THEORIES OF COMMUNICATION:Electronic Theory, Rhetorical Theory

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Lesson 3

THEORIES OF COMMUNICATION

Electronic Theory

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One very influential theory is called the mathematical or electronic theory of communication.

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This idea emphasized the technical problems of transmitting a message from a sender to a receiver.

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It is based on, and uses the language of, electronics.

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The message begins with an information source, the mind of the sender (writer or speaker), who encodes

a message into words and sentences.

Electronic Theory

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The message is transmitted as a signal (marks on paper or sound waves) through a channel, where it

may be distorted by noise (such as smudged typing or acoustical problems). As a last step, the

receiver (listener or reader) decodes the message.

Message

Communicator

Audience

As "sender"

as "receiver"

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The electronic theory is helpful because it introduces the ideas of senders and receivers and of

possible interference. It emphasizes one important aspect of communication: accuracy.

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Its usefulness is limited , people are not machines

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a accurate electronic communication system can be design but not a human one

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ignores money other important dimensions of the situation in which we communicate

Social Environment Theory

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Social environment theory of the social and behavioral scientists

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We must consider the situation, the social context in which we will work.

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When we work and communicate together, we all participate in a social situation

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Within that situation, each agrees to assume certain roles such as "compromiser," "initiator," "or

"encourager" based on our part in the activity.

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We each have a certain status prescribed officially, such as our job title.

Social Environment Theory

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We need to understand the rules, or the "culture," of the environment in order to communicate:

both the official rules such as company policies and practices and those unwritten rules

regarding to whom, how, and when, and for how long it is appropriate for us to communicate

within a certain organization.

Message

Communicator

Audience

As "sender"

as "receiver"

Within a certain environment

Social environment is helpful because it adds the important dimension of the specific social situation

Rhetorical Theory

� Third set of theorists add more dimensions to our understanding of the communication process:

communication is not linear, but circular; not just sending a message to be received, but producing

a response; not static, but dynamic.

� Rhetorical theorists provide an important addition to a communication model for business

communicators

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Many people caught up in the accuracy forget third crucial variable, producing the desired response

form their audience.

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This model is circular, not linear.

Chat

Message

Communicator

Audience

Response

Environment

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In fact, perhaps the most important difference between business communication and other forms

of communication is this circular quality: your business communication effectiveness depends on

the result you achieve.

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