales, strong brand recognition, expanded product line
Related Concepts, Frameworks, or Models
Description
When to Apply
Interactive Model of Communication
The Interactive Model of Communication depicts communication as a dynamic and transactional process involving the exchange of messages between sender(s) and receiver(s). It emphasizes feedback, context, and shared meaning creation through encoding, decoding, and interpretation of messages.
Understanding the Interactive Model of Communication is crucial in communication studies, interpersonal relationships, and organizational communication to analyze communication dynamics, improve message clarity and effectiveness, and enhance mutual understanding and rapport between communicators.
Transactional Communication
Transactional communication views communication as a reciprocal and simultaneous exchange of messages between sender(s) and receiver(s) where both parties contribute to the communication process. It emphasizes the interdependence and mutual influence of communicators in shaping meanings and outcomes.
Applying transactional communication is essential in interpersonal communication, counseling, and conflict resolution to foster open dialogue, active listening, and empathy, as well as in team communication and collaboration to promote synergy, cooperation, and collective problem-solving.
Feedback
Feedback refers to the response or reaction to a message sent by the receiver(s) back to the sender(s). It provides information about the effectiveness, clarity, and impact of the message and allows for adjustments or modifications to improve communication outcomes.
Incorporating feedback is important in communication channels, customer service, and instructional design to assess audience understanding, address misunderstandings or concerns, and refine communication strategies and delivery methods, as well as in performance evaluation and coaching to provide constructive feedback and support skill development.
Encoding and Decoding
Encoding involves translating thoughts, ideas, or feelings into a symbolic form, such as language, gestures, or visuals, to convey a message to others. Decoding is the process of interpreting and making sense of received messages by assigning meaning to symbols or signs based on personal experiences and cultural context.
Understanding encoding and decoding is essential in media studies, advertising, and cross-cultural communication to analyze how messages are constructed, encoded, and decoded by different audiences, as well as in language teaching and translation to facilitate accurate message transmission and comprehension across linguistic and cultural boundaries.
Context
Context refers to the environmental, situational, and cultural factors that influence communication interactions and meanings. It includes physical settings, social norms, historical background, and relational dynamics that shape the interpretation and reception of messages.
Considering context is crucial in communication planning, marketing strategies, and crisis communication to tailor messages to specific audiences, adapt communication styles to different contexts, and anticipate potential barriers or misunderstandings, as well as in cross-cultural communication and intercultural training to navigate cultural differences and promote effective communication across diverse contexts.
Noise
Noise refers to any interference or distortion that disrupts the transmission or reception of messages during the communication process. It can be physical noise (e.g., loud sounds), semantic noise (e.g., language barriers), or psychological noise (e.g., distractions or biases).
Managing noise is important in communication channels, public speaking, and media production to minimize distractions, clarify messages, and ensure message comprehension and retention, as well as in conflict resolution and negotiation to identify and address communication barriers that may impede conflict resolution or consensus-building efforts.
Channel
Channel refers to the medium or means through which messages are transmitted between sender(s) and receiver(s). It can be verbal (e.g., face-to-face conversation), nonverbal (e.g., body language), written (e.g., letters or emails), or digital (e.g., social media or video conferencing).
Choosing the appropriate channel is essential in communication planning, marketing campaigns, and organizational communication to reach target audiences effectively, consider message richness and immediacy, and accommodate audience preferences and technological capabilities, as well as in media literacy and digital citizenship to critically evaluate communication channels and media effects on society and individuals.
Shared Meaning
Shared meaning refers to the mutual understanding and agreement on the interpretation of messages between sender(s) and receiver(s). It involves achieving alignment of intentions, perceptions, and expectations to establish common ground and facilitate effective communication.
Cultivating shared meaning is important in team communication, organizational culture, and relationship building to foster trust, collaboration, and cohesion, as well as in negotiation and conflict resolution to bridge differences in perspectives, clarify misunderstandings, and achieve mutually acceptable outcomes, as well as in leadership communication to inspire shared vision and values and mobilize collective action towards common goals.
Relational Communication
Relational communication focuses on the quality and dynamics of interpersonal relationships formed through communication interactions. It emphasizes empathy, authenticity, and trust-building in fostering meaningful connections and maintaining relational satisfaction and intimacy.
Practicing relational communication is important in interpersonal relationships, counseling, and therapy to cultivate empathy, active listening, and emotional support, as well as in organizational leadership and team dynamics to build rapport, resolve conflicts, and foster a positive work environment conducive to collaboration and innovation.
Mediated Communication
Mediated communication refers to communication that occurs through technological or digital channels, such as email, social media, or video conferencing. It extends the reach and accessibility of communication but may also introduce challenges related to message interpretation and interpersonal connection.
Understanding mediated communication is important in digital literacy, online communication, and virtual teamwork to navigate the nuances of digital communication platforms, manage information overload, and maintain meaningful connections in virtual environments, as well as in media studies and communication research to investigate the impact of technology on communication patterns, social interactions, and identity formation.
