CMA Foundation · Fundamentals of Business Laws and Business Communication · Barriers to Business Communication
In a factory, the machine-shop supervisor's instructions to workers are frequently not heard because of continuous loud noise from running equipment. Which category of communication barrier does this chiefly represent?
The barrier is physical. Continuous machine noise is an environmental disturbance that interferes with the channel, so the message is not heard properly. Physical barriers include noise, distance and poor lighting, whereas semantic barriers concern language and meaning, and psychological barriers concern emotions or attitudes.
- APhysical barrierCorrect
- BSemantic barrier
- CPsychological barrier
- DCultural barrier
Explanation
Noise from machinery is an environmental interference that disrupts the channel between sender and receiver. Such environmental factors such as noise, distance and poor lighting are physical barriers. It is not semantic, since the words themselves are not misunderstood, nor psychological, since attitudes are not involved.
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