Berlo’s SMCR Model

David Berlo’s SMCR Model (1960) in which he emphasizes relationship between the sender
and the receiver.

Communication Seeing Communication

Skills Skills

Attitudes Hearing Attitudes

Knowledge Touching Knowledge

Social System Smelling Social System

Culture Tasting Culture

S M C R
Source Message Channel Receiver

There are five verbal communication skills, according to Berlo:

Two are encoding skills – speaking and writing. Two are decoding skills – listening and
reading. The fifth is crucial to encoding and decoding – thought or reasoning. As encoders,
our communication skill level affects our communication fidelity in two ways, according to
Berlo: it affects our ability to analyze our own purposes and intentions, our ability to say
something when we communicate – you may perhaps take issue with Berlo on this, since it
not apparent to all of us that we necessarily use verbal skills in reflecting on our purposes and
intentions.

It affects our ability to encode messages which say what we intend to do. Our communication
skills, our facility for handling the language code, affect our ability to encode thoughts that
we have. We have certainly experienced at times the frustration of being able to find the
‘right word’ to express what we want to say. Bearing in mind Berlo’s insistence on the dyadic
nature of communication, we need to remember that finding the ‘right word’ is not simply a
matter of finding one which expresses what we want to say to our own satisfaction. It also has
to have approximately the same meaning for the receiver as it does for us.

There is evidence that our ability to use language actually affects the thoughts themselves.
There is little disagreement amongst communication and cultural studies theoritsts today that
the codes we use (verbal or otherwise) affect the way we see the world and the way we think
about it. Our experience of the world is thus a function of the codes we use, as is what we can
express about that experience.1

Berlo’s
Berlo’s Process Model identifies four elements in the process of communication: SMCR.
Though basically identical to Lasswell’s, Berlo’s model omits feedback on the assumption
that communication is complete once the message is delivered t to the receiver. There is no
complete agreement among the scholars as to the dimensions of the term communication, as
can be seen from the wide range of definitions already given. Some prefer to hold the view
that there is no communication unless the receiver of the message is affected by it.16

Nalin observes that ‘Communication does not take place until there is an encounter and then
an exchange’. That is why communication is often referred to as a two-way process. In the
absence of feedback, the effort of communication flops. At the same time, there is no such
thing as a simple and predictable relationship between message content and effect. 17

The Sender

The Sender is the prime mover in the act of communication. The sender may be an
individual, group of persons or a communication organization such as a newspaper or an
advertising agency or a television studio. The sender may employ oral, written, graphic or
sign symbols to convey the content of the message. His/Her communication skills, attitude
and conviction the extent of his/her knowledge of the subject he/she deals with and the
objectives, his/her social and cultural milieu (setting) and that of the object population he
encounters, all these have an impact on the efficacy of the message he/she advocates. 2

The Message

One of the elements of the communication process is the message. Messages are made
up of signs, symbols and codes which are signals that stand for something in experience.
Messages may be encoded on paper, in ink or paint, sound waves on the air or any signal
verbal or non-verbal, signs, gestures, capable of being understood and interpreted
meaningfully. The message is the core of the communication process. It is the ideas or
content or theme which is intended to be delivered. The inputs of the message determine the
outcome. Example: Media can therefore manipulate messages to create wants like
advertisement.3

The Channel

In the language of communication, the word, ‘channel’ refers to the five faculties of
sensory perception, namely, seeing, hearing, touch, smell and taste. A message is perceptible
through any, several or all these modes of sensory perception.

1
John Joshva Raja and Samson Prabhakar, eds., Introduction the Communication and Media Studies
(Bangalore: BTESSC/SATHRI, 2006), 58-59.
2
C.R.W. David, Communication in Theological Education A Curriculum (Bangalore: The Board of
Theological Education of the Senate of Serampore College, 1986), 18.
3
David, Communication, 17.
Seeing: Seen through printed and visual forms. Sight can perceive reality in a great
perspective. Communication is effective through eyes is 40%

Hearing: Heard through voices, audio media or musical instruments. The sound reveals the
inner state of mind. Communication is effective 20%

Seeing and Hearing: Seen and heard through films, television, field demonstrations and
other audio-visual aids. Communication is effective through ear and eyes together are 60%.

Touching, Smelling and Tasting: Touch conveys little information except some feelings
and emotions such as love or rejection or hatred. Touch, smell and taste functions in co-
ordination.

Receiver

The receiver of a message in the communication process may be an individual or a

group of persons or mass audience. He/she is the object in the communication process who is
exposed to the message. His/her communication skills, his/her attitudes, his/her knowledge,
his/her needs and aspirations and the social and cultural milieu (Setting) in which he/she lives
govern his perceptive abilities and determine his/her response to the message.