Shannon and Weaver’s Model

Claude Shannon developed this model while trying to know what happens to “information bits” as they travel from the source to the receiver in telephone communication. In the process, he isolated the key elements of the Communication process, but missed out feedback which was later added by his colleague, Warren Weaver.

The elements include:

a) The Communication:

 All communication are composed of chains or systems; and a system or chain is no stronger than its weakest link.

b) The information and communication source:

 The entity (individual, group or organisation) that originates the message.

c) The Message:

The information itself, which may be verbal or nonverbal, visual, auditory, or tactile.

d) The Transmitter:

 The person, establishment (or equipment) that encodes and transmits the message on behalf of the source; the transmitter may be the source.

e) The Channel:

The avenue through which the message is transmitted to the receiver.

f) The Destination:

 the central nervous system (e.g. the human brain) where the message is processed for final use.

g) Noise:

This is anything added to the information signal but not intended by the information source, and therefore causing distortion in the message.

Shannon and Weaver attempted to do two things:

1) reduce the communication process to a set of mathematical formulas

2) discuss problems that could be handled with the model.

Shannon and Weaver were not particularly interested in the sociological or psychological aspects of communication. Instead, they wanted to devise a communication system with as close to 100 percent efficiency as possible.