Communication is an integral part of human life. The success of an individual in almost all spheres of life depends on the ability to quickly establish contacts with others in modern conditions. Everyone strives for pleasant and effective communication, but sometimes situations arise when the exchange of information is disrupted and it is difficult for partners to understand each other.
This is caused by communication barriers that significantly complicate dialogue between interlocutors.
How to Overcome Barriers in Communication with Others
Language sometimes turns into a barrier instead of a road.
Daniel Keyes. Flowers for Algernon. Dr. Strauss
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What are 'Communication Barriers'?
These are factors that contribute to the loss and distortion of the meaning of information during interaction. They lead to a decrease in the effectiveness of communication, tension and negative experiences. They often become the main cause of conflict situations. All communication barriers are divided into two groups: psychological and communicative.
'I' and 'others': overcoming barriers
In everyday life, when we encounter situations of communication, intimacy, negotiations or general activities with other people, there is often a feeling of “overcoming the barrier” or the existence of some large barrier between individuals that does not allow them to adequately interact with each other. Many philosophers, writers and ordinary everyday researchers have paid attention to the colossal difference in a person’s perception of his “I” and the feeling of “others”.
Those people who are outside our “I” turn out to be strangers, unpredictable and often bring unpleasant sensations, pain and disappointment - precisely because the closer a person becomes, the more individual ideas about what what is right and what is wrong, how to live and act. The corresponding expectations are never met, because the other person is a completely different, separately formed personality, who has different interests, abilities and goals in life. However, even such a completely logical disappointment forces one not to open oneself to an understanding of “others”, but to distance oneself from communication. J.P. Sartre formulated this psychological process very aphoristically: “Hell is others.”
In fact, the path to mutual understanding is simple and unusually logical, strange as it may seem. In order to perceive other people normally and adequately, it is necessary to take a closer look at their characteristic reactions, modes of behavior, peculiarities of perception of the world, what and how they do, and how they react to certain events. Careful observation should be accompanied by the widest and most varied communication possible, using as wide a range of tools as possible - conversation, joint activity, exchange of impressions, joint creativity or sharing its results, etc. The more different situations a person shows himself in, the more we can learn about him, and the more accurate our behavior towards him will be.
Psychological barriers to communication
Psychological barriers arise as a result of the individual psychological characteristics of people who enter into the communication process (secrecy, modesty, differences in temperament types), as well as as a result of the characteristics of the relationship between partners (mistrust, antipathy).
Personal aspects become decisive for the emergence of situations of unproductive communication. Due to the fact that each person perceives events and phenomena of the surrounding world subjectively, evaluates them from the point of view of his individual experience, it is sometimes difficult for him to understand a communication partner who has a different point of view and other characteristics of perception. Main types of psychological barriers:
- Aesthetic
barriers - arise in a situation when a person does not like the appearance of the interlocutor. This may concern the features of his appearance, clothing style, and certain wardrobe details. - Intellectual
barriers consist of differences in types of thinking, speed of mental operations and differences in the level of intellectual development. For example, communication between an optimist and a pessimist cannot always be called productive, because one will look for advantages and ways out in any situation, and the second will focus on the negative. An intellectual barrier can be classified as a barrier of incompetence, when a person does not understand the topic under discussion, which causes a feeling of distress or irritation in the communication partner. - Motivational
barriers appear when people have different goals. This leads to misunderstanding and distorted perception of information. - Moral or ethical
barriers - the effectiveness of communication is hampered by the incompatibility of moral positions, principles, and views. - Attitude barrier
- if a person has a negative attitude towards a partner, then his words are not perceived objectively, often with internal protest. It can arise as a result of previous communication experience or based on feedback from other people. - The barrier of negative emotions
or poor physical condition are situational barriers. Sometimes communication problems arise when a person is in a bad mood or state of health and is not in the mood to establish contact with others.
Types of barriers
In modern psychology, there are three types of psychological barriers: communication, interaction, perception.
