The Schramm communication model was created in 1954 by Wilbur Schramm, widely considered to be one of the pioneering founders in the field of communication studies. The Schramm communication model regards communication as a two-way, cyclical process between an encoder and a decoder.

Understanding the Schramm communication model
Schramm took inspiration from psychologist Charles Osgood, who thought communication to be a cyclical (and not linear) process.
For this reason, Schramm’s model is also known as the Osgood-Schramm model of communication.
Schramm suggested communication was a cyclical, two-way process where the sender and receiver each take turns to send and receive messages.
He also believed the flow of information around this cycle could only be maintained if both individuals understood what the other was saying.
If the receiver cannot comprehend the information being sent to them, communication breaks down.
The communication cycle is not completed until the sender gets feedback from the receiver that their message has been successfully interpreted.
The five components of the Schramm communication model
To better explain this process, Schramm identified five components of two-way communication:
Sender (encoder)
The person sending the message.
For effective communication to take place, the sender must encode the message so it can be understood by the receiver.
This means ensuring the message is relevant, essential, precise, clear, and legible.
Receiver (decoder)
The person receiving the message who must decode it by using reading, listening, or interpretive skills.
Decoding helps the receiver make sense of the information being conveyed to them.
The receiver is sometimes called the interpreter because they work to analyze and understand the message.
Communication can be hindered when the receiver misunderstands or misinterprets the message sent to them.
Typically, this occurs in communication between two people from different backgrounds, skillsets, cultures, or languages.
Message
Or the communication passed from the sender to the receiver. It may take the form of text, audio, video, or a combination thereof.
In some cases, the message may be communicated non-verbally using body language or facial expressions.
Feedback
Where the receiver sends information back to the sender based on the message they received.
When feedback occurs, the sender and receiver switch roles and the process repeats until the communication ceases.
Feedback can be verbal or non-verbal and plays an important role in effective communication. I
f the receiver is unable to understand the sender, they use feedback to ask the sender for a more simplified or comprehendible message.
Semantic noise
Or any interruption during the communication process that disrupts the message being sent.
Noise may dilute or alter the meaning of a message which results in misinterpretation and is typically auditory.
For example, communication may be hindered by a plane passing overhead or a loud television.
Schramm communication model advantages and disadvantages
The Schramm model is a linear communication model; as such, it carries a set of key advantages:
- Simplicity: as a straightforward representation of the communication process, it’s very easy to understand and apply.
- Clarity: it sets very clearly the roles of the sender and receiver.
- Control: Since that is a linear model, in theory, it enables the sender and receiver to control the message, thus making the communication quite straightforward and with little noise.
- Feedback: compared to other linear model of communications, this model has an iterative loop between the sender and the receiver, which makes it more effective.
As a linear model of communication, though, it also carries some disadvantages, such as:
- Limited feedback: as a linear model of communication, the feedback is still limited compared to other models of communication where context plays a key role.
- Limited context: as a linear model of communication, it does not take into account the context in which the communication is taking place.
Schramm communication model vs. Transactional communication model

In a transactional communication model, context plays a key role.
Indeed, the transactional communication model looks at how the context is affected based on three elements:
Thus, the transactional model of communication, compared to the Schramm communication model gives a broader glimpse into the context, which can highly impact communication effectiveness.
Thus, whereas the linear model of communication, like Schramm’s communication model, wins in simplicity.
It, on the other hand, loses in understanding the subtleties of the context in which the communication sits.
Key takeaways and examples

- The Schramm communication model regards communication as a two-way, cyclical process between an encoder and a decoder. It was created in 1954 by Wilbur Schramm, who based the model on the work of psychologist Charles Osgood.
- The Schramm communication model argues communication is a two-way process where a sender and receiver each take turns sending and receiving messages. Information flow is continuous and cyclical so long as messages are properly interpreted during each cycle.
- The Schramm communication model identifies five components that help explain the communication process. These include sender, receiver, message, feedback, and semantic noise.
Read Next: What Is A Linear Model Of Communication?
Read Next: Lasswell Communication Model, Linear Model Of Communication.
Connected Communication Models
Aristotle’s Model of Communication



Helical Model of Communication







Transactional Model of Communication
