Communication is very important as people spend about 75 % of their waking hours communicating of which about 80 % happens non-verbally by understanding and sending non-verbal cues. Failure to act or silence is also a way of communication, but the only difference is that results you get are not as you intend. Actions are … Read more

Westley and MacLean’s Model of Communication was suggested by Bruce Westley (1915-1990) and Malcolm S. MacLean Jr. (1913-2001) in 1957. This model was an adaptation from Newcomb’s model of communication, which talked about co-orientation for simultaneous orientation in a two way communication. It also consisted of some concepts from Lewin’s model. Unlike Dance’s Helical Model … Read more

The uncertainty reduction theory explores the initial interaction between people that occurs before the actual communication process and is hence also known as initial interaction theory. It was developed by Charles Berger and Richard Calabrese in 1975. They wanted to explain how interpersonal communication is used to reduce uncertainty between strangers during initial interaction. Berger … Read more

Transactional model of communication is the exchange of messages between sender and receiver where each take turns to send or receive messages. Here, both sender and receiver are known as communicators and their role reverses each time in the communication process as both processes of sending and receiving occurs at the same time. The communicators … Read more

Sociocultural theory is a psychological and sociological theory. The theory was developed by Lev Vygotsky, a Russian psychologist, in 1934. The theory talks about the importance of society and culture to shape and develop an individual. It shows how parents, friends, teachers, and society develop the individual’s sociocultural, learning and cognitive functions. Similarly, the theory … Read more

Social exchange theory is a social psychology concept that views human relationships as a kind of results-driven social behavior. We choose to start and maintain relationships that maximize benefits and minimize costs.There is a certain amount of give and take in each relationship and the valuing of benefits and costs within them determine whether or … Read more

Shannon Weaver model of communication was created in 1948 when Claude Elwood Shannon wrote an article “A Mathematical Theory of Communication” in Bell System Technical Journal with Warren Weaver. Shannon was an American mathematician whereas Weaver was a scientist. The Mathematical theory later came to be known as Shannon Weaver model of communication or “mother … Read more

Definition of Semantic Barriers Semantic is the study of meaning, signs and symbols used for communication. The word is derived from “sema”, a Greek word meaning signs. Semantic barriers to communication are the symbolic obstacles that distorts the sent message in some other way than intended, making the message difficult to understand. The meaning of … Read more

A barrier is any obstacle that prevents us from reaching our goal. Any hindrance to communication stops the intended meaning of our message from reaching our audience. Some of these barriers are obvious e.g. a physical disability like deafness while some are more subtle and difficult to pinpoint. Psychological barriers belong to the latter group … Read more

Propaganda Model of Communication was developed to explain how propaganda, systematic biases, pressures, and constraints have been influencing mass media. The model explains how economic, social and political policies are manufactured in order to manipulate the populations for the welfare of those groups with power and money. The founders of this model mostly concentrated on … Read more