2.3 Technical Communication is Transactional
McDonald Kyte
(Perkins, 2013) Image. From Adobe Stock [Vector] by Feodora / Education License – Standard Image
Communication models are frameworks that describe the process of communication. Over the years, various models have been developed to better understand how communication occurs between individuals and groups. These models can be broadly categorized into three types: transmission (linear), interaction, and transactional.
The transmission model and interaction model of communication differ from the transactional model in terms of the power and autonomy granted to participants, the assumed purpose of communication, and the factors considered relevant to a communication episode.
Transmission Model of Communication
The transmission model of communication, Figure 2.3.1, (also called a sender approach) proposes that people are alternately senders and receivers (Shannon & Weaver, 1949). Senders transmit messages to receivers either face to face or through channels such as the telephone or computer. In terms of this model, physical noise (such as static, music, other voices, or loud machinery) may distort the message or how it is understood. As mentioned, one shortfall of this approach is that it tends to support an uneven balance of power. The person assumed to have the most valuable information is often given license to set the tone and terms of an interaction (Merkelsen, 2011).
Figure 2.3.1: The Transmission Model of Communication (Lapum et al., 2020)
Another limitation of the transmission model is that it depicts communication as the product of relatively detached and discrete components. Information, senders, and receivers are portrayed as distinct and separate entities, and the channel is assumed to be a neutral conduit for information (albeit one that is subject to the effects of noise). A common metaphor of the transmission model is tossing a ball back and forth. For the most part, we expect a ball to arrive at the receiver in the same form it left the sender, not to morph during the process. By the same token, senders and receivers are treated as independent agents.
As we will discuss later, which communication behaviours and channels are the most effective depends a great deal on the people, culture, and circumstances involved.
In sum, the greatest weakness of the transmission model is that it presents an overly simplistic, sender-oriented perspective on communication
Ogood-Schramm Interaction Model of communication
The interaction model of communication considers both the sender and the receiver responsible for the effectiveness of the communication. One of the major differences between the transmission model and the interaction model is the increased emphasis on feedback (Libretexts, 2021).
Figure 2.3.2 Transmission-Model-of-Communication (Lapum et al., 2020)
The encoder or carrier, decoder or listener, interpreter, or receiver, and message are components of the Osgood-Schramm communication