Transactional Model of Communication

Summary

In this video, Alex Lyon from Communication Coach unpacks the Transactional Model of Communication, contrasting it with Shannon and Weaver's linear model. The transactional approach emphasizes that we are always both senders and receivers, communicating through verbal and nonverbal cues. It highlights the importance of context and the 'field of experience' in shaping message interpretation. The model also addresses the dual nature of communication, involving both information exchange and relational dynamics, making it a more sophisticated framework for understanding face-to-face interactions.

Takeaways

• 📢 The Shannon and Weaver model is a linear, one-way communication model that is effective for explaining information technology but lacks the dynamics of face-to-face interactions.
• 🔄 The Transactional Model of Communication, developed by researchers including Paul Watzlawick, is more interactive and considers communication as a two-way process where individuals are both senders and receivers.
• 🗣️ The phrase 'you cannot not communicate' by Paul Watzlawick emphasizes that communication is constant, even in the absence of verbal messages, such as through silence or nonverbal cues.
• 🌐 The Transactional Model incorporates the importance of context in communication, suggesting that the setting, like a work environment, influences how messages are sent and received.
• 🌈 The 'field of experience' concept highlights how individuals' backgrounds, values, and beliefs shape their interpretation and exchange of messages during communication.
• 🔗 The model recognizes that every interaction involves both the exchange of content (information) and the establishment or reinforcement of relational dynamics.
• 👥 Even simple exchanges, like asking about someone's day, carry relational significance beyond the informational content, as tone of voice and nonverbal cues convey additional messages.
• 🤔 The Transactional Model is more sophisticated and layered, accounting for the complexities of human interaction beyond the simplicity of the Shannon and Weaver model.
• 💼 The model is particularly relevant to professional settings, offering insights into how communication impacts leadership and team dynamics.
• 💡 The video encourages viewers to reflect on the Transactional Model's application in professional contexts and to share their thoughts on how it can enhance leadership development.
• 📝 The video concludes with an invitation for viewers to comment on their understanding of the Transactional Model and its practical implications for leadership.

Q & A

What is the basic model of communication discussed in the previous video?

The basic model of communication discussed in the previous video is Shannon and Weaver's model, which is a one-way or linear model involving a sender, a message, a channel, and a receiver.

What is the main difference between Shannon and Weaver's model and the Transactional Model of Communication?

The main difference is that in Shannon and Weaver's model, there is a clear distinction between sender and receiver, while in the Transactional Model, individuals are both senders and receivers simultaneously, always giving and receiving feedback.

Who are some of the researchers credited with developing the Transactional Model of Communication?

Researchers such as Paul Watzlawick and his colleagues, as well as Barnlund, are credited with developing the Transactional Model of Communication.

What does Paul Watzlawick's phrase 'you cannot not communicate' imply?

The phrase implies that communication is inevitable; one is always sending and receiving messages, even when deliberately trying not to verbally communicate, such as through the silent treatment.

How does the context affect communication in the Transactional Model?

In the Transactional Model, the context, such as a work setting, shapes the way messages are sent and received, influencing the communication process.

What is the 'field of experience' in the context of the Transactional Model?

The 'field of experience' refers to the set of life experiences, values, and beliefs that individuals bring into a communication situation, which affects how they interpret and exchange messages.

What are the two main components of communication in the Transactional Model?

The two main components are the content, which is the information being exchanged, and the relational dynamics, which involve the building, establishing, and reinforcing of relationships.

How does the Transactional Model account for nonverbal communication?

The Transactional Model accounts for nonverbal communication by recognizing that nonverbal cues, such as body language and tone of voice, are part of the feedback process and contribute to the overall message being communicated.

What is the significance of understanding both content and relational dynamics in communication?

Understanding both content and relational dynamics is significant because it allows for a more comprehensive interpretation of messages, taking into account not just the information but also the relationship aspects that influence the communication.

How can the Transactional Model of Communication be applied to professional settings?

In professional settings, the Transactional Model can help individuals and leaders to be more aware of the ongoing feedback, the influence of context, and the relational aspects of communication, thereby improving interpersonal interactions and leadership effectiveness.

What does the speaker invite viewers to do after presenting the Transactional Model?

