Barriers to communications exist in many different forms and are to be found in nearly all environments. They include all those things that interfere with the transmittal, reception or understanding of a message. This applies to the feedback process as much as to the sending of a message. These interferences are often referred to as noise.
These barriers to communication are of the following types:
1. Cultural/Semantic Barriers:
Semantics is the study of meanings of words. Semantic problems arise when people attribute different meanings to the same words or language forms.
This increases the chances of misunderstandings. These barriers arise when the employee does not know the principal’s purpose in using the words spoken. Some semantic problems may be due to differences such as the cultural background of the individual or the differences in the regional background of individuals.
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2. Perceptual Barriers:
This is one of the major barriers to communication and is capable of giving rise to many other barriers. Perceptions are individualized and selective and are influenced by a person’s background and past experiences. The unique way in which a person views the world is known as perception.
The perceptual bias of an individual is determined by the position he/she holds or the designation, the institution in which he/she is working, economic status, geographic location (urban/rural residence) and other physical and psychological factors. This bias will influence how people view the world around them and what they expect to see or hear.
3. Perceptual Distortion:
People always select a perception that matches their self-concept. Hence, if information conflicts with their self-image, there are possibilities that such information will be distorted so as to match it with their beliefs. This process of intentionally distorting a message, so that it is more compatible with one’s beliefs, is known as perceptual distortion.
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Sometimes individuals disregard information about specific individuals or groups so as to support previous beliefs about those people. This is known as stereotyping and is a type of perceptual distortion.
When a person allows stereotyping to interfere with communications, he/she is really evaluating the source of a message rather than the message itself. In an educational institution, stereotyping could occur when a principal is dealing with the staff and/or the students and when a teacher is dealing with his students.
4. Emotional Barriers:
Sometimes the emotional state of a person leads to a breakdown, though there is nothing wrong with the process of communication. This type of barrier is particularly difficult to overcome. When a person is extremely depressed, he/she will find everything bad and will take a pessimistic view.
On the other hand, if a person is in an immensely good mood, everything sounds good to him and he takes an optimistic view. Moreover, there is a tendency of an emotion to be self-perpetuating and contagious. If a person is able to use this contagious aspect of emotionalism to his advantage, he can be an effective speaker.
5. Geographical Distance:
Distance between people creates a physical barrier that reduces or restricts the frequency and means of communication. This is true even if people are located in the same building. The more the distance between the sender and the receiver, greater is the chance of distortion or misunderstanding.
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This happens partly due to the limited Personal contact. If the frequency of contact is greater, communications will improve, people will get accustomed to each other’s modes and methods of communicating and each other’s perceptual set.
6. Prior Relationships:
These lead people to have certain expectations concerning the behaviour of others. When these expectations are not fulfilled, the individuals realize that they are operating on different Wavelengths.
7. Timing:
Timing of a message can enhance or reduce the value of communication. A poorly timed release of notice concerning reduction in the number of holidays or vacation can present a very formidable barrier to employee understanding.
A message that would be very appropriate at one point in time could prove to be very inappropriate at another time. The receiver’s perception determines the value of the message. This makes the principal’s ability to empathize with subordinates important not only for content but timings as well.
8. Filter Problems:
The more people a message should pass through, the higher are the chances of it being changed. Though people like to add their own opinions and interpretations to information passed through them, there may not be a purposeful attempt to change the message in order for distortion to occur.
However, selective filtering may cause a breakdown in communication that cannot be repaired, even with good follow-up communication. Filtering can occur from lack of understanding of the receiver’s position; from the sender’s need to protect his/her own power by restricting the receiver’s access to information, or from doubts about what the receiver might do with the information.
9. Jargon:
It is the specialized or technical language of a profession, social group or trade. Jargon may be a hybrid of standard language and the specialized language of a group. The use of jargon within a close group of colleagues makes communication more effective and meaningful, but outside the group it has the opposite effect and may cause a communication breakdown.
10. Wrong Channels or Medium:
If a complex and long message is given over the telephone or if a detailed message is given orally, the receiver may get confused or forget the message.
11. Poor Verbal Skills:
Speaking too fast, too slowly, too softly, shouting, not changing the tone or the pitch of the voice can also lead to poor attention on the part of the listener or misunderstandings.
12. Unconvincing Arguments:
Not being sure of your facts or purpose or occasion, not believing in what you say or not interested in either the listener or in the matter may cause a breakdown in communications.
13. Leader Arrogance:
Studies have repeatedly found that leaders (principals or heads of institutions) talk the most frequently in meetings and other settings. They feel free to jump into conversations, interrupt others, speak when others are reflective and in other ways dominate conversations. This may convey a disinterest in listening to others, thus leading to a breakdown in communication.
14. Employee Avoidance:
Employees are reluctant to bring up ‘hot’ issues out of fear that an irritated boss will blame the speaker. This helps the leader to miscommunicate. Employees hope that somehow problems will be solved; in the meantime, they will keep their heads down, collect their salaries, and if things get very bad, find another job.