Dr. Richard Nordquist is professor emeritus of rhetoric and English at Georgia Southern University and the author of several university-level grammar and composition textbooks.
Updated on June 04, 2024Whenever you've had a conversation, texted a friend, or given a business presentation, you have engaged in communication. Any time two or more people get together to exchange messages, they are engaging in this basic process. Although it seems simple, communication is actually quite complex and has several components. The basic elements of communication include the sender, receiver, and message, as well as the medium and potential feedback.
The term communication process refers to the exchange of information (a message) between two or more people. For communication to succeed, both parties must be able to exchange information and understand each other. If the flow of information is blocked for some reason or the parties cannot make themselves understood, then communication fails.
The communication process begins with the sender, who is also called the communicator or source. The sender has some kind of information—a command, request, question, or idea—that he or she wants to present to others. For that message to be received, the sender must first encode the message in a form that can be understood, such as by the use of a common language or industry jargon, and then transmit it.
The person to whom a message is directed is called the receiver or the interpreter. To comprehend the information from the sender, the receiver must first be able to receive the sender's information and then decode or interpret it.
The message or content is the information that the sender wants to relay to the receiver. Additional subtext can be conveyed through body language and tone of voice. Put all three elements together—the sender, receiver, and message—and you have the communication process at its most basic level.
Also called the channel, the medium is the means by which a message is transmitted. Text messages, for example, are transmitted through the medium of cell phones. Other common mediums of communication include television broadcasts, radio waves, internet platforms, and face-to-face interactions.
The communication process reaches its final point when the message has been successfully transmitted, received, and understood. The receiver, in turn, responds to the sender, indicating comprehension. Feedback may be direct, such as a written or verbal response, or it may take the form of an act or deed in response (indirect).
The communication process isn't always so simple or smooth, of course. These elements can affect how information is transmitted, received, and interpreted:
Brenda wants to remind her husband, Roberto, to stop by the store after work and buy milk for dinner. She forgot to ask him in the morning, so Brenda texted a reminder to Roberto. He texts back with a photo of the milk and then shows up at home with the gallon of milk under his arm. But something's amiss: Roberto bought chocolate milk when Brenda wanted regular milk.
In this example, the sender is Brenda. The receiver is Roberto. The medium is a text message. The code is the English language they're using. And the message itself is "Remember the milk!" In this case, the feedback is both direct and indirect. Roberto texts a photo of milk at the store (direct) and then comes home with it (indirect). However, Brenda did not see the photo of the milk because the message didn't transmit (noise), and Roberto didn't think to ask what kind of milk (context).
In order to communicate effectively, it's important to consider each element of communication, especially if the message you are trying to convey is particularly important. By carefully assessing each aspect of communication, especially in critical situations, you can enhance clarity and ensure your message resonates with the intended audience. For example, when delivering a presentation to a diverse audience, considering cultural differences and language barriers can significantly impact how your message is received and understood. Similarly, if your message is some sort of business correspondence, you must prepare it beforehand and proofread it to ensure you maintain a professional tone.