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

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

Eugene White’s Model of Communication

Eugene White’s model is a transactional communication theory that explains oral discussion. In 1960, scientist Eugene White introduced a transactional communication theory. Consequently, it is known as  Eugene White’s model of verbal discussion. The most important component of Eugene White’s model is feedback, and feedback makes it a transactional model of communication.

According to Eugene White, Feedback is the most important concept of his model. Additionally, the communication process is circular nor linear.

Eugene White’s model shows 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.

According to Eugene White’s model (1960), people think to symbolize the speech; they then speak to send the message to 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 best communication mode to describe a talk show and debating program.

Examples of Eugene White’s Model of Communication

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

The talk show program is an example situation of Eugene White’s stages of oral communication. In talk show programs, the speaker and host follow eight stages of communication, including thinking, symbolizing, expressing, transmitting, receiving, decoding, feedbacking, and monitoring the context.

Debating 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.

The bargaining between buyers and sellers is an example situation of Eugene White’s model. In this communication context, a circular conversation occurs reciprocally.

In addition, small group discussion is an example situation of White’s model. Many people converse recurrently.

Finally, the interview session is an example situation for White’s communication model. The interviewer asks several questions to assess the applicant. Sometimes, the applicants follow the STAR interview questions and answer samples to reply to the interviewer. The communication process is circular.

Eugene White's Model of Communication Example, Explanation, Elements and Advantages, and Disadvantages. Eugene White's Model 1960
Eugene White’s Model
Eugene White’s Model Elements

White’s stages of oral communication examples 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 with eight communication components: thinking, symbolizing, expressing, transmitting, receiving, decoding, feedbacking, and also monitoring. Communication is a recurring process in which the sender and receiver work simultaneously.

Thinking

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

Eugene White’s Model Advantages and Disadvantages
White’s Model of Communication Advantages

Firstly, White’s communication model can explain the transaction communication process with feedback. It is the perfect model to explain oral communication.

Additionally, this model shows how two-way communication occurs, like debating and talk shows.

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

White’s Model of Communication Disadvantages

Firstly, the White model cannot describe the one-way communication process; because it is a transactional communication model that has feedback. Contrastly, the linear communication models enable us to explain the linear or one-way communication process.

In addition, it cannot explain communication with radio, television, book, newspaper, and no-reply email.

Furthermore, Eugene White’s model presents a complex framework compared to linear models such as Aristotle’s model of communication with five elements.

In conclusion, Eugene White’s model is a transaction communication theory. It is one of the significant models to describe the two-way communication process with eight elements.

Author: M M Kobiruzzaman

M M Kobiruzzaman is a researcher, lecturer, and academic & creative content writer. He studied for a Master of Management By Research at the School of Business and Economics Faculty, Universiti Putra Malaysia. Previously, he graduated from the Department of Communication, Universiti Putra Malaysia. His research interests contained Journalism, Social Media Communication, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), and Corporate Communication. He has published several journal articles globally. He prefers to impart academic knowledge to other people through content writing. 

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