WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY COMMUNIACTION? DISCUSS THE MODES AND BARRIERS OF COMUNICATION? ANSWER : The term Communication has been derived from the Latin word communis that means common. Thus to communicate means to make common or to make known. This act of making common and known is carried out through exchange of thoughts, ideas or the like. The exchange of thoughts and ideas can be had by gestures, signs, signals, speech or writing. People are said to be in communication when they discuss some matter, or when they talk on telephone, or when they exchange information through letters. Basically, communication is sharing information, whether in writing or orally. Two-way process of reaching mutual understanding, in which participants not only exchange (encode decode) information, news, ideas and feelings but also create and share meaning. In general, communication is a means of connecting people or places. In business, it is a key function of management--an organization cannot operate without communication between levels, department andemployees. See also communications. The word communication may have different meanings for different people in different contexts. Sometimes communication refers a process. As process communication is such a system where different entities are engaged in a specific manner. for example, human beings are engaged in expressing and knowing information through the use of words or other kinds of signs. Here, humans, sings, channels and other entities are associated in a process called communication. whereas sharing a information is also called a communication. As communication has been considered as such process through which meanings and social realities are created/perceived/shared it is taken as the base of the human society. without communication, there would be no existence of human society. It is no exaggeration to say that communication is at the heart of human existence .In fact we live in communication. without communication there is no possibility of social interaction, political and economic activities . In other word we can say that, it is a capacity to communicate which made social cohesion and hence the growth of civilization possible Communication is human act .Though we are not often aware of human beings are constantly involved in the communication process. Whatever we do it has communicating meaning. We use communication to express our inner purpose, attitudes, feelings and to descrive events and object for the external world. Communication creats sharedness. When human communicates, there is sharing of feelings ,emotions ,knowledge ,ideas, thoughts e.t.c with others. Various kinds of definitions of communications are The dictionary meaning of communications is “The exchange of thoughts,message or information,as by speech,signals,writing or behavior.” Communication is social interaction through message. It is the simplest from communication is the transmission of a message from a source to receiver. The term communication has many different meanings and definitions but the central idea is of a process of increased commonality or sharing between participants. Communication us the exchange of ideas, information Communications is defined as the transmission or exchange of information or ideas or feelings by means of sounds, signs or symbols. Communications can be defined as the exchange of information ,ideas and knowledge between sender and receiver through an accepted code of symbol. Communication requires a sender, a message, and a recipient, although the receiver need not be present or aware of the senders intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast distances in time and space. Communication requires that the communicating parties share an area of communicative commonality. Spoken or Verbal Communication: face-to-face, telephone, radio or television or other media. Non-Verbal Communication: body language, gestures, how we dress or act - even our scent. Written Communication: letters, e-mails, books, magazines, the Internet or via other media. Visualizations: graphs, charts, maps, logos and other visualizations can communicate messages. Communication theory states that communication involves a sender and a receiver (or receivers) conveying information through a communication channel. The desired outcome or goal of any communication process is understanding. The process of interpersonal communication cannot be regarded as a phenomena which simply happens, but should be seen as a process which involves participants negotiating their role in this process, whether consciously or unconsciously. Senders and receivers are of course vital in communication. In face-to-face communication the roles of the sender and receiver are not distinct as both parties communicate with each other, even if in very subtle ways such as through eye-contact (or lack of) and general body language. There are many other subtle ways that we communicate (perhaps even unintentionally) with others, for example the tone of our voice can give clues to our mood or emotional state, whilst hand signals or gestures can add to a spoken message. In written communication the sender and receiver are more distinct. Until recent times, relatively few writers and publishers were very powerful when it came to communicating the written word. Today we can all write and publish our ideas on the Internet, which has led to an explosion of information and communication possibilities. message or communication is sent by the sender through a communication channel to a receiver, or to multiple