There are many reasons why interpersonal communications may fail. In many communications, the message may not be received exactly the way the sender intended and hence it is important that the communicator seeks feedback to check that their message is clearly understood. The skills of Active Listening, Clarification and Reflection, which we will discuss shortly, may help but the skilled communicator also needs to be aware of the barriers to effective communication. There exist many barriers to communication and these may occur at any stage in the communication process. Barriers may lead to your message becoming distorted and you therefore risk wasting both time and/or money by causing confusion and misunderstanding. Effective communication involves overcoming these barriers and conveying a clear and concise message.
Some common barriers to effective communication include:
- The use of
jargon. Over-complicated or unfamiliar terms.
- Emotional
barriers and taboos.
- Lack of
attention, interest, distractions, or irrelevance to the receiver.
- Differences
in perception and viewpoint.
- Physical
disabilities such as hearing problems or speech difficulties.
- Physical
barriers to non-verbal communication.
- Language
differences and the difficulty in understanding unfamiliar accents.
- Expectations
and prejudices which may lead to false assumptions or stereotyping. People
often hear what they expect to hear rather than what is actually said and
jump to incorrect conclusions.
- Cultural
differences. The norms of social interaction vary greatly in different
cultures, as do the way in which emotions are expressed. For example, the
concept of personal space varies between cultures and between different
social settings.
A skilled communicator must be aware of these barriers and try to reduce
their impact by continually checking understanding and by offering appropriate
feedback.
Barriers to Communication by Category
- Language Barriers Clearly, language and linguistic
ability may act as a barrier to communication. However, even when
communicating in the same language, the terminology used in a message may
act as a barrier if it is not fully understood by the receiver(s). For
example, a message that includes a lot of specialist jargon and
abbreviations will not be understood by a receiver who is not familiar
with the terminology used. As nurses, we are especially prone to making
this mistake. We must remember to use language that can be understood by
the receiver.
- Psychological Barriers The
psychological state of the receiver will influence how the message is
received. For example, if someone has personal worries and is stressed,
they may be preoccupied by personal concerns and not as receptive to the
message as if they were not stressed. Stress management is an important
personal skill that affects our interpersonal relationships. Anger is
another example of a psychological barrier to communication. When we are
angry it is easy to say things that we may later regret and also to
misinterpret what others are saying. More generally, people with low
self-esteem may be less assertive and therefore may not feel comfortable
communicating - they may feel shy about saying how they really feel, or
read negative sub-texts into messages they hear.
- Physiological Barriers
Physiological barriers may result from the receiver’s physical state. For
example, a receiver with reduced hearing may not grasp the entirety of a
spoken conversation, especially if there is significant background noise.
- Physical Barriers An example of a physical barrier
to communication is geographic distance between the sender and
receiver(s). Communication is generally easier over shorter distances as
more communication channels are available and less technology is required.
Although modern technology often serves to reduce the impact of physical
barriers, the advantages and disadvantages of each communication channel
should be understood so that an appropriate channel can be used to
overcome the physical barriers.
- Attitudinal Barriers
Attitudinal barriers are behaviors or perceptions that prevent people from
communicating effectively. Attitudinal barriers to communication may
result from personality conflicts, poor management, resistance to change,
or a lack of motivation. Effective receivers of messages should attempt to
overcome their own attitudinal barriers to facilitate effective
communication.
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