Communication can be described as “a process by which information is passed between individuals and/or organisations by means of previously agreed symbols” (Baguley, 2009, class notes). Within communication, there are various theories about it that is included for it be effective and understood clearly on each receiving end. A man called Michael Argyle, born in 1925; was a social psychologist who focused on the study of interpersonal behaviour, social skills and body language of individuals. In which he closely looked at the interaction between those individuals and how they relate to each other. He was mainly interested in and channelled his focus onto nonverbal communication, this was because he was fascinated to see how people interact without speaking, for example by studying the body language of both individuals. Michael Argyle discovered the communication cycle, in which it’s an explanation of how communication should take place between individuals in order for it to be effective.
The cycle includes six stages, which include:
Idea occurs – This is the first stage of the cycle in which you have an idea that you want to speak or communicate with another or others

Message coded – This is the second stage, where you go through the mental process of thinking what you are going to say and how you are going to express it, for example, verbally or by using Sign Language.

Message sent – In this third stage, you actually speak, sign or write the words that you want to communicate with.

Message received – At the fourth stage, this is where the person or people you are communicating to have sensed your message. For example they have seen you sign the message or have heard it.

Message decoded – In the fifth stage, this is where the person or people you are communication to have to decode the message, which is where it may need to be translated or just thought out to understood what has been said.

Message understood – In the last stage of the communication cycle, this is where the receiver has understood what has been communicated to them and will reply, it may be a perfect response to what you said or it may involve a question to what it means. Argyle suggested that for communication to be effective, it is necessary to follow these stages. It makes individuals aware that not everybody communicates in the same way and there are various ways of showing it. The communication cycle is very important within health and social care, it