Communication
Communication barriers are associated with the inability of interlocutors (or one of them) to express thoughts logically, accessiblely, clearly and politely. In this case, vocabulary, speech technique and a person’s character matter. Communication barriers include:
- semantic (people understand the same terms in their own way; this barrier can be overcome by choosing words that are understandable to your partner; it is worth clarifying what the term used means);
- logical barrier (inability to express ideas logically and clearly; it is important to be patient and ask again);
- speech disorders (interfering with the perception of information, but it is difficult to change speech, it is better to adapt to it);
- inability to listen (the companion interrupts, “switches” to his own thoughts; you can compensate for someone else’s shortcomings with your own art of speech);
- barrier of modalities (it is important to be able to determine the main channel of perception of the interlocutor; this makes people more tolerant, allows you to find a suitable way of communicating with a specific companion, and makes communication effective);
- character barrier (it is important to restrain yourself so that the partners’ characters do not lead to difficulties and conflicts; temperamental people are considered uncomfortable interlocutors);
- impoliteness (interferes with business communication; it is best to suppress bad manners with your own calm; it is important to remember the purpose of communication - interaction, not disagreement; do not answer sharply - this will lead to a clash; a cold and neutral tone will “sober” the interlocutor);
- mismatch of vocabulary (this semantic barrier arises due to intellectual, psychological, cultural differences between companions; you need to ask again, explain difficult terms, select more understandable words and comment on your ideas);
- language barriers (the parties interact in different languages or have different proficiency in one language).
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Interactions
This type of blockage occurs during communication. The inner world of the interlocutor plays a big role: his education, moral level, communication style. The following barriers are identified:
- motivational (appears if the interlocutors have different motives for interaction; one may strive for quick profit, and the other may want to develop a common business; partners should immediately discuss and agree on goals, otherwise joint activities are doomed to failure);
- incompetence (the incompetence of one of the parties irritates the other party, a feeling of annoyance appears; if a person understands the issue partially, you can calmly tell him the necessary information; you should not do this demonstratively);
- ethical (moral incompatibility of interlocutors; you should not re-educate or reproach a person, this will lead to discord; it is better to stop contact or seek a compromise);
- stylistic (communication styles are different; this is due to a person’s temperament, profession, upbringing, social status; the communication style can be friendly, tough, neutral-business; the purpose of communication plays a big role: self-affirmation, coercion, cooperation, support of the interlocutor; it is important to realize that the manner of communication is an expression of deep qualities, therefore it is difficult to change it, it is better to adapt and accept).
Perceptions
Barriers to perception are associated with the first impression of partners, with their prejudices. These obstacles arise at the moment of contact. Among them are:
- aesthetic (it is difficult to interact with an unkempt partner);
- barrier of social status (prevents comfortable communication; especially if it is a subordinate who is used to being afraid of the boss; to eliminate this complex, it is worth saying: “The boss is just a person with all human weaknesses, there is no reason for fear. My speech will be calm, because I respect my work and yourself. The boss will feel it").
- negative emotions (it is not easy to communicate with an upset person; you should not take rude intonations personally; you should find out before the meeting what the mood of its participants is; sometimes it is better to postpone the conversation than to waste time ineffectively; if the meeting must take place, you need to take care before the business conversation about the emotional state of the interlocutor);
- health status (an observant person will notice the partner’s discomfort and reduce the contact time so as not to overwork him);
- psychological defense (if the employee’s closeness and aggressiveness are his defensive reaction, it is worth changing his attitude towards his colleague; after all, he “mirrors” the negative attitude towards himself; gradually contact will improve);
- attitudes (a person may develop negative attitudes towards a partner or company; there is no point in persuading an aggressive person; you need to calmly accept hostility, see ignorance and poor awareness in it; this will help protect yourself from negativity; gradually the partner’s opinion will change);
- the double barrier (a person tends to judge others by himself, expects from his companion actions that are characteristic of himself; one should remember this phenomenon and not project one’s own qualities onto colleagues);
- barrier of erroneous stereotypes (manifests itself in distrust, skepticism; such a person is repelled by negative experiences; it is important to overcome oneself and analyze each situation objectively).
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Communication barriers
Communication barriers arise if there is a mismatch in vocabulary between interlocutors. This group also includes problems associated with the lack of analogies of concepts in different languages and other translation difficulties. Main types of communication barriers:
- Semantic
barriers arise when communication partners mean different things by similar concepts. For example, one person understands the phrase “a good method of achieving a goal” as a method that will not harm the people around him, while another understands it as a strategy to achieve what he wants at any cost, even if those around him suffer. - Logical
barriers - appear if a person does not know how to clearly and consistently express his thoughts. In such a dialogue, cause-and-effect relationships are broken, and concepts are often substituted. - Phonetic
barriers are a speaker's poor speaking technique. When words sound unclear and unclear, which makes it difficult to perceive information.