receivers. The sender must encode the message (the information being conveyed) into a form that is appropriate to the communication channel, and the receiver(s) then decodes the message to understand its meaning and significance. Misunderstanding can occur at any stage of the communication process. Effective communication involves minimising potential misunderstanding and overcoming any barriers to communication at each stage in the communication process. An effective communicator understands their audience, chooses an appropriate communication channel, hones their message to this channel and encodes the message to reduce misunderstanding by the receiver(s). They will also seek out feedback from the receiver(s) as to how the message is understood and attempt to correct any misunderstanding or confusion as soon as possible. Receivers can use Clarification and Reflection as effective ways to ensure that the message sent has been understood correctly. Communication Channels Communication Channels is the term given to the way in which we communicate. There are multiple communication channels available to us today, for example face-to-face conversations, telephone calls, text messages, email, the Internet (including social media such as Facebook and Twitter), radio and TV, written letters, brochures and reports to name just a few. Choosing an appropriate communication channel is vital for effective communication as each communication channel has different strengths and weaknesses. For example, broadcasting news of an upcoming event via a written letter might convey the message clearly to one or two individuals but will not be a time or cost effective way to broadcast the message to a large number of people. On the other hand, conveying complex, technical information is better done via a printed document than via a spoken message since the receiver is able to assimilate the information at their own pace and revisit items that they do not fully understand. Written communication is also useful as a way of recording what has been said, for example taking minutes in a meeting. (More onMeetings). Encoding Messages All messages must be encoded into a form that can be conveyed by the communication channel chosen for the message. We all do this every day when transferring abstract thoughts into spoken words or a written form. However, other communication channels require different forms of encoding, e.g. text written for a report will not work well if broadcast via a radio programme, and the short, abbreviated text used in text messages would be inappropriate if sent via a letter. Complex data may be best communicated using a graph or chart or other visualisation. Effective communicators encode their messages with their intended audience in mind as well as the communication channel. This involves an appropriate use of language, conveying the information simply and clearly, anticipating and eliminating likely causes of confusion and misunderstanding, and knowing the receivers’ experience in decoding other similar communications. Successful encoding of messages is a vital skill in effective communication. Decoding Messages Once received, the receivers need to decode the message, and successful decoding is also a vital skill. Individuals will decode and understand messages in different ways based upon any barriers to communication which might be present, their experience and understanding of the context of the message, their psychological state, and the time and place of receipt as well as many other potential factors. Understanding how the message will be decoded, and anticipating as many of the potential sources of misunderstanding as possible, is the art of a successful communicator. Feedback Receivers of messages are likely to provide feedback on how they have understood the messages through both verbal and non-verbal reactions. Effective communicators should pay close attention to this feedback as it the only way to assess whether the message has been understood as intended, and it allows any confusion to be corrected. Bear in mind that the extent and form of feedback will vary according to the communication channel used: for example feedback during a face-to-face or telephone conversation will be immediate and direct, whilst feedback to messages conveyed via TV or radio will be indirect and may be delayed, or even conveyed through other media such as the Internet. Modes of communication There are a great many different modes of communication, which include speech, writing, communication in person or communication at a distance by means of radio, telephone, television, telegraph, etc.; there are many different languages which can be used, including sign language which is non-verbal. It is possible to commincate by dance, by pantomine, or by other forms of guesturing. Communication is the sending and receiving of spoken or written messages between people and places. Letters are the most commonmeans of communication. Other means are telegram, telephone, telex, fax, e-mail, radio, television, newspapers, etc. Every city and nearly all the villages of our country have post offices. We can buy postcards, inland letters, envelopes and stamps from the post office. We can also send parcels and money through money orders to our frinds and relatives. This method of communication costs very little. Quick Mail Service and speed post have also been started in some big cities. India has one of the largest postal Service networks in the world. We can send or receive messages more quickly by means of a telegram. We do it through the telegraphs office. The