Final answer:
Decoding refers to the process of interpreting and understanding a received message, utilizing personal experiences and contextual understanding.
Step-by-step explanation:
Interpreting and understanding and making sense of a message refers to the concept of decoding. Decoding is the process by which a person interprets and makes sense of a received communication, whether it is textual, oral, or visual. This process involves personal experience, the context in which the message is delivered, and other rhetorical elements. By contrast, encoding involves the input of information into the memory system, which is not directly related to the interpretation of messages but rather to the creation and formation of those messages before they are sent.