Eugene White’s Model of Communication Example With Pros and Cons

Eugene White’s Model of Communication: Example, Explanation, Components, Advantages, and Disadvantages. Examples of Eugene White’s Model of Communication.

Eugene White’s Model of Communication

In 1960, scientist Eugene White introduced a transactional communication model with eight elements, including feedback. Therefore, it is known as Eugene White’s transactional model of communication. It is a useful model for explaining oral communication between senders and receivers. Consequently, it is known as  Eugene White’s model of oral communication or verbal discussion. The most important component of this theory is feedback, which makes it a transactional model of communication.

According to Eugene White’s model, the communication process is circular rather than linear. Feedback exists as the most important component of the oral discussion.

Eugene White’s model shows that communication occurs in two directions. It also indicates communication is a circular, not a linear process. The discussion occurs between two people, and it is reciprocal. It represents that communication is a cyclical process. Conversation on social media is a real-life example of the Eugene model of communication.

According to Eugene White’s model (1960), people think to symbolize speech, then speak to convey the message to the receivers. The receivers decode the message to provide feedback to senders. The sender and receiver monitor the context to continue the conversation. It is the most effective way to describe a talk show and a debate program.

Five Examples of Eugene White’s Communication Model

The five examples of Eugene White’s model are the talk-show program, debate, bargaining between buyer and seller, small-group discussion, and interview session.

Talk-show program

The talk show program exemplifies Eugene White’s stages of oral communication. In talk show programs, the speaker and host follow eight stages of communication: thinking, symbolizing, expressing, transmitting, receiving, decoding, providing feedback, and monitoring context.

Debating among students

Debating among students is another example of White’s communication model. The speaker and receiver follow a cyclical communication process in this context. Sometimes, the senders play the role of receiver. Consequently, the receivers play the role of the sender. They speak and listen simultaneously.

Negotiation Between Buyer and Seller

The bargaining between buyers and sellers is an example situation of Eugene White’s model. The buyer engages in multiple rounds of negotiation to purchase products and services. For example, in hardball negotiation, a circular conversation occurs between buyers and sales officers reciprocally. In this context, they go through the eight communication components to close the deal. Therefore, the conversation between the buyer and seller is a real-life example of Eugene’s communication model.

Group Discussion

In addition, a small-group discussion is an example of White’s model of communication. Many people converse recurrently. The group members monitor the discussion and provide their thoughts.

Interview Session

Finally, the interview session is an illustrative example of White’s communication model. The interviewer asks several questions to assess the applicant. Similarly, the applicants respond to the interviewer, thereby establishing two-way communication. The communication process is circular, with feedback from both parties.

Eugene White’s Model of Communication Elements

The eight elements of White’s model of oral communication are:

1. Thinking
2. Symbolizing
3. Expressing
4. Transmitting
5. Receiving
6. Decoding
7. Feedbacking
8. Monitoring

Eugene White’s model describes the face-to-face communication process as comprising eight components: thinking, symbolizing, expressing, transmitting, receiving, decoding, feedback, and monitoring. Communication is a continuous process in which the sender and the receiver interact simultaneously.

Thinking

Thinking is the sender’s thoughts and perceptions. The sender considers how to organize and deliver messages to recipients. Thinking is the initial stage of the communication process.

Symbolizing

Symbolizing means representing something to express thoughts. People symbolize words and utter them to communicate. For example, every word of a speech is a symbol of communication. In written communication, letters are the symbol of communication.

Expressing

Expressing is the process of articulating thoughts and messages to receivers. People express ideas by symbolizing them. For example, a physician delivers a speech to discourage smoking. He delivers a persuasive speech to influence people.

Transmitting

Transmitting is the process of conveying messages or thoughts from senders to listeners. In face-to-face communication, the sender transmits the message directly to the receiver without a channel. In mass communication, the sender uses TV, radio, or newspapers to transmit the message.

Receiving

Receiving is the process of receiving messages from the receivers. The receiver accepts ideas and decodes them to provide feedback. Usually, listeners receive messages from senders and respond to convey their opinions.

Decoding

Decoding is the way of interpreting an encoded symbol into intelligible language. It is an invisible process that we can not see.

It involves extracting the intended message from the symbols, words, or signals the sender transmits and interpreting it based on one’s knowledge, experiences, and cultural background.

In the communication process, decoding occurs after the receiver has received the message through the chosen channel

Feedbacking

Feedback is the process of responding to a message from the sender. It demonstrates that the communication process is transactional rather than linear. Feedback ensures that the communication is transactional and that both parties respond.  It also confirms that Eugene’s communication model is transactional.

In the verbal communication process, the sender and receiver respond orally for feedback. In nonverbal communication, communicators provide feedback through a smile, a yawn, a nod, posture, gestures, sweating, and covert behaviors such as a rapid heartbeat.

Monitoring

Speakers seek to determine whether listeners understand the message. It is all about observation. The speaker observes how the message impacts the audience. A good speaker should possess the ability to monitor their audience to persuade their listeners. This skill helps them avoid stereotyping, prejudice, and discriminatory speech.

Eugene White’s Model Strengths and Weaknesses

White’s Model of Communication Advantages

Feedback in Communication

Firstly, White’s communication model can explain the transaction communication process with feedback. Feedback is the most important element of communication. It is an ideal model for explaining oral communication.

Two-way communication explanation

Additionally, this model illustrates how two-way communication occurs, such as in debates and talk shows. It is a perfect model to explain two-way communication.

Effective Communication

Moreover, White’s model is well-suited to effective communication processes; therefore, organizations use it to communicate with clients.  For example, the marketing team discusses with clients over smartphones to motivate them.

Best Model for Oral Communication

It is the best model for explaining oral communication, with 8 stages: thinking, symbolizing, expressing, transmitting, receiving, decoding, feedback, and monitoring.

Audience Monitoring

Eugene White’s model focuses on monitoring audience reactions to messages. It emphasizes the audience’s perception of the received message.

White’s Model of Communication Disadvantages

Unable To Explain One-Way Communication

First, the White model cannot describe a one-way communication process because it is a transactional model with feedback. Linear communication models can explain linear, one-way communication processes. For example, it cannot explain communication with radio, television, books, newspapers, and (no-reply) email.

Complexity

Eugene White’s model presents a more complex framework than linear models, such as Aristotle’s five-element model of communication. White’s model is difficult to understand and apply in real-life communication because of its multiple stages.

Overemphasis on Feedback

White’s model highlights feedback that is not compulsory in one-way communication, such as print media and no-reply email. The Eugene model overemphasizes feedback, whereas many forms of communication lack it.

Lack of Contextual Sensitivity

Eugene White’s model avoids communication contexts such as intrapersonal, interpersonal, group, and mass communication. This model does not account for the context in which communication occurs.

Ignores Non-Verbal Communication

Eugene White’s model does not highlight nonverbal communication cues, including facial expressions, smiles, posture, and gestures. However, feedback can be part of nonverbal cues.

Passive Receiver

Some interpretations suggest that, even with feedback, the model still views the recipient as more passive than the sender.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Eugene White’s model is a transactional communication theory with a feedback element. It is one of the significant models to describe the two-way oral communication process with eight elements (Thinking, Symbolizing,  Expressing, Transmitting, Receiving, Decoding, Feedbacking, and Monitoring). This article presents Eugene White’s model of communication, including its explanation, examples, strengths, and weaknesses.