Barriers to Communication (Unit three)

 


Barriers to Communication

Communication is successful when it reaches the receiver and he is able to interpret it in the same meaning in which the sender wants him to. However, there are many barriers, which become obstacle on its way and block the process.These barriers may be divided into three categories:-

    1.   Physical Barriers
2.   Psychological Barriers
3.   Linguistic Barriers

1. Physical Barriers

Physical barriers belong to the hindrances, which lay beyond the mind of the sender or the receiver. They may be physical defects of our body or may exist in the out side environment e.g. noise, physical defect, fatigue, illness, time, distance, age, sex etc.

Noise. It is evidently the biggest physical barrier to communication. If there is too much noise in the atmosphere, we must make arrangements to zero the noise for proper communication.

Physical Defect. A person may be deaf or may be hearing-impaired. However, these may be beyond our control or some times controllable, e.g. if a person is a hearing impaired, he must use hearing aids for proper communication.

Fatigue. When we are tired, we stop taking messages and want to rest. Fatigued and home sick students in the last lecture find it very difficult to concentrate on the subject.

Illness. A student suffering from cold can not concentrate on his study.

Age and Sex. Young men would have less communication with grown ups but more communication with friends due to age barrier sometimes called generation gap. Similarly, girls would not like to communicate with boys on certain topics, which they can share with girls. This is called sex barrier.

Distance. Distance too is a physical barrier to communication. Relatives who relocate abroad are less frequently communicated.

2. Psychological Barriers

Psychological barriers  are the barriers which live in our psyche. They remain seated deep in our mind, appear without notice and block the process of communication. It means that the sender is sending the message but the receiver has either closed the doors of communication or he cannot interpret the message or interprets it differently. Some important barriers may be mentioned as follows:-

1. Communication is Selective

Communication is never hundred percent at the receiving end. The reason behind this tendency is that communication is selective in nature.


The sender sends several verbal and nonverbal signals but the receiver receives only some of them very especially verbal signals. This selective nature of communication is a psychological barrier.

2. Focus as a Barrier to Communication

A man can focus at one point at one time. Thus our ability to focus at one point becomes a barrier to communication.

When a man focuses at one point, he stops taking communication from other sources. Thus focus is a psychological barrier.

3. The Process of Thinking is a Psychological Barrier.

Man is a thoughtful being. The ability to think is a gift from God. Gift of imagination, introspection, vision, creativity, innovation and day dreaming are wonderful gifts from God to human beings but they all lead to the process of thinking.

When a man thinks, he stops taking signals from outside and thus process of thinking becomes a barrier to communication. 

4. Human Brain as a Filter to Communication

or

Our Viewpoints, Beliefs and Interests as Barrier to Communication

Human brain is a storage of information but it behaves like a filter to communication.


As we know our brain is a store of information but this very store turns it into a filter. The information stored in our brain leads to the formation of our viewpoints, beliefs and interests when it becomes static after it remains for a long time in the mind. Any incoming information is first of all checked by our viewpoints then it is permitted to be stored. Thus our mind does not accept all the information. Much of the information is rejected or modified to accept it. 

 5. Our Ego and Attitude (Highly Inflated or Deflated Ego)

A balanced state of mind is necessary for proper communication. But people generally suffer either from superiority complex or inferiority complex and both of them are not good because they create barriers to communication.

Superiority Complex

A person suffering from superiority complex has a highly flattened ego and he considers himself better than all others. It is the problem of very rich people. They would not talk to the people below their status. Some times highly successful too suffer from 'Know it all attitude.' They develop a negative attitude towards people and such a person jumps into conclusion without adequate evidence for it. These people think that they know everything and remain satisfied with whatever success they had achieved. Such receivers tend to say, “I know everything in this subject, so I am not listening to you.” “I have been doing this job for many years; there is nothing that I can learn from you.” “I am an expert in this field so what can you tell me?”

Inferiority Complex

While on the other hand people suffering from inferiority complex underestimate themselves and develop negative emotions like anxiety and fear which breed inertia. This deep seated inertia makes them think that  they would never be successful in any assignment. A greatly worried person may be found absent minded during communication.

6. Problem of the Blocked Mind

It is a miscommunication pattern as the term implies. The blocked mind is the mind that is closed to the reality. It works on a limited information and rejects additional information. Our static view points and rigid opinions breed the problem of the blocked mind.

7. Allness as a Barrier to Communication

The tendency to judge the whole by a part of it is known as allness in communication. Under the influence of allness, our mind starts functioning like a blocked mind that is closed to the reality and we assume that the part is the whole and make judgements about the whole on the basis of merely examining a part of it. We might have experienced it when Indian cricket team is adored when it wins match after match but if the Indian team loses even a single match against Pakistan, they become very angry and frustrated. People forget all the previous victories. Just one defeat against makes it the worst team of the world in the eyes of the people.

Over-emotionality, anxiety, and fear

The existence of intense emotions such as love, hate, anger, fear, jealousy, and joy is likely to distort the message. In such a mental state, the receiver may ignore, misinterpret or overreact to the message. A pleasant mood is best suitable for communication. Excess of any emotion whether positive or negative is detrimental to communication. Too much happiness may also block the flow of communication. A student who has had a quarrel before entering his class, will not be able to concentrate on the subject matter being taught in the class. Similarly a student who has been punished or severely scolded will not be able to concentrate on the subject. A film seen overnight may also create similar situations. A student sitting in the class must have a pleasant state of mind for good learning in the class.

3. Linguistic Barriers

Communication in a language which is not common to both the sender and the receiver is yet another barrier to communication. Thus communication, as we already know, is possible in a language common to the sender and the receiver. Poor linguistic competence and poor knowledge of the subject are also linguistic barriers.

4. Grapevine

Trusting a false information and using it like a true information is known as grapevine. A rumour is finally found out and busted but grapevine continues in the circulation. 

The informal channel of an organization some times breeds grapevine. Such grapevine is created from the informal chitchats and  gossips done at the teashops and coffeeshops. It is not authentic or preplanned. It ignores the  hierarchal line. No one would take the responsibility of it. However, it spreads very fast. It is also the barometer of the public opinion. However, it must be busted by authentic information from the formal channel otherwise it may do much harm to the organization. 

Exercise 

1. What are the physical barriers to communication? Explain.

2. What are the psychological barriers to communication? Explain any three psychological barriers.

3. How does our brain function as a filter? Explain.

4. How does superiority complex and inferiority complex become barrier to communication? Explain.

5. How does over-emotionality become barrier to communication? Explain.

6. Write notes on the following:-

(a) Communication is selective

(b) Focus as a barrier to communication

(c) Process of thinking as barrier to communication

(d) Problem of the blocked mind

(e) Allness in communication

(f) Grapevine

(g) Linguistic Barriers 

***

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Communication


Classification/Kinds of Communication


Overcoming the Barriers to Communication


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RGPV B Tech First Year English Unit 3  Barriers to Communication

                        
Location: Satna, Madhya Pradesh, India

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