Osgood- Schramm’s ‘Circular’ Model of Communication
Notes by Sis P Michelle Mathias fsp
The Osgood and Schramm Model is called a Circular Model as it emphasizes on the circular nature of communication. The participants i.e. the sender and the receiver are constantly sending and receiving messages. It is here that they swap their roles as encoder and decoder and vice versa. During the process of Encoding and Decoding, Interpretation occurs based on an individual’s understanding of the message. It is not a linear one way model ; rather, it is circular. Sending and Receiving is a continual process.
The model also denotes that every time a message is received interpretation occurs. The decoding and interpretation are both important elements of communication.[1]
Please Note: Many students when asked about Schramm’s Interactional Model, tend to give Osgood and Schramm’s ‘Circular’ model. There are many websites and notes wrongly made by students themselves and they upload the same- and others end up copying it for academic purposes. Please note, they are not the same, as the other Model was developed by Schramm and is different.
[1] Olusola S. Oyero, From 'One-To-One' To 'Many-To-Many’: A New Model Of Communication, Book- Mass Communication- a book of Readings, Editor Ralph A Akinfeleye http://eprints.covenantuniversity.edu.ng/1008/1/From%20%27One-To-One%27%20To%27Many-To-Many%27.pdf
