What is feedback?

• A. A one-way transmission to convey information.
• B. The act of ignoring a message.
• C. A response by the receiver acknowledging receipt of the message and its content.
• D. A medical device for monitoring.

Answer: (C)

Feedback is the response from the person who receives a message, showing that they heard, understood, and can act on it. It closes the communication loop by confirming receipt and comprehension and may also provide information to adjust or clarify what was sent. It can be verbal, like a question or acknowledgment, or nonverbal, such as nodding or eye contact. In practice, feedback lets the sender know whether the message was clear and what needs to be repeated or clarified. This is different from a one-way transmission, which lacks that checking step, and from ignoring a message, which provides no information back. A medical device for monitoring is not related to the concept of human communication feedback.