Communication is defined as the process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a system of signs, symbols. The concept of communication involves a sender, a message and a recipient.
The sender sends the message and the recipient is the receiver of the message. The process of communication is never smooth as it is affected by the barriers of communication.
Barriers to effective communication can result in confusion which can lead to incorrect information being conveyed or miscommunication which can lead to loss of business.
Following are some of the barriers to effective communication:
1. Semantic barriers
2. Psychological barriers
3. Organisational barriers
4. Cultural barriers
5. Physical barriers
6. Physiological barriers
Let us study in detail about the various types of barriers to effective communication.
Semantic barriers: Semantic barriers are also known as language barriers. These barriers are caused due to improper communication between the sender and the receiver. The following instances of semantic barriers can be witnessed in communication.
Poor quality of message: Message when communicated should be precise and easy to understand, that makes it easy for the receiver to grasp the information conveyed.
Sometimes, due to the lack of clarity or complexity of the way of providing information from the sender, there can be a case of semantic barriers.
For e.g. A manager is conversing in English to a group of workers who understand and speak Bengali. It will create confusion among workers as they will not be able to understand what is being conveyed by the manager.
Technical language: Language barriers also arise when the sender of the message is speaking in technical terms while the receiver is unaware of the terms. It creates confusion and misunderstanding between the sender and receiver by acting as a barrier to effective communication.
Psychological Barriers: Psychological barriers play an important role in interpersonal communication as the state of the mind of the sender or the receiver can make it difficult to understand the information that is conveyed, which often leads to misunderstanding.
Here are some instances where psychological barriers to communication can be seen.
1. Premature evaluation of information by the receiver even before it is transmitted can lead to barriers in communication, as it will create premature conclusion to the message, which withholds the original message.
2. Inadequate attention from the receiver’s end at the time of communication can lead to barriers of communication as the information conveyed by the sender is not properly received by the receiver.
3. When information is passed within multiple sources, the final information is distorted as the receivers of the message are not able to retain everything that was conveyed. This can cause communication barriers.
Organisational barriers: Organisational barriers are those barriers that are caused due to the structure, rules and regulations present in the organisation. The various types of barriers that can be encountered due to superior subordinate relationships where the free flow of communication is not possible.
Sometimes the complexity of organisational structure and multiple managers make it difficult to convey information properly, and the information gets distorted leading to miscommunication.
Cultural barriers: Cultural barriers are those that arise due to lack of similarities among the different cultures across the world. A term that can be harmless in one culture can be regarded as a slang in another culture. Moreover, various beliefs can differ from one culture to another.
Physical barriers: Physical barriers to communication are those that arise due to certain factors like faulty equipment, noise, closed doors and cabins that cause the information sent from sender to receiver to become distorted, which results in improper communication.
Physiological barriers: Physiological barriers arise when a sender or the receiver of the communication is not in a position to express or receive the message with clarity due to some physiological issues like dyslexia, or nerve disorders that interfere with speech or hearing.
This concludes our article on the topic of Barriers to Effective Communication, which is an important topic in Business Studies for Commerce students. For more such interesting articles, stay tuned to BYJU’S.
