Q.10 Describe barriers to communication. (2008-09, 10 - 11)
Related Questions -
Q. Why are the causes of intra-personal barriers more damaging to individuals than inter-personal barriers to communication ? Illustrate precisely. (2011 - 12)
Q. Enumerate different barriers to communication. Describe Intra-personal barriers breifly.
Q. What are the different barriers of listening skills leading to the breakdown of inter-personal communication? Describe briefly. (2013 - 14)
Ans. A barrier acts like a sieve, allowing only a part of the message to filter through, as a result, the desired response is not achieved.
Classification of Barriers: -
Classification of barriers according to the processes of message formation and delivery, there are three levels –
(i) Intrapersonal Barrier
(ii) Interpersonal Barrier
(iii) Organizational Barrier
(i) Intrapersonal Barriers: -
Individuals differ from each other because of their inbuilt capabilities like, experience, education, value and personality.
Certain causes are responsible for the individual’s inbuilt barriers.
They are – (a) wrong assumptions (b) varied perceptions (c) differing background (d) wrong inferences (e) impervious categories (vi) categorical thinking
Causes of Interapersonal Barriers: -
* Wrong assumptions
* Varied perceptions
* Differing background
* Wrong inferences
* Impervious categories
* Categorical thinking
Wrong Assumptions: -
These are generally made because the sender or the receiver does not have adequate knowledge about each other’s background or entertains certain false notion, which are fixed in their mind.
Varied Perceptions: -
It occurs with the individuals who perceive situation in different ways. It happens only when a narrow perspective of the issue is used in communication.
Differing Backgrounds: -
It occurs when the communication takes place between the speaker of different backgrounds with listener of different backgrounds. Backgrounds differ in education, culture, language, environment, age, sex, financial status, etc.
Wrong Inferences: -
The inference in fact and confusion because of difference between what actually exists and what had assumed to exist.
Impervious Categories: -
When individuals react positively to information only if it is in consonance with our own views and attitudes. Conversely, when individuals receive information that does not conform to our personal views, habits and attitudes, or appears unfavourable to them, they tend to react negatively or even disbelieve. This is impervious categories.
Categorical Thinking: -
When individuals react like pansophists (know it all), they refuse to accept any further information which they feel that the information is known to them.
Interpersonal Barriers: -
Intrapersonal barriers stem from an individual’s attitudes or habits, whereas, interpersonal barriers occur due to the inappropriate transaction of words between two or more people.
Common reasons for interpersonal barriers are –
(i) Limited vocabulary
(ii) Incongruity of verbal and nonverbal messages
(iii) Emotional outbursts
(iv) Communication selectively
(v) Cultural variation
(vi) Poor listening skills
(vii) Noise in the channer
Limited Vocabulary: -
An inadequate, improper vocabulary can be a major hindrance in communication. A good vocabulary is of no use unless the communicator knowns how to use it.
Incongruity of Verbal and Non-verbal Messages: -
When non-verbal cues should not matches with verbal message barriers in communication take place. Non-verbal cues provide a deeper insight into sender’s message.
e.g. – “action speaks louder than words”.
Emotional Outburst: -
A moderate level of emotional involvement intensifies communication, making it more personal excessive emotional involvement can be an obstacle in communication. Positive emotions like happiness and excitement also interfere in communication, but to a lesser extent than negative feelings.
Communications Selectively: -
When the receivers pay attention only to a part of the message, a barrier created known as communication selectivity. In such a situation, the sender is not at fault. It is receiver who breaks the flow of communication.
E.g. – “When you read a story, if you read only certain parts and omit others, you are posing this barrier”.
Cultural Variations: -
Cultural variations can be in the form of laws, customs and business practices in the area of management and companies. It is one of the predominant factors in communication failure.
Poor Listening Skills: -
A common obstacle to communication is poor listening habits listening reacquires careful attention and accurate decoding of the signals received from the speaker. Various distractions that hinder listening can be emotional disturbances, indifference, aggressiveness and wandering attention. It acts as a barrier when an individual is so engrossed in his own thoughts and worries that he/she is unable to concentrate on listening.
Noise in The Channel: -
Noise interferes greatly in the transmission of signals. Noise is any unwanted signal which acts as a hindrance in the flow of communication. Technical noise can be in the form of disturbances in telephones lines, illegible writing, dim-typescripts etc.
Organizational Barriers: -
Communication barriers are not limited to an individual or two people but exist in entire organizations. Irrespective of size, all organizations have communication complexity of this protocol that usually causes communication barriers. In organization, a rigid, hierarchical structure usually restricts the flow of communication because of numerous transfer points which result to distort, delay or lose of message.
The main organizational barriers are enumerated below –
(i) Too Many Transfer Stations: -
The reasons for filtering or distorting the message, having two many transfer stations is always a deterrent to effective communication.
(ii) Fear of Superiors: -
In rigidity structured organizations, fear or awe of the superiors prevents subordinates from speaking frankly.
(iii) Negative Tendencies: -
Communication barrier occurs in a organization due to confliction of ideas between members and non-member of a group. These groups may be formal or informal and generally consist of people who share values, attitudes, opinions, beliefs and behaviours.
Use of Inappropriate Media: -
The common media used in organization are graphs, charts, telephones, facsimile machine, boards, e-mail films and slides, computer presentations, teleconferencing and video conferencing. While choosing the medium, consider the following factors – time, cost, type of message and intended audiences. If there is no balance between the factors of medium, it leads barriers to communication.
Information Overload: -
The availability of huge amounts of data which the receiver is unable to handle effectively is known as information overload. It is one of the major problem faced by organizations, today.