Shannon-Weaver & Berlo Communication Models: Key Concepts

Posted on Feb 15, 2025 in Electronics

Shannon-Weaver Information Theory

Key Concepts:

Shannon and Weaver’s information theory distinguishes three levels:

  1. Technical: Focuses on the fidelity of information transmission.
  2. Semantic: Deals with the meaning of the message.
  3. Pragmatic: Concerns the effect of the communication on behavior.

Shannon-Weaver Communication Model

  1. Source:
    • Information
    • Message
  2. Transmitter: Emphasizes sending.
  3. Channel:
    • Noise
    • Received signal message
  4. Receptor
  5. Destination

The theory conceptualizes information as the degree of freedom to choose a message from a set of possibilities. Information implies uncertainty, meaning there are several alternatives to choose from. These alternatives are the signs used to communicate, such as letters and numbers, which reduce the receiver’s uncertainty.

A goal of this theory is to determine the amount of information a message provides, calculated from its probability of being sent.

Redundancy

Redundancy (stochastic processes) saves time in decoding messages. For example, “ESF ST CMPLT” can be easily completed to “ES ESTA COMPLETO” even if parts are missing.

Berlo’s Communication Model

According to Berlo, the goal of communication is to enable an individual to effectively alter the relationship between organisms and their environment.

Failures in Communication

  1. Lack of purpose or communicating out of habit.
  2. Erroneous interpretation of the desired response. Consider both intended and unintended recipients.

Incompatibility of Source-Receiver Purposes

  • Consummatory Purposes: Meeting the sole purpose of the message being received.
  • Instrumental Purposes: Meeting a purpose after the response to the message has been used to produce other responses.

Berlo’s Communication Process Model

  1. Source of Communication
  2. Encoder (puts ideas into a code)
  3. Message
  4. Channel
  5. Decoder
  6. Receptor

Fidelity

Fidelity relates to the degree to which the communicator has managed to affect and reward the receptor. Communication involves expecting a rewarded response, feedback, expectations, and operates within a social system.

Interactional Approach

Communication and prediction.

Problems (Bateson)

M: R: I Theory of double bond, family interaction. It derives from the basic principles of cybernetics, its epistemology is founded on the concept of information. It deals with the pragmatic, the effects conductuales.

General Systems Theory (Bertalanffy)

Feedback, identity, subsystem.

Theory of Logical Types (Russell and Whitehead)

A possible solution to paradoxes generated by systems without a solution at the time.

Paradox

Contradiction resulting from a correct deduction from consistent premises.

Group Theory (Watzlawick)

Posed as an analogy for problem situations where increased attempts at change result in the situation remaining the same. Key concepts: invariance, combination, identity, inverse.