Communication Noise- 5 Types of Noises in Communication

Types of Noise in Communication are Physical, Factual, Physiological, Psychological, Semantic, and Cultural.

Communication Noise

Communication noise means any barrier to the effective communication process. Noises bar the effective communication process between senders and receivers. The different types of noise in communication are physical, physiological, psychological, semantic, and cultural. These noises distract the sender and receiver of the communication process from listening to the message effectively. Noise bars the effectiveness of the communication process; therefore, it is also known as a barrier to communication. Noise is one of the communication elements, followed by Context, Sender, Encoder,  Message, Channel, Decoder, Receiver, and Feedback.

Communication noises are presented in all communication contexts, such as face-to-face, group, organizational, and mediated communication. The researchers have mentioned the noise in the three communication models, for example, linear, interactive, and transactional communication models.

Shannon and Weaver’s communication model introduced noise initially in the linear communication model in 1949. Later, many researchers include the noise in their model. A comprehensive communication model certainly includes noise to explain the communication process.

The communication process will be more effective, productive, and interactive if there are no noises present. Many scholars are researching to find out the solution to overcome noise in communication. Researchers have identified that in the U.S.A., business organizations are losing billions of dollars due to noise in communication.

Example of noises in communication

Ela is very sick, and she is taking a rest at home. She calls her husband to bring some medicines, and they interact on a mobile phone. At the same time, her daughter Elon is watching television at a high volume. Therefore, Ela could not understand what her husband said to her precisely. So, she asks her husband again to be confirmed.

Television sounds are physical noise, and her sickness is an example of physiological noise.

5 Types of Noise in Communication

The five types of noise in communication are physical, physiological, psychological, semantic, and cultural noises. However, some additional noises in the communication process include syntactic, emotional, medium, encoding, decoding noises, etc. 

Types of Noise in Communication

Types of Noise in Communication

Five Types of noises in communication are:
  1. Physical Noise
  2. Physiological Noise
  3. Psychological Noise
  4. Syntactical Noise
  5. Cultural Noise

1. Physical Noise in Communication

Physical noise is the external and unnecessary sound that is an obstacle to effective communication. It is also a communication disturbance created by the environment. Therefore, physical noise is also known as environmental or factual noise in communication. Factual noise comes from ambient background noise in the environment.

Example of Physical Noise

For example, rain, thunderstorms, horns, outside building sounds, and sounds from fans, lights, and windows are the best examples of physical or environmental noise. Besides loud music, barking dogs, and noisy conflict nearby, vehicle sounds are examples of physical noise. These are also examples of factual noise in communication. 

2. Physiological Noise in Communication

Physiological noise is a barrier created by the communicator’s physical condition. Usually, physical illness and weakness usually produce physical noise, which is an obstacle to effective communication. 

Example of Physiological Noise

For example, Ela is having headaches; therefore, she can not concentrate in class. Here, a headache is a physical illness that hinders the listening process of communication.  Also, deafness and blindness are physical weaknesses or physiological noises that hinder listening. Talking too fast or slow and the high or low temperature in the room also generate physiological noise. 

3. Psychological Noise in Communication

Psychological noise is a communication barrier created by the communicator’s psychological factors, for example, values, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. This type of noise interrupts our minds from concentrating on listening. People don’t like to listen or talk about those topics that make them down or not enjoyable. 

Example of Psychological Noise

For example, Ela is a Muslim girl who does not like to listen to any criticism of Islam. Therefore, she became distracted when her lecturer was talking about anti-Islam issues. Any sensitive issues like religious, ethnic, and political are examples of psychological noise. Apart from that, financial crisis, missing a beloved person, and an exhausting schedule may originate psychological noise. 

4. Semantic Noise in Communication

Semantic noise is a communication barrier created by confusion over the meaning of words. It comes from complex, technical, autochthonous, or grammatical errors in communication. Semantic noise occurs because of different message definitions between the sender and receiver. It also refers to the wrong grammatical sentence that makes the receiver unable to understand the meaning. Scholars term it as a syntactical barrier or noise.

Syntactical noise is a grammatically wrong sentence in which the receiver cannot accomplish the proper meaning. Using complex language during computer programming is an example of syntactical noise. It is also in contrast to syntactic sugar.

Example of Semantic Noise

Ela is an international student who studies at the University of Putra Malaysia. She is listening to lectures from her Malaysian lecturer. In the meantime, her lecturer says, ” I believe SEMUA understand this topic.” SEMUA is a Malaysian word that means everyone. Ela does not understand the meaning of SEMUA as she is not a Malaysian student. It is an example of semantic noise.

