Barriers and Gateways to

Communication

What is Communication?
The process of sending and receiving
messages through verbal or nonverbal
meansspeech, writing, signs, signals, or
behavior.

Barriers and Gateways to

Communication
Barrier to Communication
Part I Gateway to Communication
School of Thought I
Part 2 School of Thought II

Barriers and Gateways to

Communication

Barrier to
Communication
Part I

Barrier: The Tendency to Evaluate

We all have a natural urge to
approve (or disapprove), judge
and evaluate another persons
statement.

Look at the conversations below

I didnt like what she just
said.
She seems
solid in her
thinking.

I didnt like
what she just
said.

She must be
foolish.

I didnt like what she

just said.
Oh, I
thought it
was really
good.

I didnt like what

she just said.

I didnt either; I
thought it was
terrible

Barrier: The Tendency to Evaluate

This impulse to evaluate any
emotionally meaningful statement
from our point of view is what
blocks interpersonal
communication.

Barriers and Gateways to

Communication

Gateway to
Communication
Part I

Gateway: Listening with Understanding

This means seeing the expressed idea
and attitude from the other persons point
of view, sensing how it feels to the person,
achieving his or her frame of reference
about the subject being discussed.

Gateway: Listening with Understanding

Listening means trying to see the problem
the way the speaker sees itwhich means
not sympathy, which is feeling for her/him,
but empathy, which is experiencing with
her/him.

Gateway: Listening with Understanding

Listening requires entering actively and
imaginatively into the other fellow's
situation and trying to understand a frame
of reference different from your own. This
is not always an easy task.

Gateway: Listening with Understanding

Empathic understanding understanding
with a person, not about her/him is so
effective that it can bring about significant
changes in personality.

Why is this listening approach

not widely used?
Lack of courage most of us are afraid
to take the risk
Heightened emotions in heated
discussions, emotions are strongest, so it
is especially hard to achieve the frame of
reference of another person or group. One
solution is to use a third party.

Why is this listening approach not

widely used?
Too large a group communication through a
moderator who listens non-evaluatively and with
understanding has proven effective, even when
feelings run high. The moderator can deal with
the insincerities, the defensive exaggerations,
the lies, and the false fronts that characterize
almost every failure in communication.

Barriers and Gateways to

Communication

Part 2

School of Thought I
School of Thought II

Two Schools of Thought

School of Thought I
School of Thought II
Assumes that
Assumes that
communication between A
communication has failed
and B has failed when B
when B does not feel free
does not accept what A has
to express his feelings to A
to say as being factual, true,
because B fears they will
or valid; and that the goal of
not be accepted by A.
communication is to get B
Communication is
to agree with As opinions,
facilitated when A or B are
ideas, facts, or information.
both willing to express and
accept differences.

Conversation illustrating 1st School of Thought

I think, Bill, that
this is the best
way to do your
job.

Oh yeah?

This is definitely the best way to do

your job.

Bill doesnt
understand
what I mean..

Do it this way now!

grrrrrrr

Conversation illustrating 2nd School of Thought

I think, Bill, this
is the best way
to do your job.

Oh yeah?

Well, boss I dont quite agree with

you that this is the best way to my
job.

Is this what you feel? Is this what

you assume?

But Ill tell you what Ill do. Ill try

to do it that way for a few days
and then Ill tell you what I think.

Generalizations
1st school of thought
2nd school of thought
represents a very common
assumes that what is taking
pattern of misunderstanding,
place is an interaction of
arising not because of the
sentiments; that the object of
unclear expression of oneself,
the interaction is to give Bill
but rather a misevaluation
a chance to express himself.
takes place when two people Because of these
are talking together.
assumptions, there is a
These assumptions set off a
psychological chain reaction
chain reaction of perceptions
of reinforcing feelings and
and negative feelings which
perceptions that eases
blocks communication.
communication.

Hypotheses
2nd method works better because the individual has a better
map of the process of personal communication.
The 2nd method, however is not merely an intellectual exercise.
It depends on ones capacity and willingness to see and accept
points of view that are different from ones own and to practice
this orientation in a face-to-face relationship. This is an
intellectual and emotional achievement depending on ones
awareness of oneself and on the practice of a skill.
There must be greater efforts to educate people in effective
communication which means, essentially, teaching people
how to listen.

Thank you for Listening!

Reference:
Barriers and Gateways to Communication by
Carl R. Rogers and F.J. Roethlisberger