Elements of Communication Process

Essential Elements-(Components) of the Communication Process
Although a communicator, a communicatee and a message constitute the
basic elements of communication, the modem communication process includes many other elements. The elements included in modem day communication are briefly discussed below:
1. Sender (Communicator): The  person sending  the  message  is  called  the communicator. He initiates and makes the decision to be sent. In this sense, he is the intermediate source of information. A sender in the communication process  irresponsible for selection of an intended message and encoding of the message. The sender initiates the message out of reaction developed in his mind from stimuli (eitherexternal or internal or both).
2. Source: In order for communication to take place, there must be a source of information. Although a sender is the immediate source of information, due ultimate source is stimuli. For communication to occur, the source must be there to generate information.
3. Stimulus: A stimulus, is something that causes a reaction in a plant or part of the body. It creates a need to communicate and hence there must be a stimulus for communication to take place. This stimulus may be external or internal.
When it develops in an environment, it is called an external stimulus. An external stimulus is an event or a situation that creates areaction with an individual. This reaction leads one to
communicate. The external stimulus comes to you through sensory organs - eyes, ears, nose, mouth and skin. A memo or letter you just read, a presentation you heard of a meeting or a bit of gossip you heard over lunchare a few examples of external stimuli for communicating in business. An internal stimulus, better known as impulse is simply an idea or a strong desire to do something. This idea usually, develops all of a sudden within your mind without thinking about the results i.e. whether it is a sensible thing to do.
4. Filter: A filter is a piece of equipment or a device used to refine liquid, light, etc. Incase of communication, it is something that helps
a person to shape his unique impression of reality. We know that everybody's perception of reality is not alike. It varies from person to person. This variation
takes place because of the variation of the indivisual experience, culture, emotions at the moment, personality, knowledge, socio-economic status and a host of other variables. These variables act as filters to refine the message received. The filtration is done through interpreting the message received with the help of the above variables so as to derive a precise meaning.
5. Message: The next element in the communication process is a message. When the idea has been encoded, it is called a message. Thus a message is an encoded information (either verbal or non-verbal) which is communicated to the destination. It is the result of encoding. Information to be sent may or may not be factual - it may bean idea or opinion or a combination of both the fact and opinion. A message is very important element, because communication occurs if there is a message which, needs to be sent to the intended receiver. If there is no message, there will be no communication.
6. Medium: When the infonnation has been encoded, a sender is to choose amedium. A   medium is a means by which  something is   expressed or communicated to others. It is also known as the forms of messages to be sent. The media for oral messages (through which messages are orally expressed) are conversations, telephone calls, voice mail, conferences, meetings and the like. Oral messages may also be sent even through such informal means as grapevines. Written 
messages may be communicated through a letter, memo, report, newspaper, press release, e-mail, etc. Non-verbal messages may be communicated through gestures, facial expressions, body movements, dresses, etc.
7. Channel: Channels are the means (pathways or devices) through which messages are sent to the eommunicatee. A message itself cannot reach theeommunicatee. Naturally a sender is to send the message in the receiver's direction by placing it into a communication channel. Thus channels act as the carriers which carry messages from senders to receivers. Radio waves, telephone lines, television terrestrials are examples of channels. Sometimes channels and media are used in the same sense.
8. Receiver (or Destination): A receiver is a person or a body which receives a message. The receiver may be an individual or an organisation. After receiving the message the receiver decodes (interprets) the message
so as to give a precise meaning to the message received. In case of two-way communication, the receiver of the message provides feedback to the original sender of the message. Receivers' presence is inevitable for communication to take place. If a man
cries in a desert, devoid of human beings, to save his life, his message (crying) will produce no fruitful results as there is none there to receive the message (i.e. to hear the crying). So there  must be a receiver on
the other side of the communication process to receive the message sent by the sender.
9. Understanding: The receiver must underst and the message passed on to himby the transmitter. Thus, if an English speaking person
addresses a Bengali speaking person in English, communication cannot take place, because the message  is not understood by the receiver. Feedback is  your audience's response. It is information
10. Feedback: Feedback is your audience's response. It is information about how the receiver is receiving your words. To get any
fruitful result from communication, it is to be ensured that the intended communicatee understands the message in the way the communicator desires. But communicating is not free from barriers.   It may be hindered at  any point (i.e., at encoding, transmitting, receiving, decoding) along the process line.
The process must be repeated in reverse so that the original sender can know what the communicatee has understood from the message received. This return (reverse) message is called feedback. Feedback is the only way to determine whether the decoded idea of the receiver corresponds with the idea the sender had in his mind. So feedback is a very important element for effective communication. However, feedback is not necessary for communication to like place.
From the discussion, it appears without any doubt that each and every element is highly essential to make communication
complete and effective. In the truest sense,
communication cannot occur in the absence of any of these component.