Similarly, a lecturer says the natural causes of climate change and global warming are different facts. However, a few students are confused about the lecturer’s statement. The confusion has come from semantic noise. These students believe that climate change and global warming are the same phenomena. Finally, the lecturer describes global warming as raising the environment’s temperature. On the other hand, climate change points to both increasing and decreasing the global temperature. It is also an example of semantic noise.

Additionally, jargon words, mispronunciations, unique words, and grammatically wrong sentences are Semantic Noise examples.

5. Cultural Noise in Communication

Cultural noise is a communication barrier created by incorrectly explaining another person’s behaviors. This noise is produced due to the wrong meaning of messages; therefore, it is a little similar to semantic noise. Especially cultural noise is created from the nonverbal communication of people from different cultural backgrounds. The basic kinds of nonverbal communication cues are posture, gesture, eye contact, space, touch, and dress-up. The meaning of nonverbal cues is not the same in every culture and society. The conflicting message in communication is one of the cultural noises. 

Apart from that, ethnocentrism, prejudices, stereotypes, and discrimination are also examples of cultural noises. These factors bar effective communication in a group or team. The four noises in group communication are ethnocentrism, prejudices, stereotypes, and discrimination.

Example of Cultural Noise

Jon is a Russian citizen who is studying at the University of Putra Malaysia. He offers his Malaysian woman friend to handshake, but she denies it. It makes Jon feel very embarrassed. Later, he understood that women do not like to handshake men in Malaysia, which is a cultural norm.

Additional Noises in Communication Process

Apart from these five basic types of noises, the additional noises in the communication process are technical noise including shot and thermal noise, organizational noise, and noise in group conversation.

Electrical Noise (Shot and Thermal Noise)

Shot noise originates from the audio output of receivers. Thermal noise is generated from the random movement of electrons in the electronic device. 

 Organizational Noise

Organizational noise refers to encoding-decoding noises and transmitting noises. The encoding-decoding noises in corporate communication lack sensitivity to the receiver, basic communication skills, insufficient knowledge of the subject, information overload, emotional interference, etc. Additionally, the transmitting noises in organizational communication are the faulty connection of transmitting lines and channel barriers. 

Noise in Group Communication

Barriers to Group Communication are disturbances that hinder interactive communication among group members. The barrier in group communication usually hinders understanding other members of the group or team. The four types of barriers in group communication are Ethnocentrism, Stereotyping, Prejudice, and Discrimination. The group discussion has many stages, tensions, conflicts, etc. According to Tuckman’s Theory, the five stages of group discussion are Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning. Members must overcome all these stages to achieve the independent and interdependent goal.

Difference Between Noise and Barrier

Noise and Barriers in conversation denote the same meaning, although people use them in different interaction contexts. For example, people use the word noise when encountering face-to-face or group communication obstacles. On the other hand, people use the word barrier when facing corporate communication or mediated communication obstacles. Noise refers to the hindrance during the interaction between sender and receiver. However, many people, including scholars, described them as noise barriers. People also term them a distraction, distortion, disturbance, etc.

In conclusion, communicators need to reduce noise as much as possible to make communication more effective, productive, and efficient. These communication noises are prevalent in every context of the communication process, such as barriers in face-to-face communication, mediated communication, corporate communication, and group communication. Noises are an unwanted element of the communication process.

Disadvantages of Communication Noise

Firstly, noises make people exhausted, tense, angry, and sick. Babies and ill people cannot sleep on environmental noise.

People can become deaf if they stay with a loud noise for a long time. Noise above 70 dB damages the eardrum.

Noise hampers organizations financially by reducing employees’ productivity. The workers cannot concentrate appropriately due to noise. The organizational noise occurs due to a faulty communication channel.

In 2022, researchers at HARVARD Medical School identified that people encounter autonomic stress reactions when they wake up from a loud sound. It might cause cardiac arrest.

Semantic noise spreads misleading information among people. Sometimes, it creates communal violence if the message comes from political or social leaders.

Citation for this Article (APA 7th Edition)
Kobiruzzaman, M. M. (2024). Communication Noise- 5 Types of Noises Barriers in Communication. Newsmoor- Best Online Learning Platform. https://newsmoor.com/communication-noise-5-types-of-noise-in-communication-barriers/

Communication Elements- 9 Elements of Communication Process

Communication Elements- 9 Elements of the Communication process are Context, Sender, Encoder,  Messages, Channel, Decoder, Receiver,  Feedback, and Noise. Additionally, Examples of the 9 Components of Communication.

Communication Elements

Communication elements refer to essential communication tools for conducting the communication process. They are also known as communication components.  Communication elements initiate and regulate the entire cycle of sharing information between the sender and receiver. Therefore, communication elements are essential and interconnected parts of the communication process. The nine elements of communication are Context, Sender, Encoder,  Message, Channel, Decoder, Receiver,  Feedback, and Noise. These are essential tools to convey messages between sender and receiver. Communication elements are also known as the components of communication.

