Pannel discussion

BARRIERS OF COMMUNICATION
• Presented
by • Guided by
Dr.S.D.Shekde DR. V. M.HOLAMBE
H.O.D.
JR 2
Assist. Professor

Dept Of Comm. Medicine

G.M.C. LATUR
Date-26/06/14
 Contents
• 1.Introduction & definitions of
communication.
• 2.Communication process.
• 3.Tyeps of communication.
• 4.Methods in health
communication.
• 5.Barriers of communication.
• 6.Overcome on barriers of
communication.
• 7.References.
WHAT IS COMMUNICATION
???
 COMMUNICATION IS THE ART OF TRANSMITTING
KNOWLEDGE, IDEAS, INFORMATION AND THOUGHTS
FROM ONE PERSON TO ANOTHER.

THE TRANSFER SHOULD BE SUCH THAT

THE RECIEVER UNDERSTANDS
THE MEANING AND THE INTENT OF THE MESSAGE
AND GIVE PROPER FEEDBACK
 INTRODUCTION
• Communication can be regarded as a two-
way process of exchanging or shaping ideas,
feelings and information.
• Broadly it refers "to the countless ways that
humans have of keeping in touch with one
another“
• Effective communication is to share meaning
and understanding between the person
sending the message and the person receiving
the message.
• Communication and education are
interwoven.
• The ultimate goal of all communication is
to bring about a change in the desired
direction of the person who receives the
communication. This may be at the cognitive
level in terms of increase in knowledge;
• it may be affective in terms of changing
existing patterns of behaviour and attitudes;
and it may be psychomotor in terms of
acquiring new skills. These are referred to as
learning objectives
• Communication is part of our normal
relationship with other people.
• Our ability to influence others depends
on our communication skills, e.g.,
speaking, writing, listening, reading and
reasoning. These skills are much needed
in health education.
• It is said that without communication an
individual could never become a human
being, without mass communication, he could
never become a part of modern society.
 Communication Process
• Communication which is the basis of human
interaction is a complex process. It has the
following main components
• 1. sender (source)
• 2. receiver (audience)
• 3. message (content)
• 4. channels (medium)
• 5. feedback (effect)
• 1. Sender
The sender (communicator) is the originator of the
message. To be an effective communicator, he must know:
• - his objectives. clearly defined
• - his audience : it's interests and needs
• - his message
• - channels of communication
• - his professional abilities and limitations
The impact of the message will depend on his own social
status (authority), knowledge and prestige in the
community.
• 2. Receiver
All communications must have an audience,
this may be a single person or a group of
people.
• The audience may be of two types : the
controlled and the uncontrolled.
• 3. Message
A message is the information which the
communicator transmits to his audience to
receive, understand. accept and act upon. It
may be in the form of words. pictures or signs.
 A good message must be :
• - in line with the objective (s)
• - meaningful
• - based on felt needs
• - clear and understandable
• specific and accurate
• - timely and adequate
• - fitting the audience
• - interesting
• - culturally and socially appropriate
 Channels of communication

By channel is implied the "physical bridges" or

the media of communication between the
sender and the receiver.
• media systems :
• a. Interpersonal communicatio n
• b. Mass media
• c. Traditional or folk media
• Interpersonal communication :
The most common channel of communication
is the interpersonal or face - to - face
communication.
• Mass media :
ln mass communication, the channel is one or
more of the following"mass media", viz TV,
radio, printed media, etc.
• Folk media: Every community has its own
network of traditional or folk media such as folk
dances, singing, dramas, Nautanki in Uttar
pradesh. Burrakatha in Andhra Pradesh and
Harikatha in western India besides informal
group gatherings, caste or religious meetings.
• 5. Feedback : It is the flow of information from
the audience to the sender. It is the reaction
of the audience to the message.
• Feedback is generally obtained through
opinion polls, attitude surveys and interviews.
 TYPES OF COMMUNICATION
• 1. One-way communication (Didactic Method).
• 2. Two-way communication (Socratic method).
• 3. Verbal communication.
• 4. Non - verbal communication.
5. Formal and informal communication.
• 6. Visual communication.
• 7. Telecommunication and internet
Methods in health communication
• BARRIER
S
 BARRIERS OF COMMUNICATION
• Unplanned distortion during the
communication resulting in the receiver
obtaining a different message than that sent
by the sender is referred to as barriers in
communication (also called as “Noise” or
“distortions” in communication).
What is a Barrier in communication?

