Mengingsmodellen

Mengingsmodellen is a hypothetical framework for analyzing how individuals construct meaning in communication. It is not a widely adopted theory in published literature but is often introduced in teaching contexts to illustrate the dynamic nature of meaning-making. The model describes how a sender's intention, the linguistic form, the surrounding context, and the receiver's prior knowledge interact to produce interpretation.

Core concepts include the idea that meaning is co-constructed rather than simply transmitted. The model identifies five interacting components: intention, text, context, interpretive competence (the receiver’s resources for interpretation), and feedback. The interaction unfolds in stages: encoding, transmission, decoding, interpretation, and validation or rejection.

Model structure emphasizes input factors such as cultural norms and situational cues, processing by attention and prior beliefs, output in the form of an interpretation, and potential feedback that shapes future understanding. It highlights feedback loops and the influence of social and cultural context on how messages are produced and understood.

Applications of Mengingsmodellen are primarily pedagogical and analytical. It is used to explain ambiguities in classroom discussions, to analyze media messages for different audiences, to study how marketing communications may be interpreted by diverse consumer groups, and to inform the design of clearer human–computer interactions.

Critiques note that as a hypothetical tool, the model lacks robust empirical validation and may oversimplify complex interpretive processes. It can be sensitive to cultural bias depending on how context and interpretive resources are defined.

Related concepts include semiotics, pragmatics, meaning-making, and discourse analysis.