UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

In the communication cycle,the receiver plays an active role by interpreting the incoming message. This interpretation involves converting symbols,words or gestures back into meaningful ideas. The technical term for this operation is decoding. Therefore,the act described in the stem is correctly identified as decoding.

Option A:
Channeling refers to selecting the medium through which the message travels,such as face to face or email. It does not denote the receiver’s act of interpreting the content. Thus it is not suitable for the situation described.

Option B:
Encoding is performed by the sender to put ideas into symbolic form,before the message is transmitted. The stem clearly refers to the receiver’s activity after receiving the message,so encoding is not appropriate.

Option C:
Decoding is necessary for the receiver to attach meaning to the message and respond appropriately. If decoding fails,misunderstanding or communication breakdown occurs. Hence decoding is the best term to complete the statement.

Option D:
Duplication simply means copying or repeating a message without necessarily understanding it. It may happen after decoding,but it is not the interpretive process itself. So it does not fit the stem’s focus on making sense of the message.

Schramm introduced the idea of field of experience to describe the sum of a person's background,values and knowledge. He suggested that communication is easier when the fields of experience of sender and receiver overlap. This overlap allows similar interpretation of symbols. Therefore field of experience is the correct completion.

Option A:
Field of experience includes culture,education and previous encounters with similar messages. When these factors are shared,less explanation is needed and understanding improves. This directly supports Schramm's view of successful communication.

Option B:
Economic status can influence access to media but is not the central theoretical construct in Schramm's model. People of different incomes can still communicate effectively if their experiences and meanings align.

Option C:
Organisational role refers to one's position in a hierarchy and does not fully capture the broader experiential background. It is only one part of the field of experience.

Option D:
Mechanical channel describes the medium of transmission,such as radio or telephone,but not the subjective background needed to interpret messages. Thus it is not the correct answer.