In face-to-face communication, the non-verbal cues provided by the receiver can be considered as

In face-to-face talk, the receiver's non-verbal cues serve as feedback to the sender.

Nods, frowns and eye contact tell the speaker how the message is being received.

Decoding is the receiver's act of interpreting the message, not the signal sent back.

Physical noise is interference in the channel, not a meaningful cue from the receiver.

Symbolic representation refers to standing for something by a sign, not to responsive cues.

Any return signal that guides the sender is, by definition, feedback.