Within this assignment, I will identify ten barriers to communication; firstly, I will explain why they are barriers with an example and lastly two ways to overcome the barrier.
There are varieties of reasons why a barrier may occur while communicating, however knowing the different barriers to effective communication will enable an individual to avoid potential difficulties and adapt their communication approach where necessary. Barriers to communication are things that interfere with a person’s ability to send, receive, or understand a message. These may include things such as environmental factors, visual impairment, hearing disability, slang/jargon, physical and intellectual difficulties, emotional factors, language, and cultural differences.
Environmental Factors
The environment can have a significant impact on our communication, this is due to the noisy background, poor lightening, speaking from too far away and being in different rooms in which we are not used to. It is very difficult to acknowledge what the other individual is saying if there is too much background noise this therefore interferes with effective communication as the receiver may not know what the other person is saying and therefore may misunderstand the message and limit the conversation. Furthermore, it will be extremely hard to concentrate on the subject when there is too much noise. For example, in school a teacher may be explaining to a group of students about a task they must do, however there is construction work outside the room which is creating a lot of noise, this results the teacher competing her voice with the background noise as the students cannot hear her and they cannot concentrate due to the background noise this therefore leads the student not knowing what to do due to the ineffective communication.
To overcome this environmental barrier, individuals experiencing noisy background should change the location of the room to somewhere quieter. This will increase the effectiveness of communication as everyone would be able to hear each other and will be able to respond back. Another way to overcome background noises would be to wear headphones these cancel any noise they hear outside and will help the individual to concentrate on the subject and not be distracted by the background noise. In addition to overcoming this barrier, the individual can increase their volume while speaking, is she believes the listener cannot hear her well. Therefore, to overcome a noise barrier, increase the volume of the conversation so that the noise no longer significantly impedes the discussion.
Another environmental factor that creates a barrier to effective communication is poor lightening, this can prevent an individual from acknowledging non-verbal communication and could reduce a hearing-impaired person’s ability to lip read. It is incredibly hard to notice other people’s facial expressions, if the other person cannot see their face properly due to the poor lightening. Facial expressions and body language can tell a lot about what the individual is saying, and if the other person cannot see that then this creates a barrier in trying to fully understand the other person. An example of this barrier can be an individual who has hearing impaired disability is sitting in a room which has poor lighting and trying to see what the other person is saying; however, she will not see the other person’s facial expressions and may find it incredibly difficult to read their lips. This therefore creates a barrier to effective communication which involves poor lighting. This is why, it is vital that everywhere has good lighting and is visibly clear so it prevents any barriers to communication from occurring.
To overcome the barrier of poor lightening which can affect one’s ability to communicate effectively is to replace poor lighting with a brighter one, this will increase the visibility and will help individuals fully see everything. Another way to overcome this is by making sure the receiver sees the person who is talking to them, for instance they should face both the light and the person and making sure their mouth is visible when speaking.
The environment plays a crucial role in the effectiveness of communication aids, for instance hearing aids will intensify background noises as well as the voice and speakers. A noisy background may therefore, be problematic and unpleasant for someone who is using a hearing aid. Good lighting will be critical for someone who supports their understanding of speech with lip reading. These environmental barriers have a massive influence on effective communication and this is why it is vital that these barriers are prevented.
Visual Impairment
Visual impairment can reduce an individual’s ability to see faces or read written signs or books. This is a barrier because if an individual cannot see anything or read signs and leaflets it creates a barrier to effective communication as the individual may not see what the person is telling them to do, and they may not see the person’s facial expressions and body language. For example, an individual may want to show their grandma who is visually impaired a picture, however their grandma may not be able to see the picture and may not communicate as the grandma will not know what the individual is telling them about the picture.
However, to overcome this barrier the individual must use language to describe things in detail to the visually impaired individual. This will help them visualise what the person is telling them. Other ways the overcome this barrier can be things such as assisting the individual to touch things, for instance they might want to touch the persons face to recognise them. They should be spoken to in a normal tone for instance not louder or more slowly and always introduce other people who are around and explain what is going on, so they don’t feel isolated. The visually impaired individual should know when a person is leaving or about to do something as that is likely to affect communication. lastly glasses can overcome this barrier as it will help them see better but this can only be achieved to individuals whose visions are blurry not blind, but if the individual is blind completely then they could go under surgery to make them see again, however the surgery is not guaranteed.
Hearing Impairment
When one has a hearing loss, the quality of communication can be impaired. Understanding speech becomes a task which may result in frustration, exhaustion, depression and eventually lead to isolation. For example, a person may not be able to speak to individual with hearing impairment as the individual will not be able to hear what they are saying this therefore creates a barrier to effective communication as the receiver will not know what the person is telling them and therefore does not understand anything.