The speaker invites viewers to share their thoughts on the Transactional Model in the comments section and to discuss how it can be applied to professional settings, particularly in leadership development.

Outlines

00:00

🗣️ Introduction to Transactional Communication Model

The video script begins by contrasting the linear model of communication by Shannon and Weaver with the more dynamic Transactional Model of Communication. Alex Lyon introduces himself as a Communication Coach and emphasizes the importance of understanding communication for personal impact and leadership. The Transactional Model, developed by researchers like Paul Watzlawick, is highlighted as a more accurate representation of face-to-face interactions, where individuals are both senders and receivers of messages, constantly exchanging feedback. The concept that one cannot not communicate is introduced, indicating that even silence conveys a message. The script also touches on the importance of context and the 'field of experience' in shaping communication.

Keywords

💡Communication Model

A communication model is a theoretical construct that explains the process of communication. In the video, the Shannon and Weaver model is contrasted with the Transactional Model, highlighting the linear, one-way nature of the former versus the interactive, two-way nature of the latter. The video's theme revolves around understanding the complexities of face-to-face communication, which the Transactional Model better captures.

💡Sender

A sender in communication is the individual who initiates the message. The video explains that in the Shannon and Weaver model, there is a clear distinction between the sender and the receiver. However, in the Transactional Model, the roles of sender and receiver are not fixed; individuals are both simultaneously, emphasizing the interactive nature of communication.

💡Receiver

The receiver is the person who interprets and responds to the message. The video script discusses how, in the Transactional Model, the receiver is also a sender, as they provide feedback and thus contribute to the ongoing communication process, illustrating the dynamic interplay between participants in a conversation.

💡Transactional Model

The Transactional Model of Communication is a concept introduced in the video to describe a more complex and interactive approach to understanding communication. It suggests that all participants in a communication process are both sending and receiving messages, including nonverbal cues, and are influenced by the context and their personal experiences.

💡Feedback

Feedback in communication is the response or reaction of the receiver to the sender's message. The video emphasizes that feedback is a crucial part of the Transactional Model, as it allows for the continuous adjustment and understanding in communication, both verbally and nonverbally.

💡Context

Context refers to the circumstances or setting in which communication occurs. The video script mentions that the context, such as a work setting, shapes the way messages are sent and received, highlighting the importance of situational factors in communication dynamics.

💡Field of Experience

The 'field of experience' is a concept that encompasses an individual's life experiences, values, and beliefs. The video explains that this set of personal attributes influences how messages are interpreted and responded to in communication, adding depth to the understanding of interpersonal interactions.

💡Content

Content in communication refers to the actual information or message being exchanged. The video script uses the example of a simple question about someone's workday to illustrate that even basic exchanges of information involve relational dynamics and are influenced by nonverbal cues and tone of voice.

💡Relational Dynamics

Relational dynamics pertain to the interpersonal relationships and social interactions that occur alongside the exchange of information. The video points out that these dynamics are established, built, and reinforced through communication, emphasizing the social aspect of the Transactional Model.

💡Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal communication includes all forms of communication other than the spoken or written word, such as body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice. The video script discusses how nonverbal cues are a significant part of the communication process, conveying messages that complement or sometimes contradict the verbal content.

💡Paul Watzlawick

Paul Watzlawick is mentioned in the video as one of the researchers who contributed to the development of the Transactional Model of Communication. He is known for the phrase 'you cannot not communicate,' which underscores the video's theme that communication is an inevitable part of human interaction.

Highlights

Shannon and Weaver's basic model of communication is a one-way or linear model that works well for explaining information technology but does not capture face-to-face dynamics.

The Transactional Model of Communication, developed by researchers like Paul Watzlawick, is more suitable for understanding face-to-face interaction.

In the Transactional Model, individuals are both senders and receivers, constantly giving and receiving feedback, verbal and nonverbal.

The phrase 'you cannot not communicate' emphasizes that communication is always happening, whether intentional or not.

Even silence communicates a message, though the exact content may be difficult to determine.

The context of a communication situation, such as a work setting, influences how messages are sent and received.

The 'field of experience' concept highlights how individuals' life experiences, values, and beliefs shape message interpretation.

