Berlo’s Smcr Model was created by American communication theorist David Berlo in 1960, who expanded the Shannon-Weaver model of communication into clear and distinct parts. Berlo’s SMCR model is a one-way or linear communication framework based on the Shannon-Weaver communication model.
Understanding Berlo’s SMCR model
Like most communication models, Berlo’s SMCR model argues the sender and receiver must be synchronized for communication to be effective. Synchronization occurs when a clear and concise message is transmitted by the sender which is then actively heard and interpreted by the receiver. In this way, Berlo saw communication as a linear process made more successful when the skills of the receiver complemented or matched those of the sender.
However, Berlo’s model is one of the earliest such frameworks and is a little less refined as a result. For one, the model does not consider the impact of noise on communication effectiveness. Nor does it consider feedback, which means the sender and receiver do not receive important information regarding how their messages are perceived and conveyed.
The four components of Berlo’s SMCR model
Berlo’s SMCR model is so named because SMCR is an acronym of four key components. Berlo believed each component and a collection of associated factors was essential to any communication process.
Let’s take a look at them below.
1 – Sender (S)
The sender is the person who transmits the message and initiates the communication process. Here, Berlo identified five factors related to the sender:
- Communication skills – or the ability to utilize speaking, writing, listening, reading. Nonverbal cues such as body language, facial expression, intonation, and gestures are also used to increase communication effectiveness.
- Attitude – what is the attitude of the sender toward themselves, the audience, or the subject? Attitude influences the meaning and effect of the message sent.
- Knowledge – or the level of subject familiarity the sender possesses when sending the message.
- Social systems – or any values, beliefs, laws, rules, or religions that impact the way the sender communicates.
- Culture – a difference in cultural background between the sender and receiver can influence the way messages are interpreted.
2 – Message (M)
The message is the information sent from the sender to the receiver and may take the form of audio, text, video, or voice.
The key factors affecting the message include:
- Content – or the information contained in the message from start to finish.
- Elements – any non-verbal factor that accompanies the content, such as gestures and body language.
- Treatment – how the message is passed on or delivered.
- Structure – the way the message has been structured to increase its effectiveness.
- Code – how is the message sent, and in what form?
3 – Channel (C)
Channel describes the communication medium. During mass communication, the medium may be a radio, television, or the internet. In a general conversation between two people, the five senses play an important role:
- Hearing – used to receive and interpret messages.
- Seeing – used to perceive non-verbal communication.
- Touching – some non-verbal communication is also sensed by holding or shaking hands and hugging.
- Smelling – for example, through perfumes, flowers, or pheromones.
- Tasting – when an individual tastes food, they then communicate positive or negative feelings via facial expressions.
4 – Receiver (R)
The receiver is the person who has to interpret the sender’s message and then respond accordingly in a process called decoding.
The receiver is characterized by the same five factors as the sender. In theory, these factors should match or at least closely align for the message to be interpreted successfully.
Key takeaways:
- Berlo’s SMCR model is a one-way or linear communication framework based on the Shannon-Weaver communication model.
- Berlo’s SMCR model is an early communication model with a few limitations. It does not consider the impact of noise on the communication process. What’s more, it makes no allowance for feedback and its ability to alter the sent or received message.
- Berlo’s SMCR model is based on four components: sender, message, channel, and receiver. Each component – and its various sub-factors – must match or closely align between the sender and receiver for effective communication.
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