Convergent thinking occurs when the solution to a problem can be found by applying established rules and logical reasoning. Whereas divergent thinking is an unstructured problem-solving method where participants are encouraged to develop many innovative ideas or solutions to a given problem. Where convergent thinking might work for larger, mature organizations where divergent thinking is more suited for startups and innovative companies.
The concept of cognitive biases was introduced and popularized by the work of Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman in 1972. Biases are seen as systematic errors and flaws that make humans deviate from the standards of rationality, thus making us inept at making good decisions under uncertainty.
Second-order thinking is a means of assessing the implications of our decisions by considering future consequences. Second-order thinking is a mental model that considers all future possibilities. It encourages individuals to think outside of the box so that they can prepare for every and eventuality. It also discourages the tendency for individuals to default to the most obvious choice.
Lateral thinking is a business strategy that involves approaching a problem from a different direction. The strategy attempts to remove traditionally formulaic and routine approaches to problem-solving by advocating creative thinking, therefore finding unconventional ways to solve a known problem. This sort of non-linear approach to problem-solving, can at times, create a big impact.
Bounded rationality is a concept attributed to Herbert Simon, an economist and political scientist interested in decision-making and how we make decisions in the real world. In fact, he believed that rather than optimizing (which was the mainstream view in the past decades) humans follow what he called satisficing.
The Dunning-Kruger effect describes a cognitive bias where people with low ability in a task overestimate their ability to perform that task well. Consumers or businesses that do not possess the requisite knowledge make bad decisions. What’s more, knowledge gaps prevent the person or business from seeing their mistakes.
Occam’s Razor states that one should not increase (beyond reason) the number of entities required to explain anything. All things being equal, the simplest solution is often the best one. The principle is attributed to 14th-century English theologian William of Ockham.
The Lindy Effect is a theory about the ageing of non-perishable things, like technology or ideas. Popularized by author Nicholas Nassim Taleb, the Lindy Effect states that non-perishable things like technology age – linearly – in reverse. Therefore, the older an idea or a technology, the same will be its life expectancy.
Antifragility was first coined as a term by author, and options trader Nassim Nicholas Taleb. Antifragility is a characteristic of systems that thrive as a result of stressors, volatility, and randomness. Therefore, Antifragile is the opposite of fragile. Where a fragile thing breaks up to volatility; a robust thing resists volatility. An antifragile thing gets stronger from volatility (provided the level of stressors and randomness doesn’t pass a certain threshold).
Systems thinking is a holistic means of investigating the factors and interactions that could contribute to a potential outcome. It is about thinking non-linearly, and understanding the second-order consequences of actions and input into the system.
Vertical thinking, on the other hand, is a problem-solving approach that favors a selective, analytical, structured, and sequential mindset. The focus of vertical thinking is to arrive at a reasoned, defined solution.
Maslow’s Hammer, otherwise known as the law of the instrument or the Einstellung effect, is a cognitive bias causing an over-reliance on a familiar tool. This can be expressed as the tendency to overuse a known tool (perhaps a hammer) to solve issues that might require a different tool. This problem is persistent in the business world where perhaps known tools or frameworks might be used in the wrong context (like business plans used as planning tools instead of only investors’ pitches).
The Peter Principle was first described by Canadian sociologist Lawrence J. Peter in his 1969 book The Peter Principle. The Peter Principle states that people are continually promoted within an organization until they reach their level of incompetence.
The straw man fallacy describes an argument that misrepresents an opponent’s stance to make rebuttal more convenient. The straw man fallacy is a type of informal logical fallacy, defined as a flaw in the structure of an argument that renders it invalid.
The Streisand Effect is a paradoxical phenomenon where the act of suppressing information to reduce visibility causes it to become more visible. In 2003, Streisand attempted to suppress aerial photographs of her Californian home by suing photographer Kenneth Adelman for an invasion of privacy. Adelman, who Streisand assumed was paparazzi, was instead taking photographs to document and study coastal erosion. In her quest for more privacy, Streisand’s efforts had the opposite effect.
As highlighted by German psychologist Gerd Gigerenzer in the paper “Heuristic Decision Making,” the term heuristic is of Greek origin, meaning “serving to find out or discover.” More precisely, a heuristic is a fast and accurate way to make decisions in the real world, which is driven by uncertainty.
The recognition heuristic is a psychological model of judgment and decision making. It is part of a suite of simple and economical heuristics proposed by psychologists Daniel Goldstein and Gerd Gigerenzer. The recognition heuristic argues that inferences are made about an object based on whether it is recognized or not.
The representativeness heuristic was first described by psychologists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky. The representativeness heuristic judges the probability of an event according to the degree to which that event resembles a broader class. When queried, most will choose the first option because the description of John matches the stereotype we may hold for an archaeologist.
The take-the-best heuristic is a decision-making shortcut that helps an individual choose between several alternatives. The take-the-best (TTB) heuristic decides between two or more alternatives based on a single good attribute, otherwise known as a cue. In the process, less desirable attributes are ignored.
The bundling bias is a cognitive bias in e-commerce where a consumer tends not to use all of the products bought as a group, or bundle. Bundling occurs when individual products or services are sold together as a bundle. Common examples are tickets and experiences. The bundling bias dictates that consumers are less likely to use each item in the bundle. This means that the value of the bundle and indeed the value of each item in the bundle is decreased.