Communication Process

The communication process refers to sharing information verbally or non-verbally between the sender and receiver. Verbal communication means communication among people through spoken words. Nonverbal communication refers to interaction among humans through nonverbal cues such as tone of voice, facial expression, movement, body language, eye contact- nonverbal communication, and so more. Communication means conveying a message via written text, speech, signals, visuals, or behavior. It is also a process of exchanging opinions and imparting knowledge between speaker and audience through communication elements.

Elements of Communication

 The 9 Elements of Communication are;
  1. Context
  2. Sender
  3. Encoder
  4. Message
  5. Channel
  6. Decoder
  7. Receiver
  8. Feedback
  9. Noise
Communication Elements- 9 Elements of Communication. Elements of the communication process with examples. Components of communication.
Nine Elements of Communication Process With Examples
 Examples of Communication Elements 

Emu requested her husband deposit $100 for the electricity bill while talking to her husband on a smartphone. At the same time, her son watched a cartoon video on Television with the volume on high. Therefore, her husband could not understand exactly how much he needed to pay for the electricity bill. So, she repeated the exact words to confirm him. Consequently, her husband asked about the due date for paying the electricity bill, and she replied that today was the last date to pay the electricity bill without penalty. In the meantime, she showed her angry face to her son to reduce the TV volume. Instantly, her son reduced the volume.

Based on the example, the context is the social context. Emu is the sender and encoder at the same time receiver and decoder. Similarly, her husband is also a sender and encoder at the same time receiver and decoder. Turning the thought into a message is the act of encoding. In contrast, transferring the message into view is the process of decoding. The smartphone is the medium or channel of the communication process, and TV volume is the environmental noise that bars the communication process.

1. Context in Communication

Context refers to the environment of communication in which the interaction happens or takes place. Communication context is the circumstance and prime element of every communication process that controls the communication process among senders and receivers. The most common five communication contexts are intrapersonal, interpersonal, group, public, and mass communication settings. Additionally, this context may be physical, historical, psychological, social, chronological, or cultural. For example, you may feel comfortable sharing your personal information with close friends rather than colleagues, and you will not speak to an unknown person as you talk to your wife. So, the context of communication sets the environment of the communication process.

Types of Communication Context

The most common five types of communication contexts are intrapersonal, interpersonal, group, public, and mass communication.

Example of Context in Communication

For example, Emu talks to her husband informally and feels very comfortable. Therefore, the social context has been designed from this communication process, and it is also an interpersonal context as they communicate face to face.

2. Sender in Communication

A sender is a person who sends a message to the receiver. The sender is also known as the encoder of the message. The sender initiates the communication process and starts the procedure by sending a message or information. Therefore, the sender is a significant element of the communication process. A sender makes and uses symbols (words or graphic or visual aids) to convey the message and produce the required response. Therefore, a sender is a speaker, writer, or person who provides the information to share opinions, ideas, and messages.

Example of Sender in Communication

For example, Emu is the sender and encoder who sends messages to communicate with her husband, and the sender is the person who sends the message to share with others. So, Emu is the sender and an element of the communication process.

3. Encoding in Communication

Encoding means transforming abstract opinions and ideas into symbols such as words, pictures, signs, and marks. A symbol might represent or indicate opinions, statements, and actions. In contrast, decoding is the process of transforming the symbol into an idea or thought. Encoding is the process of transformation of the subject into symbols. The encoding process is related to the sender and receiver.

The message of any communication is always abstract and intangible. Transmission of the message requires the use of certain symbols.

Example of Encoding in Communication

For example, Emu has converted his thoughts into words to convey the message to her husband, which is called encoding. Here, converting ideas into words is the process of encoding. Words serve as the spoken communication symbol. She called her husband and uttered some words to share an opinion as well as send a message.

4. Message in Communication

The message refers to the information, ideas, feelings, opinions, thoughts, attitudes, and views the sender wants to deliver to the receiver. The message seems like a vital element of any communication process. Any communication conveys a message, also known as sharing ideas, opinions, thoughts, and information. Invariably, the sender wants to convey the message to communicate with the receiver. So, senders need to ensure that the main objective of the message is clear and understandable.

Messages may be conveyed through verbal and nonverbal cues. Verbal cues are the spoken language of the speaker, for instance, spoken words.

On the other hand, the most common types of nonverbal communication are facial expression, eye contact, physical appearance, posture, gesture, etc.

Example of Message in Communication

For example, Emu was speaking to convey a message that indicates verbal communication. She also showed her angry face to her son to reduce the TV volume, which is called non-verbal communication. In this regard, spoken words and facial expressions are examples of messages in communication. The most common examples of messages in communication are spoken words, written words, facial expressions, eye contact, phone call, video, email, and text messages.

