The Schramm communicationmodel was created in 1954 by Wilbur Schramm, widely considered to be one of the pioneering founders in the field of communication studies. The Schramm communicationmodel 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
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
The transactional model of communication describes communication as a two-way, interactive process within social, relational, and cultural contexts. The transactional model of communication is best exemplified by two models. Barnlund’s model describes communication as a complex, multi-layered process where the feedback from the sender becomes the message for the receiver. Dance’s helical model is another example, which suggests communication is continuous, dynamic, evolutionary, and non-linear.
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.
The Aristotle model of communication is a linear model with a focus on public speaking. The Aristotle model of communication was developed by Greek philosopher and orator Aristotle, who proposed the linear model to demonstrate the importance of the speaker and their audience during communication.
The linear model of communication is a relatively simplistic model envisaging a process in which a sender encodes and transmits a message that is received and decoded by a recipient. The linear model of communication suggests communication moves in one direction only. The sender transmits a message to the receiver, but the receiver does not transmit a response or provide feedback to the sender.
Berlo’s SMCR model was created by American communication theorist David Berlo in 1960, who expanded the Shannon-Weaver model of communication into clear and distinct parts. Berlo’s SMCR model is a one-way or linear communication framework based on the Shannon-Weaver communication model.
The helical model of communication is a framework inspired by the three-dimensional spring-like curve of a helix. It argues communication is cyclical, continuous, non-repetitive, accumulative, and influenced by time and experience.
The Lasswell communication model is a linear framework for explaining the communication process through segmentation. Lasswell proposed media propaganda performs three social functions: surveillance, correlation, and transmission. Lasswell believed the media could impact what viewers believed about the information presented.
Modus tollens is a deductive argument form and a rule of inference used to make conclusions of arguments and sets of arguments. Modus tollens argues that if P is true then Q is also true. However, P is false. Therefore Q is also false. Modus tollens as an inference rule dates back to late antiquity where it was taught as part of Aristotelian logic. The first person to describe the rule in detail was Theophrastus, successor to Aristotle in the Peripatetic school.
The five canons of rhetoric were first organized by Roman philosopher Cicero in his treatise De Inventione in around 84 BC. Some 150 years later, Roman rhetorician Quintilian explored each of the five canons in more depth as part of his 12-volume textbook entitled Institutio Oratoria. The work helped the five canons become a major component of rhetorical education well into the medieval period. The five canons of rhetoric comprise a system for understanding powerful and effective communication.
A communication strategy framework clarifies how businesses should communicate with their employees, investors, customers, and suppliers. Some of the key elements of an effective communication strategy move around purpose, background, objectives, target audience, messaging, and approach.
Noise is any factor that interferes with or impedes effective communication between a sender and receiver. When noise disrupts the communication process or prevents the transmission of information, it is said to be communication noise.
The 7Cs of communication is a set of guiding principles on effective communication skills in business, moving around seven principles for effective business communication: clear, concise, concrete, correct, complete, coherent, and courteous.
The transactional model of communication describes communication as a two-way, interactive process within social, relational, and cultural contexts. The transactional model of communication is best exemplified by two models. Barnlund’s model describes communication as a complex, multi-layered process where the feedback from the sender becomes the message for the receiver. Dance’s helical model is another example, which suggests communication is continuous, dynamic, evolutionary, and non-linear.
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.
