Shannon and Weaver’s Communication Model

Diving into why is it incomplete

“A dialouge based on the Shannon and Weaver’s Communication Model”

Source (sender): Andrew
Transmitter/Receiver: Phone
Channel: Cell tower
Noise: Distortion in signals resulting in muffled voice which cannot be interpreted (highlighted in bold)
Destination: Betty

The main focus of Shannon and Weaver model was on telephonic conversation – sharing of information between two people where they are not present face to face. Although it is a simple model, human interactions and communication are much more than a linear, one-way process communication. Taking a look at the dialogue between Betty and her boss, the following elements are lacking…

Feedback

The message being received as intended by the sender is unknown to the sender. In this case, Andrew do not know if Betty received the message as intended. With feedback, the receiver is able to provide feedback according to the message, thereby making the communication more realistic. Taking a look at how the dialogue between Betty and her boss would be if there was feedback. The inclusion of feedback allows Andrew know that Betty did not catch the crucial part where she have to get the links sent by noon.

Context

Communication has no meaning without context. Context provides a deeper understanding of the situation, allowing more accurate interpretation of message. If there were context, the dialouge between Betty and her boss would be as follows. Andrew started of by letting Betty know that it is an urgent matter, and the importance to get the meeting invites out by noon. This additional information helps Betty understand the time-sensitive nature of the task, allowing her to prioritise her work accordingly and meet the deadline.

Body Language

Though the focus for the model was on telephonic conversation, it can be applied to face-to-face conversation as mentioned below. Nonverbal communication, including facial expressions, hand gestures, and more, encompasses 65% of total communication (Birdwhistell, 1970) and is universal to humankind. Take Mr. Bean as an example, without a word spoken and with body language as his primary means of communication, he is still able to express him. Viewers from all around the world is able to understand him, solely based on body language.

face-to-face’s model

Source: person talking
Transmitter: mouth
Channel: air (transmitting sound wave)
Noise: surrounding background noise
Receiver: ear
Destination: listener

My model

The model above, incorporates both feedback and body language(when applicable – face to face) between both sender and receiver with context as the main focus. Knowing the context, the same level of understanding of the situation can be achieved by both parties. Having feedback from sender to receiver and vice-versa ensures that both parties receives the message as intended. There is no perfect model, or a one size fits all model, this version of model is an adaptation of Shannon and Weaver’s Communication model based on my understanding.

Conclusion

The touch of human, such as feedback, context and body language, is lacking in Shannon and Weaver’s communication model. And by omitting any one of these, the message sent may not be interpreted as intended by the sender. Although the model is incomplete, it is often reffered to as “mother of all models”(Businesstopia) which helps to lay the foundation and understanding the technical aspects of communication.

References:

https://study.com/learn/lesson/shannon-weaver-model-communication-theory-parts-transmission-model.html#:~:text=The%20original%20model%20that%20Shannon,process%20from%20linear%20to%20cyclical

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shannon%E2%80%93Weaver_model

https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Nonverbal_communication

https://clariti.app/blog/importance-of-context-in-communication/#:~:text=Context%20plays%20an%20important%20role,cultural%20context%20and%20psychological%20context