telegraphic message should be very brief. Telephone is the fastest means of communication. Today, we can talk to people in far-off cities or even in different countries through the STD (Subscriber Trunk Dialing) and ISD (International Subscriber Dialing). Telephone facilities are available in all cities, towns and most of the villages these days. India has made great strides in the telecommunication sector in recent years. Telephone services are better and much cheaper than before. Cellular phones are also being increasingly used. We can also send message by electronic-mail (e-mail) and the internet to any part of the world on the computers. The internet is a worldwide computer network, by which a user can connect his computer to another computer in any part of the world. E-mail is a very inexpensive means of communication. The letter, telephone and e-mail are personal means of communication i.e. they are used as means of communication between individuals. When we have to communicate with a big group of people, or many people at one time, we have to use means of mass communication Newspaper, radio or television, etc., are means of mass communication. A newspaper has something for everybody. It gives opinions, information and news of interest from every corner of the world. In India, newspaper and magazines are published in English and regional languages. Those who cannot read or write listen to the radio or watch programmes on television. These two means of mass communication have revolutionized our everyday life. Now we can listen to news, discussions and enjoy the different programmes of entertainment without leaving home. On radio and television, there are programmes for students and farmers. Now we can see films at home with our family. We can even watch events as they are happening in any part of the world sitting at home. We can also learn about the habits and culture of the people of different parts of the world. Every means of communication is useful in its own way. Together, they help us keep in touch with our friends, relatives and the world. The Three Modes of Communication Interpretive Interpersonal Presentational Interpretive one way” reading or listening Interpretation of authentic language sources, e.g. texts, movies, radio, conversation, speeches, etc. Multiple ways of comprehension Implies ability to read and listen for literal and inferential meaning Interpersonal “two way” interactive communication listening – speaking listening-writing reading -speaking reading - writing Listening-speaking Games Songs, Rhymes and Finger Plays Props and concrete materials Dialogues Role play Performance Assessment Units: A Cyclical Approach I. Interpretive Communication Students listen to or read an authentic text (e.g., newspaper article, radio broadcast, etc.) and answer information as well as interpretive questions to assess comprehension. (T) provides ss with feedback on performance. III. Presentational Communication Students engage in presentational communication by sharing their research/ideas/opinions. Sample presentational formats: speeches, drama, skits, radio broadcasts, posters, brochures, essays, websites, etc. II. Interpersonal Communication After receiving feedback regarding the Interpretive Phase, ss engaged in interpersonal oral communication about a particular topic which relates to the interpretive text. This phase should be either audio- or videotaped. 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. 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 money by causing confusion and misunderstanding. Effective communication involves overcoming these barriers and conveying a clear and concise message. Some commonbarriers 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 effective human communication Communication is the key factor in the success of any organization. When it comes to effective communication, there are certain barriers that every organization faces. People often feel that communication is as easy and simple as it sounds. While this is true on one level, what makes it complex, difficult and frustrating are the barriers that come in its way. Some of these barriers are mentioned below. Barriers to successful communication include message overload (when a person receives too many messages at the same time), and message complexity.[4] There also can be a lack of determining knowledge-appropriate communication, as when someone uses ambiguous legal words, or medical jargon, when speaking with another person that lacks understanding in these areas. Effective communication can be achieved only when the words used are brought to a common level of understanding for both parties. Physical barriers Physical barriers are often due to the nature of the environment. An example of this is the natural barrier which exists if staff are located in different buildings or on different sites. Likewise, poor or outdated equipment, particularly the failure of management to introduce new technology, may also cause problems. Staff shortages are another factor which frequently causes communication difficulties for an organization. Whilst distractions like background noise, poor lighting or an environment which is too hot or cold can all affect peoples morale and concentration, which in turn interfere with effective communication. System design System design faults refer to problems with the structures or systems in place in an organization. Examples might include an organizational structure which is unclear and therefore makes it confusing to know who to communicate with. Other examples could be inefficient