PATTERN OF COMMUNICATION

Communication can be one way and two way process. Both the patterns are followed in various circumstances effectively and efficiently by the people in the society. There is also horizontal and vertical movement of information from one source to another. The horizontal flow keeps individuals of the same status and peer groups informed of what others are doing and what is expected of them. The vertical communication is both downward and upward. It is essential to have both upward and downward movement since mere downward flow is like talking to a person continuously without giving him a chance to respond. In such situation the pattern will be as given in One Way communication and when mutual chance is given to the listener, the pattern is similar to two way communication.

ONE WAY COMMUNICATION

• A person always instructing another
• Always speaking without giving chance for the other to respond
• Always directing the other to do something
• Conveying some information to other and so on.

TWO WAY COMMUNICATION

• A person named X instructs Y
• Y reports to X
• X speaks to Y
• Y responds to X and so on

This two way communication could be classified into two: One to many and many to one.

(a)One to One Communication

In one to one communication there is only one sender and one receiver wherein the sender passes on some information to the receiver and the receiver passes on to the sender in return. Such kind of communication is one to one communication in two way communication pattern.

(b)One to Many Communication

In one to many communication there is only one sender and one or more receiver wherein the sender passes on some information to all the receivers and each of the receiver passes on / replies to the sender in return. Such kind of communication is One to Many Communication in two way communication pattern.

(c)Many to One Communication

In Many to One Communication there are several senders and one receiver wherein all the senders pass on some information to the receiver and the receiver replies for them. Such kind of communication is Many to One Communication in two way communication pattern.
It is obvious that conveying all information to everybody would be a meaningless exercise. For proper functioning of a Communication system the following questions should be asked and the answers constantly reviewed:

• What information is to be conveyed?
• Who requires it?
• What should be its form?
• What techniques of dissemination should be used?
• What technological aids should be used?