Discourse

Elements of communication description examples

Communication

A basic communication model consists of five components: the sender and receiver, the medium that carries the message, contextual factors, the message itself, and feedback. To target your messages effectively, you need to consider the variables that can affect each of the components in the model. Communication is a continuous and dynamic process that is made up of a series of elements:

  • Transmitter
  • Message
  • Receiver
  • Context
  • Channel
  • Code

Although others such as noise and feedback may intervene, as we will see shortly.

For the communicative act to occur, a language must be found that can be presented in various formulas, that is, spoken and written (as is the case at hand at this time), which is considered verbal, or through signs, gestures, or sounds, among others, which is considered non-verbal.

Thus, during the communicative process, a series of steps is followed which are those that lead a sender to transmit a coded message to its receiver, who must receive it, decode it and understand it.

What are the 5 elements of communication?

And now we are going to discover what the elements of communication are . Once we know the process, it is the opportunity to learn in depth what elements it is composed of:

Transmitter

The sender is the subject who shares the message . This source can be an inanimate or animate entity, and which requires a single quality, which is capable of supplying information through some type of channel that reaches a receiver.

Receiver

The receiver can also be animate or inanimate. In this case, it is in charge of receiving the message that the sender has sent. It decodes it once it receives it. Therefore, it can be an individual, a living being, or even an object or artifact. Be that as it may, it is necessary for the receiver to share the context, the codes, or the frame of reference with the sender. Otherwise, it will not be able to decode the message.

Message

This is defined by the information that the sender communicates to the receiver. In this sense, they can be various types of information, such as data, feelings, ideas, etc. As we have said, it must be encoded in such a way that the receiver is capable of receiving and decoding it. For this, symbols and signs must be used that allow the individual who receives it to interpret it successfully.

Context

The context refers to the environment that surrounds the sender and the receiver. In other words, the place where the information exchange takes place receives this name. So it can be any commonplace, which does not necessarily have to facilitate such an exchange.

Code

The symbols, rules and signs that, combined, structure a message, are called code. This can be written or spoken language, sounds like a dog snorting or barking, or even signs, warnings, etc.

The code needs an encoding process, which is the job of the sender of the message, as well as a decoding process, which is done by the receiver. That is, only if it is common, or at least contains enough common signs, will you be able to achieve successful communication. That is, two people who speak the same language can communicate perfectly. If, on the other hand, the message is launched by a human towards a dog, it may not understand all the signs, but it does understand enough to decode part of the message.

Channel

The communication channel is the means by which a message is transmitted and received . They can be personal, verbal or non-verbal, interpersonal, written, etc. Include any medium, such as paper, television, a telephone, etc.

Noise and feedback, other elements

There are also other elements of communication that we need to include in this lesson. They are as follows:

Noise

Noise is the interference that causes or can cause the transmission between transmitter and receiver to be not smooth or even impede communication. Thus, its source can be diverse, from an electronic device that does not work well to very loud music. Here we discover the different types of noise in communication that can exist.

Feedback

We can also consider feedback within the communicative elements, explained as the response of the receiver to the sender once the message is received and decoded.

Context as an element of communication

The context is also part of the elements of communication and, in fact, has paramount importance. This element greatly affects communication and refers to the time and place in which it is taking place. In the communicative context there is also a highly important aspect such as the culture of the sender and the receiver since if they both share the same culture, there will be aspects that will be easier to understand than if they are from different cultures.

Therefore, if we have to define the context of communication, we would say that it is the situation in which the communicative act takes place and that influences its very understanding. The where and when are very influential for communication to be really effective and for the message to really reach the receiver in a clear way.

Example of communicative context

An example of the context would be to speak of the corrals in the 16th century, a name that used to refer to the comedy corrals, the places where plays were represented or to speak of the corrals in the 19th century when it only refers to a place of a farm where animals are kept. If a person of the Golden Age were to speak with a person of today, communication could fail because they do not share the same communicative context and understanding could be impaired.

Examples of elements of communication

To finish understanding clearly and concisely what the elements of communication are, below we are going to leave you some examples that will allow you to put your knowledge into practice and finish better understanding this lesson. Examples of communication elements are as follows:

Example 1: Language class

We are in Spanish language class. The teacher is giving the lesson.

  • Issuer: the teacher
  • Receiver: students
  • Context: the classroom
  • Code: the language used by the teacher

Example 2: Conversation on WhatsApp

We continue with the examples of the elements of communication to explain a very common communicative situation today: a conversation on WhatsApp.

  • Sender and receiver: they alternate. When you write, you are the sender and when you read, you are the receiver.
  • Context: digital environment and the WhatsApp program
  • Code: Written and can include emoticons as well as communication signs

Example 3: Telephone conversation

We end up offering another example that is also very common: a conversation over the phone.

  • Issuer: the one who speaks
  • Receiver: the listener (roles can be exchanged)
  • Channel: the phone line
  • Code: the language used to speak

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