The Levels of
Communication
Adapted from Mastering Public Speaking,
by George L. Grice and John F. Skinner
To Communicate . . .

The Latin verb communicare means “to
make common to many, share, impart,
divide.”
Simply stated . . .
When you communicate you share, or
make common, your knowledge and
ideas with someone else.
 Communication, then, is the sharing of
meaning by
sending
and receiving
symbolic cues.

Charles Ogen & I. A. Richard’s
Triangle of Meaning

The interpreter
– The person who is communicating, with
words or symbols

The symbol
– Anything to which people attach or assign
a meaning

The referent
– The object or idea for which the symbol
stands
The Triangle of Meaning
Interpreter
(Speaker or Listener)
Symbol
………
Referent
Five Levels of Public Speaking:
Five Levels of Public Speaking:
 1)
intrapersonal
Intrapersonal Communication

The type of communication a person
has with himself, thus the prefix “intra-”
which means within.

As soon as a human being awakens, he
begins an internal thought process and
dialogue, almost always silent, but
sometimes aloud.
Five Levels of Public Speaking:
 2)
interpersonal
Interpersonal Communication

Interpersonal communication takes
place between two people.

This type of communication varies
depending on the relationship between
the two individuals.
Five Levels of Public Speaking:
 3)
group
Group Communication

Group communication occurs when
three or more individuals, who have a
common goal, interact either formally or
informally.
Five Levels of Public Speaking:
 4)
public
Public Communication

Public communication takes place when
one or more individuals communicate
with a large group in a more “onedirectional” approach.
Five Levels of Public Speaking:
 5)
mass communication
Mass Communication

Mass communication occurs when
extremely large groups receive
information, like a television audience
watching a news broadcast, as well as
the intermittent commercial advertising.
Five Levels of Public Speaking:
 1)
intrapersonal
 2) interpersonal
 3) group
 4) public
 5) mass communication
Linear Model of Communication
Linear Model of Communication

The speaker—the sender, the encoder,
or source of the message.
The
Speaker
Linear Model of Communication

Encoding—the process of putting ideas
into symbols to carry a message.
The Speech
Text
The
Speaker
Linear Model of Communication

Message—ideas communicated
verbally and nonverbally.
The Message
The
Speaker
A speaker sends a message to a listener.
Linear Model of Communication

Listener—the receiver or decoder of
the message
The Message
The
Speaker
A speaker sends a message to a listener.
Linear Model of Communication

Decoding—the process of attaching
meanings to symbols received.
Decoding
The Message
The
Speaker
A speaker sends a message to a listener.
Linear Model of Communication





The speaker—the sender, the encoder, or
source of the message.
Encoding—the process of putting ideas into
symbols to carry a message.
Message—ideas communicated verbally and
nonverbally.
Listener—the receiver or decoder of the
message
Decoding—the process of attaching
meanings to symbols received.
Linear Model of Communication
The
Speaker
The Message
A speaker sends a message to a listener.
The
Listener
Problems with Linear Model
of Communication
#1—The assumption that a person is
either the sender or a receiver of
messages.
 Actually, we perform both of these roles
simultaneously.

Problems with Linear Model
of Communication
#2—The suggestion that
communication involves only one
message.
 Actually, there are as many messages
as there are communicators involved,
and the message the sender intends is
never identical to the one received.

Interactive Model of Communication

When scholars began to see the
limitations of the linear model of
communication, they added other
components to the speaker, message,
and listener making a total of 7
components:
channel, feedback, environment, and
noise
Interactive Model of Communication

Channel—the medium, or the way the
message is sent.
Interactive Model of Communication

Feedback—includes all messages,
verbal and nonverbal, sent by listeners
to speakers.
Interactive Model of Communication

Environment—the physical setting and
the occasion for communication.
Interactive Model of Communication

Noise—anything that distracts from
effective communication; some form of
noise is always present.
Interactive Model of Communication

Channel—the medium, or the way the
message is sent.
 Feedback—includes all messages, verbal
and nonverbal, sent by listeners to speakers.
 Environment—the physical setting and the
occasion for communication.
 Noise—anything that distracts from effective
communication; some form of noise is always
present.
Noise

Physical noise—distractions
originating in the communication
environment.
Noise

Physiological noise—distractions
originating in the bodies of
communicators—cold, headache,
hunger, fatigue.
Noise

Psychological noise—distractions
originating in the thoughts of
communicators—anxiety, daydreaming,
worry.
Noise

Physical noise—distractions originating in
the communication environment.
 Physiological noise—distractions originating
in the bodies of communicators—cold,
headache, hunger, fatigue.
 Psychological noise—distractions
originating in the thoughts of
communicators—anxiety, daydreaming,
worry.
CHANNEL
Message
SPEAKER
LISTENER
Decoder
Encoder
Decoder
Encoder
Feedback
CHANNEL
Interactive Model of
Communication
The Levels of
Communication
Adapted from Mastering Public Speaking,
by George L. Grice and John F. Skinner