or inappropriate information systems, a lack of supervision or training, and a lack of clarity in roles and responsibilities which can lead to staff being uncertain about what is expected of them. Attitudinal barriers Attitudinal barriers come about as a result of problems with staff in an organization. These may be brought about, for example, by such factors as poor management, lack of consultation with employees, personality conflicts which can result in people delaying or refusing to communicate, the personal attitudes of individual employees which may be due to lack of motivation or dissatisfaction at work, brought about by insufficient training to enable them to carry out particular tasks, or just resistance to change due to entrenched attitudes and ideas. Ambiguity of words/phrases Words sounding the same but having different meaning can convey a different meaning altogether. Hence the communicator must ensure that the receiver receives the same meaning. It is better if such words are avoided by using alternatives whenever possible. Individual linguistic ability The use of jargon, difficult or inappropriate words in communication can prevent the recipients from understanding the message. Poorly explained or misunderstood messages can also result in confusion. However, research in communication has shown that confusion can lend legitimacy to research when persuasion fails.[5][6][7] Physiological barriers These may result from individuals personal discomfort, caused—for example—by ill health, poor eyesight or hearing difficulties. Presentation of information Presentation of information is important to aid understanding. Simply put, the communicator must consider the audience before making the presentation itself and in cases where it is not possible the presenter can at least try to simplify his/her vocabulary so that the majority can understand • 1. Barriers to Communication In communication, as a psycho-semantic process, the word barrier implies , mainly something non-physical that keeps people apart or prevents activity, movement etc. E.g. social / ethnic / language barriers or lack of confidence Negative forces may affect the effectiveness of communication by acting upon any or all of the basic elements of communication process • 2. Barriers Noise Lack of planning Wrong / unclarified assumptions Semantic problems (relating to words’ meaning) Cultural barriers Socio-psychological barriers Emotions Selective perception Filtering Information overloaded Loss by transmission Poor retention Poor listening Insufficient period for adjustment Goal conflicts Offensive style Time & distance Abstracting Inferring (conclude) • 3. Barriers - sender Lack of planning Vagueness about the “purpose” of communication Objectives to be achieved Choice of wrong language, resulting in badly encoded message Unshared & unclarified assumptions Different perception of reality Wrong choice of the channel • 4. Barriers - Receiver Poor listener Inattention Mistrust Lack of interest Premature evaluation Semantic Difficulties Bias / Lack of trust Different perception of reality Attitudinal clash with sender Not in a fit physical state • 5. Common barrier – both sender & receiver Absence of a common frame of reference affecting smooth interpretation of thoughts, feelings and attitudes from the sender to the receiver in a specific social situation • 6. Noise Blaring of loud speakers Poor telephone line Faulty TV cable Adverse weather conditions interfering transmission Faulty encoding Inattention on the part of listener Faulty decoding • 7. Lack of Planning Not properly organized/composed Transmitted through a wrongly chosen medium Wrong choice of time Wrong choice of place • 8. Wrong & unclarified assumptions All communications are made under some assumptions , which are never communicated They may turn out wrong & cause communication failure E.g. we often assume that others – See the situation as we do Should feel about the situation as we do Think about the matter as we do Understand the message as we understand it All such assumptions may be incorrect. Hence one should try to verify whenever possible, It helps communication be effective • 9. Semantic Problems The systematic study of transmission of meaning is semantics Any problem arising from the expression/transmission of meaning are semantic problems/barriers Not always necessary for the meaning in the mind of sender to be same as that in the mind of receiver It is of vital importance for the sender to encode his message in such a way that receiver decodes it to get the intended meaning One must aim at simplicity, clarity and brevity so as to minimize the chances of different interpretations. Use of jargons should also be avoided • 10. Cultural Barriers Same category of words, phrases, symbols, actions, colors mean different things to people of different countries/cultural backgrounds • 11. Emotions Encoding and decoding of messages depends to quite some extent on one’s emotional state at a particular time Extreme emotions, like jubilation or depression, are likely to hinder effective communication Anger is the worst enemy of communication Message received when one is angry is likely to be interpreted in a very different manner than when one is calm and composed Stress may also lead to building of negative emotions, further leading to communication breakdown • 12. Selective Perception Receivers selectively see and hear depending upon their needs, motivations, background, experience and other personal characteristics While decoding the messages they project their own interests and expectations