Advertising and Public Relations · TEE · papers
Q2A · Illustrate any five ‘Barriers of Communication.’
2025-12-11 · Final examination
Actual TEE paper · 100 marks · Q1 compulsory + any four complete Q2–Q7
2025-12-11 · Q2A · Previous-paper question. Illustrate any five ‘Barriers of Communication.’ [10 marks]
Answer
Definition. A communication barrier is a condition that prevents or distorts the intended meaning between sender and receiver.
In simple words. Barrier ka naam likhke rukna nahi—meaning kaise bigda aur solution kya?
Understand it step by step
- Semantic: jargon, ambiguous words or language differences distort interpretation. Use audience-appropriate language and define unfamiliar terms.
- Physical or technical: noise, poor audio, tiny text or unreliable connectivity prevents access. Improve the format and offer alternative channels.
- Psychological: distrust, fear, assumptions or selective attention affects reception. Listen, acknowledge concerns and provide credible evidence.
- Organisational: unclear responsibility, hierarchy or inconsistent instructions slows or distorts messages. Clarify ownership and feedback routes.
- Cultural and accessibility: symbols or idioms may mean different things; formats may exclude people. Test with the intended audience and design accessibly.
See it in use
Emotional and attitudinal barriers
An emotional barrier occurs when anxiety, anger or distress makes a message difficult to process; respond calmly, acknowledge concerns and give manageable information. An attitudinal barrier occurs when rigid assumptions, prejudice or unwillingness to listen blocks consideration; use respectful dialogue and relevant evidence. These overlap with psychological barriers but are separate named headings in some schemes.
Explain each barrier through its effect on meaning
A complete explanation identifies the obstacle, shows how it changes or blocks understanding, and gives a relevant example. The following situations are illustrative; they are not reported historical campaigns.
| Barrier | How communication fails | Example and suitable correction |
|---|---|---|
| Semantic / language | Sender and receiver interpret the same words differently, or the receiver does not understand the vocabulary. | A plan advertises “unlimited data” but reduces speed after a threshold. Explain the limit and speed clearly rather than relying on an ambiguous headline. |
| Physical / technical | Noise, distance, poor equipment or a disrupted channel prevents the message from reaching the receiver accurately. | A railway announcement becomes inaudible in crowd noise. Repeat it clearly and provide a readable display with the same information. |
| Psychological | Preconceptions, distrust or selective attention affect interpretation even when the words arrive correctly. | A customer who distrusts the brand dismisses a new quality claim. Provide verifiable evidence and address the concern instead of merely repeating the claim. |
| Organisational | Too many levels, unclear responsibility or selective filtering delays or alters a message. | A sales team learns of an offer after customers have seen the advertisement. Use an approved shared brief and brief the staff before launch. |
| Cultural / accessibility | Symbols, language or formats do not suit the audience’s context or access needs. | A colour-only instruction cannot be distinguished by some viewers. Add words or symbols; translate and test culturally specific expressions with the intended audience. |
| Emotional | Fear, anger or stress interferes with listening and comprehension. | An angry customer cannot process a long explanation during a complaint. Acknowledge the problem, give one clear next step, and then explain the details. |
| Attitudinal | Unwillingness to listen, apathy or a dismissive attitude prevents constructive exchange. | A manager rejects staff feedback without examining it. Invite the specific concern, listen and explain the decision. |
Categories can overlap: emotional and attitudinal factors can also be described as psychological barriers. Keep each example distinct when an answer asks for five barriers. End by relating the remedy to the cause, rather than writing “improve communication” for every point.