Visual Communications (Essay Sample)

Visual communication
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Schema
The schema is responsible for creating a framework through which we are able to observe things around us. In detail, the schema can be defined using a number of characteristics; it acts as a framework for information, it is a representation of the things we know, it allows for interpretation of new information. It is also flexible, in that, it allows new information to be incorporated into it. To process information, every person uses the schema. This information may vary from what we hear, what we feel or what we see.
The human brain processes this information through sorting and reorganization of signals. Reading (2011) explains that the brain not only sorts out signal patterns so as to come up with meaningful ones and those that are not meaningful, but it also deciphers information contained in this signals so as to initiate an appropriate response. When information gets to the brain, it is sorted out so as to create meaning. Sorting may involve removal of irrelevant information and further processing of information. The brain also reorganizes information. Through this, the brain lets us see what we think we cannot see at the same time changing things that do not suite our perspective.
Memory
The memory is the basic center where information is acquired and interpreted to achieve meaning. This acquisition and interpretation of new information inevitably results to how we perceive new signals or new information. Memory can be described in two different classes; working memory and long term memory. A working memory usually analyses and synthesizes information. This is where information is first received and manipulated to generate an outcome. However, some information may take too long to be processed. Whenever information takes too long to be processed, it is usually stored in the long term memory. There are three types of long term memories; semantic long memory, episodic memory and procedural memory. Semantic memory is where memory relating to the world around us is stored. This may be information about things we see around us that are taking long to process. Episodic memory on the other hand records events and past experiences that associate to emotion. This may be emotional things that happened to us in the past e.g. being abused as a child. Finally, we also have procedural memory which stores procedures of how to do things so as to accomplish specific tasks.
Throughout the world, a number of people suffer from memory disorders. This results to a situation whereby the memory becomes unable to perform its basic functions normally. Anterograde amnesia is an example of such a case. Patients suffering from anterograde amnesia are incapable of storing new information in their memory and are also unable to recall memories from their past. In other cases, some patient’s brains become unable to understand or recognize visual stimuli. This results to a condition known as visual agnosia is acquired. Patients suffering from visual agnosia are able to clearly describe what they see in detail in terms of shape color or texture among other properties but are unable to identify what those objects really are.
Processing of information
The way and depth to which we process information goes a long way into determining what type of information we can recall. To process information effectively, it is advisable to do semantic encoding as opposed to perceptual encoding. This is because in perceptual encoding one simply just visualizes on the physical aspects of an object. This does not allow us to critically understand the most important properties of the object in depth so as to store more information in the memory about it.
Usually, most information is received and expressed in three levels; symbolic, abstract and representational. Symbols, however, can further be classified into three; pictograms which usually resemble the things they signify, ideograms which are usually pictures that represent a concept or idea and logograms which are symbols that represent an entire word.
Communication
There are many definitions to the word communication; many of them explaining it as a process of exchanging or conveying information. However, looking into communication at a broad spectrum usually brings out many other aspects that are commonly over looked.
Linear model
Linear model of communication refers to a situation where the information being conveyed goes in one direction or in a straightforward manner, for example, from the sender to receiver. Turner (2006) defines a linear model as a communication approach that frames communication in a one way process that transmits messages to the destination. In ancient times, this type of communication was the basis of passing information. Scholars and great thinkers would verbally give lectures and debates about ideas. This communication method remained relevant over time even though other effective modes of communication were developed, for example, written or printed text.
Communication developed into telecommunication with the introduction of television and radio. This caused people to reassess their means of communication as these two new means of communication were quite effective as compared to verbal communication. The introduction of telecommunication was attributed to the evolvement of spoken word to written word and later to printed text. Printed text, which just preceded the introduction of telecommunication, was greatly influenced by the industrial revolution.
To acquire a deeper understanding of the communication process, many studies were carried out, all of which revealed new and deeper information about the communication process. In 1949, researchers Shannon and Weaver, who were remarkable men in the communication process studies, introduced the concept of noise to the linear model and explained it as failed communication. This meant that anything that affected the conveying of information from the moment it is transmitted to the moment it is received was noise. This included a number of things such as a person’s attention when receiving or sending information, the attitude of the sender or receiver to the information or how the information relates to both the sender and receiver of information, just to list a few.
Turner (2006) however, classified communication into four groups; physical noise which involved things around us that produced high sounds making it difficult to communicate, physiological noise which included biological influences of the message receptors such as articulation problems or hearing impairment and sematic problems such as the recipient and sender interpreting the same message differently.
Structural model
Some scholars, who had looked into the subject of communication, introduced the structural model of communication. The first to come up with a communication structure was Berlo.He tried to break down the stages of communication and explaining all the factors that affected the communication process. His model was however too complex to understand. To other scholars, this meant that understanding the communication process was not a simple task and millions of dollars were used in the study.
A major breakthrough came about in the 1980’s when Goss came up with a model, which incorporated the interaction between the sender and receiver in a cyclical manner. This was followed by Schramm’s diagrammatic representation of the overlapping communication field between sender and receiver. In 1982, Petterson tried to take into account every possible scenario that could influence the communication process but unfortunately, his model was ambiguous and couldn’t be used.
Basically, the communication process can be described as a process of sending and receiving information. For effective communication to take place, three conditions need to be in place: a sender, the message and a receiver. The sender is the origin of the information and the receiver is the recipient of the information. After information is sent, the receiver has to encode it. The information goes through a channel and after it is received, a feedback is given which shows that the information has been understood.
Cultural Theory
The cultural theory reduces the interrelationship between the structural model and the aspect of noise in the linear model to simply culture. Culture aims at effectively identifying the intended message to its audience in an interactive way. One example of culture can be seen in Sprite’s branding of its name with hip-hop. This helps them achieve increased returns as hip-hop enthusiasts relate with their product and purchase more of it.
Currently, the global market competition has become stiff, and it keeps getting stiffer with on a daily basis. Every product in the market is actively competing to capture the customer’s attention, and gone are the days when focusing only on culture was a sure way of making significant sales. The process of focusing on culture has further been plagued by the availability of millions of different cultures making it quite an uphill task to focus on each one of them.
Communication through objects
Representation of objects in communication can be done in a variety of ways; through lines, shapes, direction, tone, color, texture, scale, dimension and movement. Lines are the basic starting point. They can pass a message of motion, as in the case of dotted lines, show visual paths or even show direction for navigation purposes. Horizontal lines usually show peace and calmness. Vertical lines, however, show height with diagonal lines showing tension, and curved lines showing a softer flow as compared to straight lines.
Direction can also be associated with the shapes created by lines. Vertical and horizontal lines represent a square. Diagonal lines and a circle rep...