ShannonWeaverlíkanið

ShannonWeaverlíkanið is a widely taught conceptual framework for understanding how information is transmitted from a source to a destination through a channel, with the possibility of interference or noise. The model identifies core components: information source, transmitter (encoder), channel, receiver (decoder), destination, and the potential presence of noise in the channel. It presents a linear sequence in which a message is encoded by the sender, conveyed through a channel, possibly corrupted by noise, and decoded by the recipient to reach the destination.

The model originated in telecommunications and information theory, developed by Claude E. Shannon and Warren Weaver and published in 1948–1949 as The Mathematical Theory of Communication. It introduced ideas such as channel capacity and the quantification of information in bits, emphasizing how to maximize reliable information transfer by managing noise and bandwidth.

Weaver added levels of analysis to the framework, highlighting technical, semantic, and effectiveness aspects of communication. In practice, the diagram is commonly used as a simplified representation of how messages travel from sender to receiver, while acknowledging that meaning and impact are influenced by interpretation and context.

Limitations of ShannonWeaverlíkanið include its focus on the technical transmission of signals at the expense of meaning, interpretation, feedback, and social context. It treats communication largely as a one-way process and often neglects how messages are negotiated, understood, or acted upon by participants. Despite these caveats, the model remains a foundational reference in information theory and communication studies, influencing study designs, network engineering, and pedagogy.