Adeola Abdulateef Elega

2.1.1 Linear Model  
Interpersonal communication started with a one way process model which posed 
question in a straight format with the arrangement of the way communication takes 
place; Who?, Says what?, in What channel?, to Whom?, with what effect?. This was 

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Harold Lasswell’s idea and it was the first model of communication. A year later, the 
Shannon and Weaver (1949) incorporated noise into the formation.
Shannon and Weaver came through from Bells telephone company engineer Claude 
Shannon and Warren Weaver worked together on a book named the mathematical 
theory of communication. The basic idea behind this model is the pursuit of the 
fastest way to communicate from one end to another. Their attempt which was 
successful was for information to change into electronic signal. Their assumptions 
result to a model of communication. This model has examined a couple of terms in 
practice which has been used to explain encoding and decoding of information. To 
further to support their argument the following definitions of terms help to explain 
the phenomenon of identifying the quickest ways of exchanging information from 
two ends. 
Information: This is quite different from the general understanding of information. 
Information according to this duo is the estimation of an individual’s condition of 
being free of selecting his own message. 
Entropy: This term is very important in information theory; it simply means the 
numerical level of uncertainty and lack of organization in a situation. This can be 
likened to making a call, you can hardly be sure of the exact words you will use from 
beginning of the call to the very end. 
Redundancy: Redundancy is very important also in information theory because it 
helps to fight noise; it is repetition of a message to reduce the likeliness of errors. 

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Noise: This refers to any element that is against the intended result of a particular 
process. Hodkinson (2010) posits that Shannon and Weaver model of communication 
integrates noise which is a major impediment to communication as earlier discussed. 
Noise is inevitable in a one directional process like this model he submits 
(Hodkinson, 2010 p. 7). Shannon and Weaver’s model of communication has an 
information source which comprises of an information source, transmitter, channel 
and receiver which shows the movement of information from the source to the 
receiver (Information theories, 2014). 
Figure 1: Shannon and Weavers Model of Communication 
(Retrieved from 
http://www.utwente.nl/cw/theorieenoverzicht/Theory%20clusters/Communication%
20and%20Information%20Technology/Information_Theory/
 (Shannon and Weavers 
Model of Communication, 2010) 
The early models of interpersonal communication failed to show the strength of the 
receiver, the receiver is seen to be very passive in a one way communication pattern. 
The idea is that in the real sense if you speak to somebody and the person sleeps off 
or gives you a low response you might have to stop and if you get applause or 
positive reaction from the receiver you may continue talking. The early models of 
interpersonal communication also strayed the fact that conversation come with 
speaking and listening coming on each other. It is not always one waiting for the 
other to be entirely through before the other starts (Wood, 2007 p.18). 

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