Two Models of Communication

The first model of communication is called The Transmission Model. This is a fairly simple approach to how a message is transmitted. There is a source, the message, and the receiver. Sometimes there is a model which includes a loop back for the source to receive feedback. Kids may play a game called "Radio", where a person will whisper in someone's ear a message and pass the message along to the next person until the message reaches the final person and the person would say out loud the sender was trying to say. In this model, all communication relies on interpersonal communication.

The second model of communication is called The Cultural Model. This a progressive model in communication based on interacting with one's society or culture. A society's social norms are bases for how people communicate with each other. In the Untied States on Sundays, a majority of the population go to worship in church. A person maybe driving by a church, see the number of cars parked outside, and perhaps view this as a social norm as Christianity is one the accepted forms of religion. In addition to worship on Sunday, the other major social norm on a Sunday is Pro Football. If the same person was driving home in Northeast Wisconsin, and were driving anywhere within the city limits of Green Bay, and see almost the entire city converge onto Lambeau Field. Additionally as this person gets home and turns on his/her television, and all of the network stations have pro football on their stations because this is the social norm in the Untied States on Sundays like going to Church.


These two communication models can have similar questions but may have very different answers. The transmission model will try to limit deterrents to the delivery of the message and the communication model will use rituals and social norms to create a media event while delivering a message.