Linear v Interactive Communication Models

The linear model of communication explains communication as a one way interaction. This model explains that when you speak to someone there is a series of acts (message, signal, noise, received signal and destination) that together make up an interaction between active participants. This model has major flaws in that it looks at communication as a one way interaction opposed to an interaction between two or more parties, where all parties are participation in the interaction. It also explains that sending a message (speaking) and receiving a message (listening) or two separate acts. I kind of think of this like a webinar or video blog. The speaker sends a message and then later the listener receives the message and the speaker does not take into feedback or anything. Also the listener can misinterpret the message because of outside distractions that the speaker would never take into consideration.

Though the interactive was far more complete than the linear model, it still had the same flaw as the linear model in that it showed sending and receiving a message as a sequence instead of happening simultaneously. This model showed interaction as almost a circular process where the as the speaker sends a message to the receiver, the receiver interprets it and gives feedback, but it still showed this as a process and not as something that happens at the same time. This model also forgot to take into account how people interact differently with different people. You speak to someone you know very well differently than you speak to someone you work with and this model does not take these things into account. I think of this model of interaction almost like a classroom interaction. A teacher speaks to the class and the class receives the message, but the teacher is able to take in the feedback from the class. If the class looks excited they can continue on that subject, but if the class looks like they may fall asleep they can try to change things up.

The biggest difference in these two models is that the interaction model takes into account the feedback the speaker receives from the listener while the linear model does not. It is like the differences in the examples I listed above. In a video blog the speaker cannot take into account the listeners reaction where as a teacher can.

Thanks for reading :)