Scribd
Upload
2K views15 pages

Barriers of Communication

The document discusses various barriers to effective communication, including physical barriers like distance and noise; personal barriers such as biases and credibility gaps; semantic or language barriers where different people interpret words differently; status barriers in hierarchical organizations; organizational structure barriers with multiple layers obstructing information; barriers due to inadequate attention; premature evaluation; emotional attitudes; resistance to change; lack of mutual trust; and other miscellaneous barriers like assumptions, ability to communicate, knowledge levels, time constraints, and information retention.

Uploaded by

Pallavi Kuchewar
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
2K views15 pages

Barriers of Communication

The document discusses various barriers to effective communication, including physical barriers like distance and noise; personal barriers such as biases and credibility gaps; semantic or language barriers where different people interpret words differently; status barriers in hierarchical organizations; organizational structure barriers with multiple layers obstructing information; barriers due to inadequate attention; premature evaluation; emotional attitudes; resistance to change; lack of mutual trust; and other miscellaneous barriers like assumptions, ability to communicate, knowledge levels, time constraints, and information retention.

Uploaded by

Pallavi Kuchewar
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 15

Communication Barriers

Communication Barriers
Physical Barriers Personal Barriers Semantic or Language Barriers Status Barriers (Superior-Subordinate Relationship) Organizational Structure Barriers Barriers due to Inadequate Attention Premature Evaluation

Communication Barriers
Emotional Attitude Resistance to Change Barriers due to Lack of Mutual Trust Other Barriers

Important Barriers to Communication


Physical Barriers. Communication is a twoway process, distance between the sender and the receiver of the message is an important barrier to communication. Noise and environmental factors also block communication.

Important Barriers to Communication


Personal Barriers. Personal factors like difference in judgement, social values, inferiority complex, bias, attitude, pressure of time, inability to communicate, etc. widen the psychological distance between the communicator and the communicatee. Credibility gap, i.e., inconsistency between what one says and what one does, also acts as a barrier to communication.

Important Barriers to Communication


Semantic or Language Barriers. Semantic is the science of meaning. The same words and symbols carry different meanings to different people. Difficulties in communication arise when the sender and the receiver of the message use words or symbols in different senses. The meaning intended by the sender may be quite different from the meaning followed by the receiver. People interpret the message in terms of their own behaviour and experience. Sometimes, the language used by the sender may not at all be followed by the receiver.

Important Barriers to Communication


Status Barriers (Superior-Subordinate Relationship). Status or position in the hierarchy of an organisation is one of the fundamental barriers that obstructs free flow of information. A superior may give only selected information to his subordinates so as to maintain status differences. Subordinates, usually, tend to convey only those things which the superiors would appreciate. This creates distortion in upward communication. Such selective communication is also known as filtering.

Important Barriers to Communication


Organisational Structure Barriers. Effective communication largely depends upon sound organisational structure. If the structure is complex involving several layers of management, the breakdown or distortion in communication will arise. It is an established fact that every layer cuts off a bit of information

Important Barriers to Communication


Moreover, information travelling through formal structure introduces rigidity and causes-delay because of long lines of communication. Similarly, lack of instructions for further conveying information to the subordinates and heavy pressure of work at certain levels of authority also act as barriers to effective communication.

Important Barriers to Communication


Barriers due to Inadequate Attention. Inadequate attention to the message makes communication less effective and the message is likely to be misunderstood. Inattention may arise because of over business of the communicatee or because of the message being contrary to his expectations and beliefs. The simple failure to read notices, minutes and reports is also a common feature. Whatever be the reason, communication remains only a one-way process and there is no understanding of the message, if the receiver pays little attention to the message.

Important Barriers to Communication


Premature Evaluation. Some people have the tendency to form a judgement before listening to the entire message. This is known as premature evaluation. This distorts understanding and acts as a barrier to effective communication.

Important Barriers to Communication


Emotional Attitude. Barriers may also arise due to emotional attitude because when emotions are strong, it is difficult to know the frame of mind of other person or group. Emotional attitudes of both, the communicator as well as the communicatee, obstruct free flow of transmission and understanding of messages

Important Barriers to Communication


Resistance to Change. It is a general tendency of human beings to stick to old and customary patterns of life. They may resist change to maintain status quo. Thus, when new ideas are being communicated to introduce a change, it is likely to be overlooked or even opposed. This resistance to change creates an important obstacle to effective communication

Important Barriers to Communication


. Barriers due to Lack of Mutual Trust. Communication means sharing of ideas in common. "When we communicate, we are trying to establish a commonness." Thus, one will freely transfer information and understanding with another only when there is mutual trust between the two. When there is a lack of mutual trust between the communicator and the communicatee, the message is not followed. Credibility gaps, i.e., inconsistency in saying and doing, also causes lack of mutual trust which acts as a basic obstacle to effective communication.

Important Barriers to Communication


Other Barriers. There may be many other barriers, such as unclarified assumptions, lack of ability to communicate, mirage of too much knowledge or closed minds, communication overload, shortage of time, etc., which cause distortion or obstruction in the free flow of communication and thus make it ineffective. Failure to retain or store information for future use becomes a barrier to communication when the information is needed in future.

You might also like