Fact is we don’t see reality, we interpret what we see and call it reality • 13. Filtering Sender manipulates information in such a way that it will be seen more favorably by the receiver The more vertical levels in the hierarchical system, the more chances for filtering • 14. Information Overload (Availability of huge amounts of data which the receiver is unable to handle effectively) Results-fatigue, disinterest and boredom Very often relevant information gets mixed up with irrelevant details and therefore goes ignored by receiver. Screening of information is necessary Messages should be directed only to those people who are likely to benefit from the information Major points should be highlighted leaving out all irrelevant details • 15. Loss by Transmission When messages pass on from person to person in a series of transmissions they are likely to become less and less accurate. They get diluted on the way • 16. Poor Retention Necessity of repeating the message using several channels/media • 17. Poor Listening Poor listening and hasty evaluation is a major problem Reason is mostly people are too much involved in their own problems and pampering their own egos We should keep our eyes, ears open, rise above our egos, empathize with others • 18. Insufficient Period for Adjustment Change in shifts in time, transfer to another department, change in profile,… People respond to change in different ways and require their own time to think about full meaning, implications and consequences of the message • 19. Goal Conflicts Various units and sub units in an organization internalize their own goals, leading to splitting or bifurcation of interests Conflicts act as communication-reduction mechanism. • 20. Offensive Style of Communication When a manager sends a message in such a way that the juniors become defensive he/she contributes to negative factor of poor interpersonal relationship. • 21. Time & Distance Time The frequency of communication encounters affects the human relationship Different shifts/meeting at wrong time, phone call at wrong time affect the communication Distance Faulty sitting arrangement at office may create communication gaps Boss can minimize status difference between himself and his employees • 22. Abstracting (conceptual, not concrete We use language to communicate our experiences and feelings but we can’t communicate every detail of it. We abstract the reality and report only the valuable characteristics We observe partially and communicate partially because our experience of the event is also partial When we try to convert our observations and experiences into words, we further abstract it by using selective words which involve leaving out the details • 23. Wrong Inferences More dramatic than facts and give scope for gossip Inferences supported by facts are essential for professionals when they analyze material, solve problems and plan procedures • 24. Socio - Psychological Status Consciousness of one’s status affects 2-way flow of communication Creates personal barriers caused by superior-subordinate relationship Though 2-way vertical channel exists in every organization Few subordinates choose to communicate with their superiors and vice versa Though organizations are changing by adopting flat structures, psychological distance between superior – subordinate exists • 25. Barriers – Socio - Psychological Perception* & reality Human communication takes place in the world of reality which surrounds us – our sensory environment Sense organs stimulated by signs (external) Sense Perceptions received by our brain through our senses recreate within each one of us the world which exists within our mind as its content 2 aspects of same reality – External which surrounds the communicator & Internal – mental representation as seen / believed by the individual (Insight, observation) • 26. Barriers – Socio – Psychological 5 sense organs – Eyes – sight Ears – sound Nose – smell Tongue – taste Flesh – touch Objects which excite the sense organs are called “signs” Senses respond to signs - sensations - transported to the brain through the sensory nerve network • 27. Barriers – Socio - Psychological Perceptions are mental images of external work stored in our brain – viewpoint, experience, knowledge, feelings & emotions Perceptions constitute- what we are How we think How we feel OR How we respond to something • 28. Barriers – Socio - Psychological These stored perceptions colour and modify whatever our brain receives from any signs or set of signs, fresh data, thoughts or messages. These conditioning perceptions are called “filters” The mind ‘filters’ the message received from the signs and gives it meaning according to individual perception • 29. Barriers – Socio - Psychological An individuals filter is “ unique” B’coz filters differ, different individuals respond to a sign (word, gesture etc) with different understanding and will assign a meaning according to his/her filter The presence of a unique filter in each individual communicator and receiver causes the communication gap (distortion) in the message sent and message received • 30. Barriers – Socio - Psychological Easy to remove gaps in face–to–face communication Understand through listeners facial expression, body language gestures etc. or listener will express In a written communication - audience is invisible –– semantic gap between intended meaning and interpreted meaning remains unknown. Feedback does help but it may be too late Semantic – relating to words’ meanings
Posted on: Mon, 17 Nov 2014 14:09:56 +0000
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