Chapter 11 10/6

In this chapter, we are introduced to Harold Laswell’s formula and its similarities when compared to Jakobson’s model of the communication process. First, Laswell’s formula is a brief statement that can be used to describe an act of communication by answering the following the questions: Who, Says What, In Which Channel, To Whom, With What Effect. The Who question of the Laswell formula is the addresser in Jakobson’s model of communication, while the Says What question is the message or the content. In Which Channel refers to the medium or contact, while the To Whom question is the receiver of the message. The final question in Laswell’s formula is With What Effect, referring to the functions of the message being sent. One of the key terms in this passage is formula, defined as a statement expressing some fundamental truth or principle. Another key term, models, is the abstract presentation of processes that occur in the world and therefore have their values and limitations. A certain value that a model contains is they provide an easy-to-understand overview of what is being described. One limitation is that they tend to simplify information too much, leaving key ideas out. Laswell also discusses phatic communication, which is used to express emotions rather than communicative information. This communication is not based on persuasion. An example would be a man grunting in the gym while lifting heavy weights.