INTERACTIONAL MODEL THEORY. NDAKALAKO T SHILONGO COMMUNICATION THEORY AND RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.

TABLE OF CONTENT Introduction The history of Interactional Model Theory How the Interactional Model Theory works Who uses the Interactional Model Theory Challenges the Interactional Model Theory faces How the theory applies to Public Relation Officers References

DEFINING THE INTERACTIONAL MODEL THEORY This theory looks at communication as a two way processes were a message is send from one person to the next and the sender will receive feedback on their message. Participants coordinate on who participates in an interaction, what roles participants will enact, actions to be performed and their timing and location. In most cases mutual understanding, or common ground are not always met due to barriers that could hider the communication processes. KEY WORDS: Conversation, Social Interaction, Mutual Understanding, Common Ground, Grounding, Joint Action, Coordination

HISTORY OF INTERACTIONAL MODEL THEORY This theory was created by Thornberg and Travis Hirchi, on the empirical findings of Ronald Akers social learning theory. The basic premises of Interactional Theory is “Human behavior occurs in social interaction” How people behave or communicate with others during two way conversations. And how their communications methods differ depending on their backgrounds.

HOW THE MODEL WORKS The sender channels a message to the receiver and the receiver then becomes the sender and channels a message to the original sender. Which is what we refer to as feed back. This model has added feedback, indicating that communication is not a one way but a two way process. (Interaction) It also has “field of experience” which includes our cultural background, ethnicity geographic location, extent of travel, and general personal experiences accumulated over the course of your lifetime. ( How does the field experience affect the participants methods of encoding and decoding messages during a conversation)

WHO USES THE INTERACTIONAL MODEL THEORY? During an interview or any interaction between members of a certain organisation. This is a question and answer session where you just ask a question then you get an answer. By journalists to pass on information to the nation about what is happening around them for example publishing an article in the Namibian newspaper and getting feed back from the public through text messages on different issues covered or comments on their pages on social networks such as Facebook. During briefings in an organisational meeting or when employees report back with feedback. instant messaging. The sender sends an IM to the receiver, then the original sender has to wait for the IM from the original receiver to react..

CHALLENGES THE INTERACTIONAL THEORY FACES Because the sender and receiver are from different cultural backgrounds, educational backgrounds etc the way they encode and decode the message will not be the same and this can lead to miscommunications and conflicts. E.g Jargon The sender might send an message with insufficient information assuming that the receiver knows what is going on already, making it hard for the receiver to interpret it correctly. The sender might not be interested in the receivers feedback and might decide to ignore it and not reply at all.

HOW THE THEORY APPLIES TO PUBLIC RELATION OFFICERS This theory is still relevant to Public Relations today example when a PRO holds a press release where he invites media houses to come and record what ever message he has to say or send they will do this using the theory. For example When the journalist (Sender) asks questions which the PRO (Receiver) will answer, they will be making use of the interactional model. Later this press release will be published in the news paper and posted on social networks and more people will give feed back on the sms column or comment on the press release online. Even now, I am presenting my topic to you and later when I am done you are going to ask questions or make comments (feedback) that way we are using the Interactional Model Theory.

REFERENCES Thornberry, T. P. (1996). Empirical support for interactional theory: A review of the literature. In J. D. Hawkins (Ed.), Delinquency and crime: Current theories (pp. pp. 198–235). New York: Cambridge University Press.