Friday, April 13, 2007

Barriers to Communication
ENVIRONMENTAL: Those parts of your surroundings other than people who have a negative impact on a discussion. What are some common environmental barriers you can identify?

A noisy place or somewhere with too much going on so that you are unable to focus on the conversation. The room temperature or weather. How comfortable you are while having the discussion etc.


VERBAL: Ways of speaking that get in the way of good communication, e.g. using slang, jargon, or acronyms. What are some of the verbal barriers you have encountered?

Tone of voice, if too harsh or demeaning. When there is no pause in speech to have a reply. Word choice… some words have a certain connotation linked to them.



INTERPERSONAL: Relationship issues between two people that can have a negative effect on communication. These barriers are difficult because they can’t be seen, heard, or touched. The two most common interpersonal barriers are incorrect assumptions and different perceptions. Others include certain phrases, beliefs, and prejudices. Are you aware of your interpersonal barriers?

Racism. Sexism. Having a parent that is an authoritarian ruler etc. When people judge others it affects how they respond when they speak. If you already have some sort of prejudice against someone its is difficult, if not impossible to look beyond that and actually hear what they have to say about a situation. Most only hear what they need in order to support they’re prior believes.

2 comments:

Shannon said...

You are right about an environmental barrier being the room temperature. I found out through these assessments that I am largely a feeling person and environmental temperature differences really make a difference in my ability to communicate and focus.

Elva said...

Tone of voice and choice of words certainly reveal more about a person's mood or personality. A person can try to hide their feelings by insisting that everything is ok, yet through their voice and the tone they use we can tell if a person is tired, angry, depressed, sad, or happy.