Communication barriers can be broadly classified into three main kinds:

• Sender-Message Barriers (Sender-Centered): These barriers originate with the person sending the message.
• Physical Barriers (Environmental): These are obstacles in the external environment where communication takes place.
• Listener-Receiver Barriers (Receiver-Centered): These barriers arise from the listener's internal state or mindset.

These barriers occur when the sender fails to formulate or present the message effectively.

• Inadequate Vocabulary / Badly Expressed Message: This is a very common barrier. If a sender's stock of words is poor, or if they choose vague, ambiguous, or overly complex language, their ability to express ideas clearly is limited. This includes poor sentence structure, jargon, and disorganized thoughts.
• Differing Status: A significant difference in status or position between the sender and receiver can create a barrier. The receiver might be intimidated or unwilling to question a message from someone in a higher position.
• Over-communication or Conflicting Information: Sending too much information can overwhelm the receiver, while sending conflicting messages can cause confusion and undermine credibility.

Physical barriers are environmental factors that affect the transmission of a message. These are often the easiest to identify.

• Noise: As discussed in Chapter 1, any external sound or distraction that interferes with communication (e.g., loud machinery, side conversations) is a physical barrier.
• Poor Environmental Conditions: Factors like uncomfortable temperatures, poor lighting, or a distracting physical setting can make it difficult for the receiver to concentrate on the message.
• Loss in Transmission: This occurs when a channel fails to deliver the message properly, such as a bad phone connection or a corrupted email file.

These barriers are internal to the listener and are often the hardest to identify and reduce. They relate to the receiver's psychological state and how they process information.

• Prejudice and Bias: If a listener holds a preconceived negative opinion about the sender or the topic, they may reject the message without fair consideration. This is a powerful barrier that impedes the objective transmission of ideas.
• Jumping to Conclusions: This occurs when a listener doesn't pay full attention and makes assumptions about the message before it is fully delivered. Their own preconceptions interfere with accurate decoding.
• Poor Retention: Human memory is not a perfect recording device; it is reconstructive. Listeners often forget parts of a message or reconstruct its meaning incorrectly, which can lead to significant misunderstandings.
• Partial or Marginal Listening: This happens when the listener is only paying sporadic attention, causing them to miss key points and distort the intent of the message.

The first and most important step in overcoming any communication barrier is to recognize that it exists and to understand its potential negative impact. Only after a barrier has been identified can a communicator begin to implement strategies to reduce or eliminate it. For example, composing a message at the proper level for the audience is a strategy to overcome a potential sender-based barrier (inadequate vocabulary), not a barrier itself.