Communication Barriers Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Communication Barriers - Research Paper Example   Communication is a very important skill since it plays a decisive role in determining people’s tendency to be productive in the workplace, neighborhoods, classrooms, and all kinds of settings. The communication skills of an individual affect his/her own as well as the organization’s effectiveness as a whole (Brun, 2010; Summers, 2010). Although many people can communicate enough to convey their meaning and perceive others’, not many people are able to communicate effectively. Lack of effective communication is one of the most fundamental factors that inhibit the effectiveness of an organization (Lutgen-Sandvik, 2010). The process of communication involves encoding and sending of the messages by the senders and decoding of the messages by the receivers (Lunenburg, 2010, p. 2; Ergen, 2010, p. 2). Interferences in the process of communication reduce the effectiveness of communication and may even distort the process altogether. ... ess of communication, it is imperative that senders and receivers develop the skills to handle the different kinds of barriers that distort the process of communication (Lehman and DuFrene, 2008). Barriers experienced in the process of communication are of different types that include but are not limited to verbal, nonverbal, external, and internal. Types of communication barriers Verbal barriers Verbal barriers in communication are caused because of inadequate vocabulary or lack of knowledge of the other person’s language (Ergen, 2010). Verbal barriers in communication are typically experienced in culturally diverse workplaces where workers belonging to different cultures and having proficiency in different languages have to interact with one another in a standard language according to the policy of the organization. Even if the vocabulary is enough to carry out the conversation, the differences of dialects and speed of speech pose difficulties in achieving effectiveness in c ommunication. For example, Indians’ way of speaking English is significantly different from that of African Americans’. Even within the native population of America, a range of regional dialects of English prevails. Differences in perception are also characterized as verbal barriers in communication. Differences in perception are influenced by socioeconomic background, educational background, age, experiences, and culture. People from different age groups have different levels of maturity that cause them to voice different opinions that can often be conflicting with one another’s. Differences in socioeconomic status and educational status pave way for the development of inferiority or superiority complexes among the interacting partners that reduce the effectiveness of communication.