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Thread: The Communication Model

  1. #1
    Senior Member dduck1934's Avatar
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    The Communication Model

    Here is an interesting question for you guys.

    I was given an assignment to find the mathematical formula for the communication model. I assume it meant any kind of communication. The factors I thought of were sender, message, noise, distance, receiver and Feedback.

    Noise is anything that will make the message not be clear or interfere with the message. and I thought distance would have a factor in it.

    so can any of you think of a formula for this?

    Maybe

    C = S + (M - N)/D + (R + F)

    c communication
    s sender
    m message (common language message)
    n Noise
    D Distance
    r receiver
    f feedback

    Any ideas?

    dduck1934
    Long Live the Duck!

  2. #2
    Not PWD ViRGo_RK's Avatar
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    Wow. I learned this today in 8th Grade math...


    2 + (-1) = 1



    No joke... I'm stuck "learning" this crap. Stuff I taught myself in 2nd grade.


    PAlexC: That's just Chuck Norris's way of saying sometimes corn needs to lay the heck down.
    Gerbick: America. Stabbing suckers since Vespucci left.

  3. #3
    Here's the model given to me in my Journalism class a few years ago.

    source -> message -> (encoder) -> Channel -> (decoder) -> Reciever
    &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&n bsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<- &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp ; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&n bsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Feed back &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp ; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&n bsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <-

    Source (S) - originator of the communication
    Message (m) - content of communication
    encoder (E) - translates the message into a form that can be communicated
    channel (C) - medium or transmission system used to convey the message
    decoder (D) - reverses encoding process
    Reciever (R) - destination of communication
    feedback (F) - mechanism between source and communicator to regulate flow of communication
    noise - (n) any distortion or errors that may be introduced during information exchange

    There isn't much of a way to create a formula as each stage would need to be function of the previous stage in regards to the message with the sum of all noise at each stage being something extra tacked on.

    like:
    Sender S: C(E(m)) + sum(n1) // encode and communicate message with noise
    Reviever R: F(D(C(E(m)))) + sum(n2) // decode and send feedback with noise


    j

  4. #4
    Retired SCORM Guru PAlexC's Avatar
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    What are you, a communications major at Ithaca or something? Sheesh.

    You're forgetting encoding and decoding the message.

    I don't know what you mean by "common language message".

    If I have an idea, I encode it into a phrase, before I choose a communications medium. (Gesture, speaking, writing a letter, etc.)

    I choose symbols (words) for my meaning (ideas). The reciever must decode these symbols into meaning, however, I have no control over how they decode certain symbols. (Hence, being careful with your words, depending on your audience.) Part of being an effective communicator is trying to anticipate how the reciever will interpret your message. Remember, the reciever never really knows your intent, only what they INTERPRET out of your message.

    The model is INTENT -> BEHAVIOR -> IMPACT (Which is also part of cultivating emotional intelligence in people, but don't get me started on that.)

    I have a certain message, my INTENT.

    I choose a BEHAVIOR to express it.

    That behavior has an IMPACT on the reciever which I cannot control.

    For example, I send a colleague at work an e-mail about a typo. In my workplace, that's standard procedure. With my customers, that may mean it's a low priority, they don't use e-mail as much and expect urgent or issues with live products to be handled immediately on the phone. By using e-mail, they think that I'm not taking the issue seriously, or am not worried by it.

    Back to your equasion. Based on your communications model...you need a function to encode the message, unfortuantely I don't know how to notate that in Math, so I'll do it in English, since I've had a couple Molsons anyway.

    I, the sender, have an idea.

    I encode this idea into a message.

    I choose a communications medium to transmit the message. This medium adds noise to the message.

    The receiver recieves the message combined with noise, and decodes it into an idea, based on their experience with both the medium (knowing it will create noise), and symbols (words) that I used to encode my message.

    Then comes feedback.

    The reciever then takes his/her interpretation of the idea, re-encodes it, re-transmits the message, adding noise, and it is recieved by the original sender who decodes it...blah blah blah... you get the idea.

    Don't make me dig out my college textbooks.
    Last edited by PAlexC; 09-02-2003 at 11:52 PM.
    "What really bugs me is that my mom had the audacity to call Flash Kit a bunch of 'inept jack-asses'." - sk8Krog
    ...and now I have tape all over my face.

  5. #5
    I thought that I said something like that. And I did dig out my college textbook

  6. #6
    Senior Member dduck1934's Avatar
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    I was trying to keep it as simple as I could. I knew about the encoding/decoding etc, and it is actually included in my thinking. I just didnt express it directly in the formula.

    I did think of using the functions, but couldnt quite get a function where I could explain it to anyone who asked me. I tried, and they just were confused. haha

    I appreciate everyone's response. It made me think a little more about this. If anybody else has any more input, please share. I know this isnt a HOT topic, but I still found it an interesting subject.

    dduck
    Long Live the Duck!

  7. #7
    Under the influence bvgroote's Avatar
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    Originally posted by ViRGo_RK
    Wow. I learned this today in 8th Grade math...


    2 + (-1) = 1



    No joke... I'm stuck "learning" this crap. Stuff I taught myself in 2nd grade.


    *still thinking....

  8. #8
    Not PWD ViRGo_RK's Avatar
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    PAlexC: That's just Chuck Norris's way of saying sometimes corn needs to lay the heck down.
    Gerbick: America. Stabbing suckers since Vespucci left.

  9. #9
    Retired SCORM Guru PAlexC's Avatar
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    Originally posted by yasunobu13
    I thought that I said something like that. And I did dig out my college textbook
    Sorry mang, my comments weren't directed at you.
    You posted while I was typing.
    "What really bugs me is that my mom had the audacity to call Flash Kit a bunch of 'inept jack-asses'." - sk8Krog
    ...and now I have tape all over my face.

  10. #10
    Senior Member dduck1934's Avatar
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    more info

    My teacher said I was on the right track, but there is something I was missing from what HE was looking for.

    He mentioned Metcalf's Law. Networking gurus may be familiar with this Law. He only used that as hint and said it should help, but was not the communication model formula.

    He drew a diagram of two nodes and a line between them and then added a third node and had three lines in them ( like a triangle)

    he said that the number of lines needed will be as follows
    Code:
    nodes  lines
      1      0
      2      1
      3      3
      4      6
      5      10
    I figured out how to find the numbers of the lines relating to the number of nodes (add 4+3+2+1 for how many lines for 5 nodes..etc)

    The next step is to make a formula for this.

    The whole idea is the more nodes or people you have, the harder it is to communicate effectively.

    anymore thoughts on this?

    dduck
    Long Live the Duck!

  11. #11
    Retired SCORM Guru PAlexC's Avatar
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    What class is this? What's your major?

    If this is just good ol' b.s. organizational / interpersonal communication, tell your professor I said to shove Metcalf's law.
    "What really bugs me is that my mom had the audacity to call Flash Kit a bunch of 'inept jack-asses'." - sk8Krog
    ...and now I have tape all over my face.

  12. #12
    Senior Member dduck1934's Avatar
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    my major is Information Technology, and it relates to communication within a company, and pertaining to analysis for projects etc.

    duck
    Long Live the Duck!

  13. #13
    perhaps you need to work in all of the feedback from all of the recievers?

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