To overcome these barriers, an individual with a hearing impairment must use communication strategies. However, for communication strategies to be successful, one must be assertive. For instance, the person communicating with the individual who has hearing impairment must always face the individual when speaking, this provides visual cues which assist in speech discrimination use eyes, facial expressions, and gestures to communicate where it is necessary during the conversation. It may be crucial in some cases to use sign language to convey their message to the individual who has hearing impairment.
One of the most common thing that people use to overcome this barrier is hearing aids, this allows the individual to hear better. Other ways to overcome this barrier is things such as, eliminating any background noise, speaking slowly using an even rate of speech, this allows time to mentally fill in any gaps or clarify confusions.
Language and Cultural differences
English may be a second or third language to some people, and may not be spoken or understood at all by others. Communication in written and spoken English may not be easy or even possible for some people. This therefore results a barrier to effective communication, as people who do not speak or understand English may struggle to communicate. For example, a foreigner may come to a country that all speaks English and is rare to find someone who speaks the same language as them. They will find it hard to communicate to get healthcare as they would not know what to say, in addition to this they would not know how to read as well as write.
People from different backgrounds may use or interpret communication methods in different ways by expressing how they feel, for example Italians are traditionally very verbal when they use speech they use their hands to gesture to make their points. It is very important to understand how people from different backgrounds may use or interpret communication methods. Communication methods can sometimes have different meanings in other cultures. Health care professionals should familiarise themselves with the cultures of those who they are caring for so the care professional can understand how to effectively communicate with them, and continue to treat them with respect and dignity. What is acceptable in one culture may be an offence in another culture. For example, it is not acceptable for a woman to speak when men are speaking unless asked to speak. It also not acceptable in certain culture for women to shake hands with men. As a healthcare worker, it is part of my responsibility to study client care plan and be aware of the different cultures and how their actions could affect them.
To overcome the language barrier, an advocate will be essential this is when someone who speaks for someone else. Interpreters can be helpful to some individuals as well as they will be able to a person who understands the meaning of one language and translates it to another language. In addition to this a translator may become beneficial to some people who do not speak English and may want to understand what the other person is saying, then they bring a translator to translate between the conversations in order to make the communication two-way process effective. Carers should understand the language needs and communication preferences of people who they work with. If a person has a difficulty communicating in English, or has sensory impairments or disabilities that affect their communication skills, specialist communication support may be essential within this case. Learning a few words of another person’s language or developing some basic sign language skills can really help a carer to establish a positive, supportive relationship with a service user, their relatives or with colleagues
Use of Acronyms
Jargon and slang are forms of language that only makes sense to people with specialist knowledge, for instance a person who does not have this specialist knowledge will not understand the message. For example, a group of teenagers will use slang within their group that only them understands whereas if they speak how they speak to their friends to an older lady, they will not understand it, therefore this creates a barrier as some older generations do not know slang and jargon and will not be able to use it back.
To overcome this barrier individuals who use jargon or slang should adapt their language to the person’s preference so in that case the message is understood from both individuals.
Distress, Emotional difficulties, and Health problems
Some conditions such as depression, and stroke for example, may affect a person’s ability to send and receive messages effectively. Illness and injuries can also cause people to withdraw from communication situations. When a person is, angry or upset, they may find it difficult to communicate, others may misunderstand their own communication.
Emotions play a vital role in effective communication. People can be shy, confident, or just plain blunt and may not allow full or honest feedback to the receiver. Sometimes people are good listeners but because of the emotion in the tone the manager or a higher authority exerted, the employee feels he does not have the authority or confidence to reply back.
A person with dementia may have trouble finding the right word, they may repeat words and phrases, or may struggle on certain sounds. If the individual is not able to express themselves properly, they can lose confidence, or feel anxious, depressed or withdrawn. They may also behave in ways others find odd, because they are trying to communicate what they can no longer say with words. Dementia can also affect a person’s cognitive abilities. A person with dementia may have slower speed of thought, or not be able to understand complex ideas. This can also affect their ability to communicate. For example, they may take longer to process thoughts and work out how to respond to what is being said.
To overcome this barrier the individual communicating with the person who has dementia should get their full attention first, and should portray a body language that is open and relaxed. They should speak clearly and calmly and not rush anything, speaking at a slower pace will allow time between sentences for the person to acknowledge the information and respond. Avoiding to raise your voice and speaking sharply while speaking to someone with emotional difficulties and dementia will help to set a positive atmosphere and will make the individual feel relaxed and comfortable. Furthermore, the person should listen carefully to what the person Is saying and to engage with the conversation. If the person has not fully understood what their trying to say, then it is best to rephrase what you have understood and check to see if you are right. The person’s reaction and body language can be a good indicator of what they have understood and how they feel.
Overall, understanding barriers that you may face while communicating can increase the effectiveness of the communication as the person will have the knowledge to overcome the barrier. It is incredibly vital to know how to overcome barriers while communicating as this will prevent anything from being misunderstood and convey a clear conversation which is understood from both sides.