Communication reasons for barriers
A communication barrier is a consequence of a mismatch in the vocabulary of the interlocutors. It arises due to differences in education, incorrect reading of the text, lack of adequate translation and other errors in the interpretation of individual terms. Barriers of this type can be divided into three types, which are fundamentally different from each other.
Communication barriers are:
- Logical. They arise in a situation where one person cannot express his thoughts. His statements are chaotic and devoid of logic, making it difficult for others to understand his opinion. If everyone involved in an interpersonal interaction has difficulty expressing their thoughts, communication becomes almost impossible.
- Phonetic. Appears in people who have diction problems. They cannot clearly pronounce sounds and the meaning of what is said is distorted. Incorrect placement of semantic stresses can also complicate communication. As a rule, this difficulty does not have much impact on the conversation between native speakers, but when communicating with a foreigner it causes serious misunderstandings.
- Semantic. They arise when people understand different things under the same term. This difference in perception depends on the level of education, interests and constant circle of contacts. Depending on the type of personality, a person selects his own interpretation of the thesis, and it may not coincide with the opinions of other participants in the discussion. With a high level of intelligence, interlocutors identify inconsistencies and choose different terminology.
Communication barriers are more common than psychological barriers, but have a lesser impact. Thus, a person who suffers from a stutter or an inability to pronounce certain sounds, but has not encountered condemnation, will speak freely. But a person with normal diction, who has a fear of being judged for his opinion, will not even try to defend it and will take a passive role in the discussion.
How to overcome communication barriers?
It is impossible to imagine a person in the modern world without speech communications. Every day you have to communicate at work or school, with friends or colleagues. But the real problem can be a barrier that prevents one from communicating competently with others and separates a person from normal life.
One of the most common barriers is an inferiority complex. People with low self-esteem believe that they are worse than others, do not see their merits and prefer to live their lives quietly and calmly. But in fact, you just have to change your image, start working on yourself and smile at difficulties, and the need for communication appears by itself. Self-doubt goes away with practice. Psychologists advise not to bypass people, but to try to keep up the conversation as often as possible.
Another problem in communication can be inflated self-esteem. A superiority complex manifests itself in a biased attitude towards other people. The person feels better than others and believes that talking to them can be disrespectful and condescending. Of course, such an attitude does not suit anyone and they will most likely try to avoid contact with such a person. But if a person himself understands the cause of difficulties in communication, then self-control and a loyal attitude towards society will help to cope with them. When talking, you can try to find positive traits in the interlocutor, thanks to this the conversation will be more comfortable for both parties.
It often happens that a person is simply afraid to come into contact with someone. For example, not finding the right words, seeming stupid or saying the wrong thing. There is a fear of not being accepted and judged. The person may have poor communication skills or an insufficient vocabulary. The way out of this situation is practice. You can practice in front of a mirror, as if talking to an imaginary friend. Try to correspond on the Internet, because without being able to look at the interlocutor, it is much easier to express your thoughts. Of course, you need to read more and develop your vocabulary in order to select words for any situation. It is important to remain yourself and not be afraid of what others will think. Each person perceives everything differently, and there will be those who can help overcome this barrier.
The difficulty lies in the fact that often the causes of communication difficulties are not recognized by people. This is especially true for psychological barriers. If communication barriers are perceived immediately and to eliminate them it is often enough to clarify the meaning of what was said, reformulate sentences and work on your speech, then psychological difficulties are a consequence of subconscious attitudes. They are difficult to control.
Watch your appearance and communication manners, they must correspond to the situation. Try to perceive your interlocutor objectively and without judgment.
How to remove a communication barrier
To improve your relationship with your interlocutor, use these rules when communicating:
- Communicate with your interlocutor “in the same language.” Use typical phrases and familiar expressions that will help you find common ground.
- Know how to listen. Don't interrupt your interlocutor.
- Maintain subordination. Don't put yourself above and don't put yourself down in front of your interlocutor.
- Learn to build a conversation with the ability to find a compromise when there is a difference in opinions.
- Be positive and use jokes to clear up misunderstandings.
- Do not communicate with irritated and aggressive people. In a stressful situation, constructive conversation will not work.
- Do not blame your interlocutor, be condescending towards his shortcomings.