The Transactional Model recognizes that interactions involve both content exchange and relational dynamics.

Relational work occurs even in simple exchanges, such as asking about someone's day, influencing the interaction beyond the information shared.

Nonverbal cues and tone of voice provide additional layers of meaning beyond the actual words spoken.

The Transactional Model is more sophisticated and layered compared to the simple but less comprehensive Shannon and Weaver model.

The model helps make sense of the complexities of human interaction in daily life.

The video invites viewers to share their thoughts on the Transactional Model and its applications in professional settings.

Leaders can benefit from understanding the Transactional Model to develop their leadership skills.

The video encourages viewers to comment on how the model can help leadership develop to the next level.

The Communication Coach channel aims to increase personal impact and educate on the communication process for leadership excellence.

Transcripts

In a previous video, I talked about Shannon and Weaver's basic model of

communication that involves a sender with a message that sent along a channel

to a receiver. This is a very one-way or linear model of communication. It works

pretty well for explaining information technology but it doesn't capture the

face-to-face dynamics that most of us experience and feel. So several years

later, some other researchers like Paul Watzlawick and

his colleagues as well as Barnlund came up with what we now call the

Transactional Model of Communication. And that's the one we're going to unpack in

this video. So let's get into the details.

Hello again friends. I'm Alex Lyon. If we haven't met yet, this channel,

Communication Coach is here to help you increase your personal impact so you can

lead the people around you to higher levels of excellence. And a huge part of

that is becoming a little more educated on the communication process. Probably

one of the most helpful models of communication to understand face-to-face

interaction is the transactional model or the transactional approach to

communication. So let's dig into that. First, I want to talk about how this

differs a little bit with Shannon and Weaver. In the Shannon and Weaver

one-way, linear model, you have a sender and a receiver. But in the transactional

approach, the researchers that developed this say that we are both simultaneously

senders and receivers. That means that we're always giving each other feedback

both verbal and nonverbal and so in that way we're always sending messages. Paul

Watzlawick uses the phrase you cannot not communicate. Which is another way to

say you're always sending and receiving messages whether you realize it or not.

So let's say somebody is giving you the silent treatment and they're

deliberately trying not to verbally communicate. You're still getting a

message. It may not be easy to determine exactly what that message is but there's

still messages going back and forth. So you're always communicating. You cannot

not communicate. Another aspect that this model brings into the situation is the

context. So anytime you're interacting with someone, it's not isolated and pure.

You're in a context. Let's say you're in a work setting.

And that work setting shapes the way you send and receive messages.

Another aspect of this is what we call the "field of experience." I come into a

situation and you come into a situation with a whole set of life experiences,

values, and beliefs. And that's going to shape how we send and receive and

interpret the messages that we are exchanging. So that's a really

interesting aspect of this that the other linear Shannon and Weaver model

does not capture. Another aspect of this is the notion that in any kind of

interaction we have both content that's being exchanged, like information, and we

also have relational dynamics that are being built and established and

reinforced. So even if I'm just saying to my wife "Hey, how was work today?" And she

says, "Oh, it was okay." Now there's information that's going back and forth

but there's relational work happening at the same time. And, in fact, a very

simple example like that, "How was work today?" "Oh, it was okay." There's a lot going

on there because you can read the other person's nonverbal and there's feedback

going on you can hear tone of voice and you can read into what's happening. In

fact, you probably know this from personal experience. If someone says, "Oh, it's

okay today," It depends HOW they said it, not just the information or the content.

There's that relational dynamic. So this model through and through is much more

sophisticated and layered and that earlier video on the Shannon and Weaver

model I talked about how the model is simple but people are complicated. And in

this Transactional Model, the researchers came along and rounded out their notion

of how communication happens face-to-face and came up with a model

that's much more sophisticated and layered to help make sense of that human

interaction, in that dynamic that we experienced day to day. So question of

the day, what are your thoughts on this Transactional Model of Communication. I

would love to hear your comments in that section below. I would also like to hear

how you see this applying to professional settings specifically. How,

as a leader, can thinking in terms of this model help your leadership develop

to the next level? I look forward to seeing

those comments below. So, thanks. God bless. And I will see you in the next video.