The Barnum Effect is a cognitive bias where individuals believe that generic information – which applies to most people – is specifically tailored for themselves.
First-principles thinking – sometimes called reasoning from first principles – is used to reverse-engineer complex problems and encourage creativity. It involves breaking down problems into basic elements and reassembling them from the ground up. Elon Musk is among the strongest proponents of this way of thinking.
The ladder of inference is a conscious or subconscious thinking process where an individual moves from a fact to a decision or action. The ladder of inference was created by academic Chris Argyris to illustrate how people form and then use mental models to make decisions.
Goodhart’s Law is named after British monetary policy theorist and economist Charles Goodhart. Speaking at a conference in Sydney in 1975, Goodhart said that “any observed statistical regularity will tend to collapse once pressure is placed upon it for control purposes.” Goodhart’s Law states that when a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure.
The Six Thinking Hats model was created by psychologist Edward de Bono in 1986, who noted that personality type was a key driver of how people approached problem-solving. For example, optimists view situations differently from pessimists. Analytical individuals may generate ideas that a more emotional person would not, and vice versa.
The Mandela effect is a phenomenon where a large group of people remembers an event differently from how it occurred. The Mandela effect was first described in relation to Fiona Broome, who believed that former South African President Nelson Mandela died in prison during the 1980s. While Mandela was released from prison in 1990 and died 23 years later, Broome remembered news coverage of his death in prison and even a speech from his widow. Of course, neither event occurred in reality. But Broome was later to discover that she was not the only one with the same recollection of events.
The bandwagon effect tells us that the more a belief or idea has been adopted by more people within a group, the more the individual adoption of that idea might increase within the same group. This is the psychological effect that leads to herd mentality. What in marketing can be associated with social proof.
Moore’s law states that the number of transistors on a microchip doubles approximately every two years. This observation was made by Intel co-founder Gordon Moore in 1965 and it become a guiding principle for the semiconductor industry and has had far-reaching implications for technology as a whole.
Disruptive innovation as a term was first described by Clayton M. Christensen, an American academic and business consultant whom The Economist called “the most influential management thinker of his time.” Disruptive innovation describes the process by which a product or service takes hold at the bottom of a market and eventually displaces established competitors, products, firms, or alliances.
Value migration was first described by author Adrian Slywotzky in his 1996 book Value Migration – How to Think Several Moves Ahead of the Competition. Value migration is the transferal of value-creating forces from outdated business models to something better able to satisfy consumer demands.
The bye-now effect describes the tendency for consumers to think of the word “buy” when they read the word “bye”. In a study that tracked diners at a name-your-own-price restaurant, each diner was asked to read one of two phrases before ordering their meal. The first phrase, “so long”, resulted in diners paying an average of $32 per meal. But when diners recited the phrase “bye bye” before ordering, the average price per meal rose to $45.
Groupthink occurs when well-intentioned individuals make non-optimal or irrational decisions based on a belief that dissent is impossible or on a motivation to conform. Groupthink occurs when members of a group reach a consensus without critical reasoning or evaluation of the alternatives and their consequences.
A stereotype is a fixed and over-generalized belief about a particular group or class of people. These beliefs are based on the false assumption that certain characteristics are common to every individual residing in that group. Many stereotypes have a long and sometimes controversial history and are a direct consequence of various political, social, or economic events. Stereotyping is the process of making assumptions about a person or group of people based on various attributes, including gender, race, religion, or physical traits.
Murphy’s Law states that if anything can go wrong, it will go wrong. Murphy’s Law was named after aerospace engineer Edward A. Murphy. During his time working at Edwards Air Force Base in 1949, Murphy cursed a technician who had improperly wired an electrical component and said, “If there is any way to do it wrong, he’ll find it.”
The law of unintended consequences was first mentioned by British philosopher John Locke when writing to parliament about the unintended effects of interest rate rises. However, it was popularized in 1936 by American sociologist Robert K. Merton who looked at unexpected, unanticipated, and unintended consequences and their impact on society.
Fundamental attribution error is a bias people display when judging the behavior of others. The tendency is to over-emphasize personal characteristics and under-emphasize environmental and situational factors.
Outcome bias describes a tendency to evaluate a decision based on its outcome and not on the process by which the decision was reached. In other words, the quality of a decision is only determined once the outcome is known. Outcome bias occurs when a decision is based on the outcome of previous events without regard for how those events developed.
Hindsight bias is the tendency for people to perceive past events as more predictable than they actually were. The result of a presidential election, for example, seems more obvious when the winner is announced. The same can also be said for the avid sports fan who predicted the correct outcome of a match regardless of whether their team won or lost. Hindsight bias, therefore, is the tendency for an individual to convince themselves that they accurately predicted an event before it happened.
Gennaro is the creator of FourWeekMBA, which reached about four million business people, comprising C-level executives, investors, analysts, product managers, and aspiring digital entrepreneurs in 2022 alone | He is also Director of Sales for a high-tech scaleup in the AI Industry | In 2012, Gennaro earned an International MBA with emphasis on Corporate Finance and Business Strategy.