5. Channel in Communication

Channel is the way or tool of transmitting the message. It is also known as a medium of communication that conveys the message from sender to receiver. Communicators use different channels to communicate in a distinct context of communication. In face-to-face communication, the sender’s senses, such as hearing, seeing, smelling, touching, and tasting, are the channels for transferring the information. It is also one of the crucial elements of the communication process.

On the other hand, organizations use Television, Newspapers, and radio to disseminate information. People use computers and mobile phones to communicate with people who live far away from each other. Many people use virtual meeting platforms to conduct group discussions. Sometimes, people choose a written medium, such as a letter, to convey the message, while others prefer an oral medium when spontaneous feedback is required from the recipient.

Example of Channel in Communication

For example, Emu has transmitted the message through a smartphone, so the smartphone is the channel of the communication process. She uses technology to convey messages, which is called mediated communication. The most common example of communication channels is TV, Radio, Newspapers, Social media, and the five human senses. For instance, Global Assistant is a renowned education consultant in Asia that communicates with potential customers via official websites and social media platforms. So, websites and social media sites are channels of communication.

6. Decoding in Communication

Decoding is “the process of” translating an encoded symbol into the ordinary understandable language in contrast to the encoder. In this process, the receiver converts the symbols into thoughts received from the sender. Decoding is the opposite process of encoding to get the message’s meaning.

Example of Decoding in Communication

For example, Emu has transformed his thoughts into words to convey the message to her husband called encoding. At the same time, her husband converts those words into thoughts to understand the message, which is the process of decoding.

7. Receiver in Communication

Unlike the sender, a receiver is a person for whom the message is targeted. Therefore, the receiver is the audience of the communication process that decodes the message to perceive the meaning. The sender indeed sends a message aimed at the receiver. Receivers can be one person, a group of people, or an enormous population. The degree to which the decoder understands the message depends on various factors, such as the recipient’s knowledge, their responsiveness to the message, and the reliance of the encoder on the decoder.

Example of Receiver in Communication

For example, Emu sent a message targeting her husband, with whom she wanted to communicate. Hence, her husband is the receiver in this context of communication.

8. Feedback in Communication

Feedback in communication refers to the response of the receiver or audience. It is one of the main elements of the effective communication process that differentiates the communication models into linear and transactional. Feedback is an inevitable component of the transactional model.  Feedback may be verbal (through words) or non-verbal (in the form of smiles, sighs, etc.). It may take written form and also in the form of memos, reports, etc. Feedback is also one of the essential elements of the transactional communication process.

Feedback differentiates the linear and transitional models of communication. Linear means one-way communication, and transactional denotes two-way communication. The communication model is linear if there is no feedback in the communication process, for example, Aristotle’s Model of Communication, Shannon and Weaver’s model of communication, Lasswell’s Communication Model, and Berlo’s SMCR Model of Communication.

On the other hand, the communication model will be identified as an interactive and transitional communication model if the feedback is presented, for example, the Osgood-Schramm Model of Communication, Westley and Maclean Model of Communication, and the Helical Model of Communication.

Example of Feedback in Communication

For example, Emu’s husband asked about paying the electricity bill’s due date. Additionally, feedback is demonstrated when the students reply lecturer’s questions.

9. Noise in Communication

Noise refers to the communication barrier or obstacles to effective communication. It is also known as communication noise or communication barrier. Noise is an unwanted element of communication that communicators always want to avoid during the interaction.

It is the barrier that obstacles the effectiveness of the communication process. Noise exists in all kinds of communication, such as face-to-face, group, mediated, etc. Communication will be more effective and interactive if there is no noise. Noises are unnecessary elements of communication that distract receivers from receiving the message.

Example of Noise in Communication

For example, Emu’s son watches a cartoon video on Television with the volume on high when talking to her husband. The sound of the cartoon video bars Emu from listening to her husband’s speech, so it is an example of a communication barrier or communication noise or communication distraction.

The five types of noise in communication are Physical noise, Physiological noise, Psychological noise, Semantic noise, and Cultural noise.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the nine elements of the communication process are context, sender, encoder,  message, channel, decoder, receiver, feedback, and noise. These components are essential in the transactional communication process. The communication process might get faulty without any elements except noise because noise is the unwanted communication element. This article has presented the nine elements of the communication process with examples.

Citation For This Article(APA-7th & MLA-9th Edition)
APA Kobiruzzaman, M. M. (2024). Communication Elements- 9 Elements of Communication Process. Newsmoor- Best Online Learning Platform. https://newsmoor.com/communication-elements-9-components-of-basic-communication-process/