Transactional Communication

Transaction Model of Communication

As the study of communication progressed, models expanded to account for more of the

communication process. Many scholars view communication as more than a process that is used

to carry on conversations and convey meaning. We don’t send messages like computers, and we

don’t neatly alternate between the roles of sender and receiver as an interaction unfolds. We also

can’t consciously decide to stop communicating because communication is more than sending

and receiving messages. The transaction model differs from the transmission and interaction

models in significant ways, including the conceptualization of communication, the role of sender

and receiver, and the role of context (Barnlund, 1970).

The transaction model of communication describes communication as a process in which

communicators generate social realities within social, relational, and cultural contexts. In this

model, which is shown in Figure 2.2.3, we don’t just communicate to exchange messages; we

communicate to create relationships, form intercultural alliances, shape our self-concepts, and

engage with others in dialogue to create communities.

The roles of sender and receiver in the transaction model of communication differ significantly

from the other models. Instead of labeling participants as senders and receivers, the people in a

communication encounter are referred to as communicators. Unlike the interactive model, which

suggests that participants alternate positions as sender and receiver, the transaction model

suggests that we are simultaneously senders and receivers. This is an important addition to the

model because it allows us to understand how we are able to adapt our communication—for

example, a verbal message—in the middle of sending it based on the communication we are

simultaneously receiving from our communication partner.

Figure 2.2.3 The transaction model of communication

The transaction model also includes a more complex understanding of context. The interaction

model portrays context as physical and psychological influences that enhance or impede

Transaction Model of Communication

communication. While these contexts are important, they focus on message transmission and

reception. Since the transaction model of communication views communication as a force that

shapes our realities before and after specific interactions occur, it must account for contextual

influences outside of a single interaction. To do this, the transaction model considers how social,

relational, and cultural contexts frame and influence our communication encounters.

Social context refers to the stated rules or unstated norms that guide communication. Norms are

social conventions that we pick up on through observation, practice, and trial and error. We may

not even know we are breaking a social norm until we notice people looking at us strangely or

someone corrects or teases us. Relational context includes the previous interpersonal history and

type of relationship we have with a person. We communicate differently with someone we just

met versus someone we’ve known for a long time. Initial interactions with people tend to be

more highly scripted and governed by established norms and rules, but when we have an

established relational context, we may be able to bend or break social norms and rules more

easily. Cultural context includes various aspects of identities such as race, gender, nationality,

ethnicity, sexual orientation, class, and ability. We all have multiple cultural identities that

influence our communication. Some people, especially those with identities that have been

historically marginalized, are regularly aware of how their cultural identities influence their

communication and influence how others communicate with them. Conversely, people with

identities that are dominant or in the majority may rarely, if ever, think about the role their

cultural identities play in their communication. Cultural context is influenced by numerous

aspects of our identities and is not limited to race or ethnicity.

Source: https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/professionalcomms/chapter/3-2-the-communication-process- communication-in-the-real-world-an-introduction-to-communication-studies/