Elements of Communication

Elements of Communication

The whole process of communication involves following elementsMessage Sender Encoding Channel Receiver

Decoding

Message
Message Sender Encoding Channel

A piece of information , spoken or written, to be passed from one person to another. It is the subject matter of communication. It may involve any fact, idea, opinion , figure or course of action, including information. It exists in the mind of communicator.

Receiver
Decoding

Sender
Message Sender Encoding Channel

He is the sender of the message or the communicator- a person who conveys the message. He conceives or initiates the message. He is the driving force to change the behavior of the receiver. There is always a communicator in the process.

Receiver
Decoding

Encoding
Message Sender Encoding Channel

Receiver
Decoding

The process of conversion of the subject matter into symbols is called Encoding . The message of any communication is abstract. Transmission of the message requires the use of certain symbols. The communicator plans the ideas into certain symbols or signs etc. Encoding process translates ideas, facts, feelings, opinions into symbols , signs , words, actions, pictures, audio-visual etc.

Channel
Message Sender Encoding Channel

Receiver Decoding

The sender has to select the channel for sending the information. Communication Channel means the medium or media through which the message passes. The words, symbols or signs should be trasmitted to the receiver or listner through certain medium. Media may be written media or oral media. Written media like letters, reports, circular etc. Oral media like face-to-face conversation , telephone, conference or radio etc. Channel can also be visual like TV or posters.

Receiver
Message Sender Encoding Channel

There is always receiver in the process of communication. Receiver is the person to whom the message is meant for by the sender. Responding or acting to the message is only done by the receiver.

Receiver
Decoding

Decoding
Message Sender Encoding Channel Receiver Decoding

It is encoded message into understandable language. the process of translation of an Receiver converts the symbols , words and signs received from the sender to get the meaning of the message.

Feedback

It is also an element of communication. For the exchange to be complete the information must go back to the communicator, so that he can know the reaction of the receiver. Sending back of the knowledge about the message to the transmitter is known as feedback. Feedback enables the communicator to carry out corrections or amendments or change the message to be effective.