Comunication theory

Different ‘lenses’/tools – yield different results and may contradict/conflict

· Socio-psychological

· Socio-cultural

Context of the message is important and affects the message

· Rhetori

Communication as persuasion

· Semiotics

How things gain their meaning and the structure of communication

· Cybernetics

Communication of feedback systems

· Critical Communication

Communication as a site of power, as ideology, as manipulation

· Phenomenology

Perception and experience are key to communication

Shannon-Weaver Model

1 engineer, 1 mathematician

Military funded experiment to analyse communication with the aim of producing a model that led to the most efficient communication process.

Reduced communication to 5 stages at which communication can happen or can break down.

Model applied to telephones and radios

Is now the example of how all forms of communication work, both visual and verbal

It is a linear model; it only works if B h as responded to A’s message.

Related to Graphic Design

Misinterpretation of the message is a problem that occurs between the decoder and the destination.

The model starts when the message is decided to prior influences on the designer (culture, background, politics etc) are not considered; ie the model works in a vacuum.

There is a ‘feedback loop’ which means the destination’s reaction will feedback to the information source, thereby enabling the message to be ‘tweaked’.

· Problems

The model operates outside of any social factory

It has reductive linearity – ie it reduces communication to 5 steps and only works in one direction, A to B, unlike a real dialogue.

But, by reducing visual communication to these stages can help clarify your message as a designer.

Communication problems identified as having 3 levels

· Level A – technical problem

hhHow accurate can the message be transmitted?

· Level B – semantic problems

How precisely is the message conveyed?

· Level C – Effectiveness problem

How effectively does the received meaning affect behaviour? Ie communication only occurs when B behaves as A wants

Noise

Anything unintended assed to the signal between transmission and reception.

· Noise at information sourceE.g. someone defacing your message with graffiti changes the message away from the information source’s intention

· Transmitter and channel noise

E.g. static on TV,competition around your message (e.g. other billboards),organisations like Adbusters subverting your original message

To consider as graphic designers:

The information source and what you want to communicate

Models of transmission

Disrupting existing channels by being the noise source

Redundancy vs Entropy

Redundant:

adds nothing, doesn’t interfere in the process; e.g. power line does nothing to the power it’s conducting.

Redundancy = high predictability and /or low information.E.g. a handshake – a simple action that carries a successful message, therefore is highly redundant

Therefore, in communication want redundancy as message won’t be affected at all.

By increasing redundancy you communicate more effectively with your target audience.

Entropy:

Something is lost/seeps out; e.g. when power is lost from a cable

Entropy = low predictability; unconventional; high levels of information

E.g. handshake with a buzzer on your hand

All of the original message is affected by buzzer that shocks which alters the message and makes it confusing.

Communication entropy – the message ‘seeps out’ to the wrong audience.

Communication works better when you add redundancy.

- Designers who introduce redundant messages care about the receiver of the message and ensure the message works are all levels with all audiences.

- If you have a niche audience, you can use entropic messages. Redundant styles in this case would neutralise the message for the niche audience.

Examples of strategies to introduce redundancy in graphic design:

- Sans serif font – makes text plain and neutral

- Stereotypes – use is also a big problem as it assumes the viewer has knowledge of cultural stereotypes.

Medium/Codes

Each channel of communication has its own codes, e.g. visual, journalistic, social etc.

Those that adhere to codes are redundant, those that challenge/subvert the codes are entropic.

Redundancy is essential for communication therefore designers must understand the codes to communicate effectively.