Lasswell modelLasswell's Model Harold Lasswell a political scientist in 1948 proposed a linear model, which explains the communication process as "Who says what to whom in what channel with what effect." Lasswell’s model focuses primarily on verbal communication just as Aristotle’s. The model is a simple description of one-way communication process, which comprises of a speaker who communicates a message to a receiver by making use of any of the media like print, radio, television, etc to finally convey the information. who (says) What (to) Whom (in) What Channel (with) What Effect Lasswell's model of communications is significantly different from those of engineers, including Claude Shannon, and his notion of channel is also different, since it includes different types of media. For example, newspapers, magazines, journals and books are all text media, but are assumed to have different distribution and readership, and hence different effects. Lasswell studied at the University of Chicago in the 1920s, and was highly influenced by the pragmatism taught there, especially as propounded by John Dewey and George Herbert Mead. More influential, however, was Freudian philosophy, which informed much of his analysis of propaganda and communication in general. During World War II, Lasswell held the position of Chief of the Experimental Division for the Study of War Time Communications at the Library of Congress. Always forward-looking, late in his life, Lasswell experimented with questions concerning astropolitics, the political consequences of colonization of other planets, and the "machinehood of humanity." Lasswell's work was important in the post-World War II development of behavioralism. Lasswell Harold Lasswell produced Propaganda and the War in 1927. Later, Carl Hovland and his group of sociologists from Yale published an important book in 1949 describing the experiments they conducted on Army troops during the war. At about the same time Lasswell introduced an important model, elements of which survive in more developed modern models. Who Says What In Which Channel To Whom To What Effect The "Who" is the "Source", "Says what", the message; and "To Whom", the destination. Communications have a source who communicates a message through a channel o r medium to a destination (audience) that, hopefully, creates the desired effect. Claude Shannon's model is similar, but more graphical. Always forward-looking. such as Walter Lippmann. etc to finally convey the information. the political consequences of colonization of other planets. 1978) was a leading American political scientist and communications theorist. As he wrote in his entry on propaganda for the Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences. • It assumes that messages always have effects. late in his life. was Freudian philosophy. flitting from one alternative to the next without solid reason". radio.Model Lasswell formula (1948) Comment • Useful but too simple. especially as propounded by John Dewey and George Herbert Mead. • It exaggerates the effects of mass communication. however." Lasswell’s model focuses primarily on verbal communication just as Aristotle’s. Lasswell held the position of Chief of the Experimental Division for the Study of War Time Communications at the Library of Congress. He was a President of the World Academy of Art and Science (WAAS). and was highly influenced by the pragmatism taught there. 1902 — December 18. which explains the communication process as "Who says what to whom in what channel with what effect. Lasswell studied at the University of Chicago in the 1920s. • It omits feedback. he argued that democracies needed propaganda to keep the uninformed citizenry in agreement with what the specialized class had determined was in their best interests. He was a member of the Chicago school of sociology and was a student at Yale University in political science. we must put aside "democratic dogmatisms about men being the best judges of their own interests" since "men are often poor judges of their own interests. which informed much of his analysis of propaganda and communication in general." •Lasswell's Model Harold Lasswell a political scientist in 1948 proposed a linear model. More influential. Along with other influential liberals of the period. • It assumes the communicator wishes to influence the receiver and therefore sees communication as a persuasive process. . Lasswell experimented with questions concerning astropolitics. purpose and effect Harold Lasswell Harold Dwight Lasswell (February 13. and the "machine hood of humanity. it was devised in an era of political propaganda • It remains a useful INTRODUCTORY model • Braddock (1958) modified it to include circumstances. • On the other hand. During World War II. The model is a simple description of one-way communication process. which comprises of a speaker who communicates a message to a receiver by making use of any of the media like print. television.