ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Models of communication

Imagine you have a toy phone and you want to talk to your friend who is far away. You pick up your phone and say something into it, while your friend listens on the other side and responds back in the same way. This is a basic model of communication, where there is someone who is sending a message and someone who is receiving it.

There are different ways in which people communicate, and many models have been developed to help understand how communication occurs. Here are some of the commonly used models of communication:

1. Linear Model: Think of this like a straight line, with the sender on one end and the receiver on the other end. The sender sends a message, which is carried through a channel like the phone line, and received by the receiver. This model assumes that there is only one message being sent at a time and that there is little or no room for feedback.

2. Interactive Model: In this model, the sender and receiver are seen as exchanging messages back and forth. Both parties are fully involved in the communication process and can provide feedback to each other. Think of this like a game of catch, where one person throws the ball and the other catches it and throws it back.

3. Transactional Model: This model sees communication as a two-way street, with both parties sending and receiving messages simultaneously. In essence, both parties are both sender and receiver at the same time. Think of this like a dance, where both partners are moving together in a coordinated way.

4. Constructivist Model: This model focuses on how people make sense of the information they receive through communication. It assumes that everyone has their own unique way of seeing things and that this shapes how they interpret messages. Think of this like a puzzle, where everyone sees a different picture depending on how they put the pieces together.

5. Cultural Model: This model looks at how culture influences communication. It recognizes that people from different cultures may communicate in different ways and that this can create misunderstandings. Think of this like learning a new language, where you have to understand the customs and the rules of the people you are trying to communicate with.

Overall, models of communication help us to understand how people communicate with each other. Different models offer different insights into the process and help us to appreciate the complexities of human interaction.