• Every obstacle that stands

between the sender and the
receiver.
• The most important thing is the
message.
• This message should be clear enough
in order to avoid misunderstandings.
• Seek feedback to check that the
message is understood.
• Health education may often fail due to
communication barriers between the
educator and the community-these may be.
BARRIERS OF COMMUNICATION
 Barriers – sender
• Lack of planning
• “purpose” of communication
• Objectives to be achieved
• Choice of wrong language, resulting in badly
encoded message
• Unshared & unqualified assumptions
• Different perception of reality
• Wrong choice of the channel
 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
 1.Physiological Barrier:
• Physiological barriers to communication are
related with the limitations of the human
body and the human mind (memory,
attention, and perception).
• Physiological barriers may result from
individuals’ personal discomfort, caused by ill-
health, poor eye sight, or hearing difficulties.
 2.Psychological Barrier:
• Psychological factors such as misperception,
filtering, distrust, unhappy emotions, and
people's state of mind can jeopardize the
process of communication.
3.Physical and Environmental barriers:
Distractions such as background noise, poor
lighting, uncomfortable sitting, unhygienic
room, or an environment that is too hot or
cold can affect people's morale and
concentration, which in turn interfere with
effective communication.
 Environmental barriers
• Crowded, noisy environment.
• People taking, music playing.
• No Privacy.
• Telephone call.
CROSS-CULTURAL BARRIERS
• 4.Cultural Barriers:
• Culture shapes the way we think and behave.
• Cultural difference leads to difference in
interest, knowledge, value, and tradition.
Therefore, people of different cultures will
experience these culture factors as a barrier to
communicate with each other.
• Language

• values

• Social Relation
4.Cultural Barriers:
• 5.Personal barriers:
• Lake of confidence.
• Personal shyness.
• Internal conversation or
internal monologue (self talk).
• Lack of objectivity.
• Culture differences
• Language.
• Emotion
• Discomfort in sensitive
situations.
 6.Social Barriers:
• Social factors such as age, gender,
socioeconomic status, and marital status may
act as a barrier to communication in certain
situations.
SEMANTIC & LANGUAGE
BARRIERS

Those who speak do not know

Those who know do not
speak
• 7.Semantic Barrier:
• Language, jargon, slang, etc., are some of the
semantic barriers. Different languages across
different regions represent a national barrier
to communication.
• 8.Linguistic Barriers:
• Individual linguistic ability may sometimes
become a barrier to communication.
• The use of difficult or inappropriate words in
communication can prevent the people from
understanding the message.
• 9.Organizational Barriers:
• Unclear planning, structure, information
overload, timing, technology, and status
difference are the organizational factors that
may act as barriers to communication.
 How to overcome these Barriers
• Eliminating differences in perception.
• Use of Simple Language.
• Reduction and elimination of noise levels.
• Know what you want to convey.
• Active Listening.
• Simple Organizational Structure.
• Avoid Information Overload.
• Give Constructive Feedback.
• Proper Media Selection.
• There are 6 C's of effective communication, which
are applicable to both written and oral
communication. They are as follows
• Complete—The message must be complete in all
respect and should convey all facts required by
the receiver.
• Clear—Clarity in communication makes
understanding easier and enhances the meaning
of a message. A clear message uses exact,
appropriate, and concrete words and avoids
ambiguous words.
• Correctness—Correctness in communication
implies that there are no grammatical and
spelling errors in communication.
• Concise—Conciseness means eliminating
wordiness and communicating what you want
to convey in least possible words .
• Consideration—Consideration implies
“stepping into the shoes of others.” Effective
communication must take the receiver/s into
consideration (i.e., the audience's viewpoints,
background, mindset, education level, etc.).
• Courtesy—Courtesy in message implies that
the message should show the sender's
expression as well as respect to the receiver.
The sender of the message should be sincerely
polite, judicious, reflective, and enthusiastic.
DO FOR EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
• For Physical Barriers-
 Appropriate Seating Arrangement
 Ensure Visibility & Audibility
 Environmental Comfort
 Minimise Visual/Oral Distractions
For Semantic Barriers-
 Use of Simple Language
 Symbols & Charts
 Active Listening/ Constructive feedback
• For Socio-Psychological Barriers-
 Calling Attention & Motivation
 Assistance & Sympathy

For Cross Cultural Barriers-

 Understanding of Traditions & Customs
 Information of all Sides of Culture
• For Organisational Barriers-
 Simple Organisational Structure
 Avoiding Information Overload
 Flexibility in Meeting Targets
“Communication is the real work of
leadership.”
 REFERENCES

1. AFMC’s Textbook of public health

and community medicine pg.619-623
2. Parks textbook of preventive and
social medicine 22: 797-801
3. http://my.safaribooksonline.com/book/m
edicin e/9789332501461
4. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Communication_noise
Thank you