ELEMENTS OF COMMUNICATION: CHARACTERISTICS AND 11 EXAMPLES - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The elements of communication are the receiver, sender, message, context, code and channel. In addition, it must be taken into account that communication can cause a "noise", which is why some authors add this seventh element.

Noise is any factor that prevents the message from reaching its recipient correctly. That is, anything that hinders the reception, interpretation and response to the message. The noise can be internal or external.

The communication process is dynamic, continuous, irreversible and contextual. It is not possible to participate in any element of the process without acknowledging the existence and operation of the other elements.

The word communication comes from the Latin word "communicare", which is "to share something or put it in common". Communicating is sharing information between people to exchange meanings that are common between them and in turn being able to share it with others and thus be able to relate.

If communication occurs through spoken or written language, it is verbal. If it occurs through symbols, signs, gestures, sounds, etc., it is non-verbal. These interactions are carried out through a series of steps, to transmit a message and that it is understood.

Thus, the sender encodes a message, to transmit it to a receiver through a channel, surrounded by a context that helps to understand the information.

Elements of communication and their characteristics

During the communication process, several factors intervene that must fulfill certain functions for the exchange of information to be successful. These elements are:

Transmitter

The issuer is defined as the subject or source that shares the information or message. This subject can be an animate or inanimate entity, since the only quality that it needs to transmit a message is the ability to supply some type of information to the receiver using the use of a channel.

Receiver

Receiver is understood to be the individual or device in charge of receiving the message shared by the sender. It is the person, being or machine that decodes or receives the message.

The receiver is responsible for decoding the message sent by the sender. This message can only be understood if the sender and receiver share the same frame of reference, context or codes.

Message

The message is defined as the information that is intended to be communicated between the sender and the receiver. It presents ideas, feelings or data that the sender encodes and the receiver must decode for the communication process to be successful.

Context

It is the environment that surrounds the sender and receiver, that is, the environment where the exchange of information takes place.

The context can be any place common to the sender and the receiver. The conditions of the same will make the communication process easier or more difficult.

Code

They are the signs and norms that, when combined, structure the message; spoken or written language, sounds, symbols, signs, warnings, etc.

The code is created from a coding process. During this process the message is constructed, taking into account the common elements for the sender and receiver that make the communication process possible.

The code must go through a decoding process to be understood. During this process, the receiver must extract the code from the message delivered by the sender, interpreting its meaning.

The communication process can only be successful when the sender and receiver share the same code.

This is how it is understood that people will be more successful in the communication process, to the extent that they can understand the code inscribed in a message.

Channel

The channel is defined as the means by which a message is transmitted. Information always requires traveling through a channel to be broadcast or received.

There are different types of channels: personal, impersonal, verbal, non-verbal, written, among others. The most commonly used channels are paper, television, digital media, and radio, among others.

Noise

Noise is understood to be any signal that interferes with the regular transmission of a message between sender and receiver. As explained at the beginning of the article, noise is any factor that prevents the message from reaching the recipient correctly.

Noise can be caused by various factors. The most common are failures in electronic components and interference from signals coming from outside.

In this sense, a person who interferes in a conversation between two people can be considered noise, since it is an external agent that is interrupting the process of transmitting a message.

Noise greatly increases the chances that a message will not be transmitted successfully.

It is the cause that many channels have been perfected over time, in order to guarantee that the messages can be transmitted between the sender and the receiver.

Feedback

Feedback is the response that the receiver gives to the sender after having received a message successfully. It is the element that allows a conversation to be fluid between two or more parties.

The sender will always change the message according to the feedback it receives from the receiver.

Examples of elements of communication

Example 1

The teacher enters the classroom, greets the students and says:

-Today there will be an evaluation on communication, so take out a sheet to write down the questions, I hope you have studied!

The students are amazed.

Issuer: the teacher; Receiver: students; Message: there will be an evaluation on communication; Code: words, verbal language; Channel: air; Context: a classroom.

Example 2

Three friends are lost in the field on the shore of a lake and suddenly they observe in the sky that a helicopter is approaching to rescue them, they begin to jump, make gestures with their hands so that they can see them and attract their attention.

Issuer: the three friends; Receiver: rescuers; Message: Help! here we are; Code: gestures, non-verbal language; Channel: light; Context: the field.

Example 3

In a soccer game by the sea, a play is made and a player falls, the referee whistles and points to the opposing court.

Issuer: the arbitrator; Receiver: the players; Message: foul, free throw to the other court; Code: whistle, gestures, non-verbal language; Channel: air, light; Context: the soccer field.

Example 4

A man makes a payment in a restaurant with his credit card, the cashier processes the payment through a point of sale or electronic equipment; subsequently the man has received a confirmation of the payment made to his cell phone.

Issuer: point of sale or electronic equipment of the restaurant; Receiver: bank computer; Message: payment confirmation; Code: writing, data, verbal language; Channel: point of sale, computer; Context: restaurant.

Example 5

The institute, to welcome new students, asks the teacher guides to show them a presentation with the norms, subjects, schedules and assessment plans.

Issuer: the technological one; Receiver: new students; Message: the standards, subjects, schedules and assessment plans; Code: writing, verbal language; Channel: the computer, the screen; Context: classroom.

Example 6

A girl living in poverty is in the streets asking for money, for which she has drawn up a poster.

Issuer: the girl; Receiver: group of people who read the poster; Message: without money I have no right to dream; Code: writing, verbal language; Channel: paper; Context: the streets of the city.

Example 7

A young student is buying some books, picks up the phone to check the balance of her savings account with the bank and check if she has enough money to pay with her card.

Issuer: the young student; Receiver: bank; Message: check available balance in savings account; Code: writing, data, verbal language; Channel: cell phone, computer; Context: a bookstore.

Example 8

A girl is with her mother sitting in the park, when suddenly the girl starts crying and screams very loudly. Her mother gets up and looks for her bottle, the girl takes it quickly and stops crying.

Issuer: the girl; Receiver: the mother; Message: I'm very hungry, hurry up; Code: gestures and noise, non-verbal language; Channel: air, light; Context: the park.

Example 9

A vehicle travels at high speed and before reaching a corner the traffic light changes its light, so the vehicle stops.

Emitter: traffic light (machine); Receiver: the driver of the vehicle; Message: stop; Code: signal (red light) non-verbal language; Channel: light; Context: Avenue.

Example 10

A driver is traveling down a highway, suddenly he hears a siren behind his vehicle, he is an ambulance and immediately gives way.

Sender: the ambulance Receiver: the driver of the vehicle Message: yield; Code: sound (siren) non-verbal language; Channel: air; Context: highway.

Example 11

A businessman is in his office reading the economic news in an international newspaper.

Issuer: the newspaper; Recipient: the employer; Message: economy news; Code: writing, verbal language; Channel: paper; Context: office.

References

1. 7 Major Elements of Communication Process. Recovered from: yourarticlelibrary.com.
2. Dimbleby, R. & Burton, G. (1998). More Than Words: An Introduction to Communication. Routledge, New York.
3. Ministry of Education. Cíceros Project. Government of Spain. Recovered from: Recursos.cnice.mec.es.
4. Nordquist, R. (2017). ThoughtCo: Communication Process. Resumed from: thoughtco.com.
5. Pérez Porto, J (2008). Definicion.de: Definition of communication. Recovered from: definicion.de.
6. The Community Learning Center Program, Communication Process. Recovered from: cca.org.mx.