barriers to electronic communication

Electronic communication plays a vital role within organisations, and more recently, is becoming a preferred method of social interactions between individuals. Unlike face-to-face communication, individuals rely on technology to channel their message which can create additional complexities uncommon in face-to-face interactions. Intrapersonal, interpersonal, semantic, and physical barriers are more likely to occur in electronic communication because of different interpretations, absence of non-verbal behaviour or cues, and access to technological resources. This essay will examine all four communication barriers and discuss how different people’s experiences, expectations and attitudes affect the way electronic communication is composed and interpreted. It will look at barriers caused by demographics, and consider how the use of language and absence of non-verbal behaviour can cause the message to be misinterpreted. And finally, the essay will examine how environmental noise, insufficient resources, and information overload can disrupt concentration creating a barrier to successful communication.

Intrapersonal barriers occur within the self, and are more common in electronic communication due to different perceptions and expectations. These psychological barriers usually stem from a person’s life experience and can influence their thought patterns on a subconscious level. An individual’s world view regarding technology may lead them to expect that everyone has a similar level of proficiency with electronic resources, or assume that the receiver will interpret their message exactly as it was intended. In a case study conducted within a university setting, Jerram et al. (2002) examine the use of email and explain that assumptions between senders and receivers played a major role in creating misunderstandings as the meaning was often implied, and both parties assumed their different perspectives were shared. These assumptions can lead to stereotyping based

Bibliography: Baron, N & Campbell, E, 2012, ‘Gender and mobile phones in cross-national context’, Language Sciences, vol 34, issue 1, pp. 13-27, viewed 2 May 2012, Dabaj, F 2011, ‘Analysis of Communication Barriers to Distance Education: A Review Study’, Online Journal of Communication & Media Technologies, vol 1, issue 1, pp.1-15, viewed 11 March 2012, EBSCOhost, Communication & Mass Media Complete, item: AN 64305708. Ducheneaut, N 2002, ‘The Social Impacts of Electronic Mail in Organizations: A case study of electronic power games using communication genres’, Information, Communication & Society, vol 5, issue 2, pp. 153-188, viewed 17 May 2012, . Fandrych, I 2007, ‘Electronic Communication and Technical Terminology: A Rapprochement?’ NAWA Journal of Language and Communication, vol 1, issue 1, pp147-158, viewed 12 May 2012, EBSCOhost, Communication & Mass Media Complete, item: AN 32894522 Gatto, S & Tak, S 2008, ‘Computer, Internet, and E-mail Use Among Older Adults: Benefits and Barriers’, Educational Gerontology, vol 34, issue 9, pp. 800-811, viewed 11 March 2012, EBSCOhost, Communication & Mass Media Complete, item: AN 33902418 Jerram, C, Cecez-Kecmanovic, D, Treleaven, L, & Sykes, C 2002 ‘Email and Assumptions: a study in electronic (mis)understandings’, Proceedings of the Thirteenth Australasian Conference on Information Systems, Paper 28, viewed 9 March 2012, . Leidner, D & Kayworth, T 2006, ‘A Review of Culture in Information Systems’ MIS Quarterly, vol 30, issue 2, pp. 357-399, viewed 3 May 2012, EBSCOhost, Computers & Applied Sciences Complete, item: AN 21145601 Tyler, S, Kossen, C & Ryan, C 2005, Communication: a foundation course, 2nd edn, Pearson, Frenchs Forest