THE PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION OR COMMUNICATION CYCLE

Communication is an exchange of information, ideas, feelings, emotions, thoughts etc. between the sender and the receiver. But how does this communication take place? If we want to know the answer, we need to study the process of communication. The process of communication can be understood with the components or elements involved in it.

1) Sender: The process of communication begins with the sender. Sender is the source or originator of the communication process/cycle. The sender wants to express ideas, opinions, emotions, etc. The sender may be individual, group, government, non-government body, organization.

2) Encoding: Encoding means transferring the ideas into a series of symbols. Encoding is necessary because information or ideas can only be transferred from one person to another through symbols. While selecting symbols, the sender must establish the mutuality of meaning with the receiver. The sender and the receiver should apply the same meaning to the symbols. The symbols may be verbal (oral or written) or non-verbal (silence, sounds, body language, etc.). These encoded ideas, emotions, information, etc. into symbols take the form of a message.

3) Channel/ Medium: Channel or medium is the means by which sender transmits message. It links the sender and receiver. The sender should decide the best possible channel or medium to transmit the message. The selection of proper channel or medium depends on the urgency of the message, importance of the message, time available, number of receivers, the cost factor and the relationship between the sender and receiver. The sender may select his medium or channel from the following options:
1) Verbal- oral or written.
2) Non-verbal- body language, facial expressions, gesture, silence, etc.
3) Visuals: signs, colours, maps, graphs, charts, etc.
4) Electronic or Technology enabled: e-mail, fax, facebook, twitter, whatsapp, etc.

4) Receiver: A person who receives and interprets the message is called as receiver. The receiver is a person or group of person to whom the message is addressed. The receiver is as important as the sender.

5) Decoding: When the receiver converts the words, sign, symbols to get the meaning of the message, it is called as Decoding. The receiver should decode the message properly in order to get the exact meaning intended by the receiver. Decoding depends on the receiver’s past experience, personal assessment of the symbols, expectations, and mutuality of meaning with the sender.

6) Feedback: Feedback is the response given by the receiver to the sender of the message. Feedback is the last link in the process of communication. The communication is successful if the expected feedback or response or action is taken by the receiver. The feedback may be oral or written, direct or indirect, through words or silence, immediate or delay. Feedback may be positive or negative. The feedback of the receiver needs to be communicated. In this case, the receiver will now become the sender of new message (in the form of feedback) and the sender of previous message will be the receiver of new message (in the form of feedback). This back and forth process of communication will continue till the communication continues. Hence, it is also called ‘Communication Cycle’.