_______ is the process by which the receiver interprets the symbols used by the source of the message.

Question

UnlockIAS · Accepted Answer

Correct — B, Decoding. In the standard model of communication (Sender → encodes → Channel → Message → Receiver → decodes), decoding is the step where the receiver interprets the symbols, words, or signals chosen by the sender and converts them back into meaning.

Why the other options are wrong — (a) Not a recognised term in the communication-process model; it plays no role in how a receiver interprets a sender's symbols.  (c) The reverse step — encoding is how the SENDER converts an idea into symbols/words to build the message, not how the receiver interprets it.  (d) Refers to the receiver's act of physically receiving an auditory message; it is a channel-specific input activity, not the general process of interpreting symbols into meaning.

Concept: The communication process runs: Sender forms an idea → encodes it into symbols/words (the message) → sends it through a channel → the Receiver decodes those symbols to extract meaning → Feedback flows back to the sender, with Noise capable of distorting the message at any stage.

State PCS 2023 Q47 — Science & Technology PYQ with Answer

State PCS 2023 Q47 — Science & Technology PYQ with Answer