LECTURE NINE DISTORTION AND LOSS IN COMMUNICATION By

LECTURE NINE DISTORTION AND LOSS IN COMMUNICATION By Seth Awuku Manteaw, Ph. D (Department of Agricultural Extension, University of Ghana)

Introduction Interferences called communication noise can complicate the communication process These interferences may occur in the process of delivering extension messages The messages may not get through as sent or may not be decoded as sent These internal and external interferences may also account for distortions and loss in communication The bigger the noise or interference, the less effective the communication. A little noise may pass unnoticed, but too much noise may prevent the message from getting to its destination in the first place. The more we reduce the incidence of noise, the more effective we may get our messages across.

Categories of Noise 1. Semantic Noise Semantic noise occurs when we are not able to interpret clearly messages The message gets through as sent, but the receivers do not understand what it means If the receiver does not have a background in a discipline, heshe may find technical jargons confusing and this may constitute semantic noise Semantic noise also occurs when the same word has different meanings and interpreted from different cultural backgrounds

Categories of Noise (CONT’D) 2. Psychological Noise Psychological noise is internal factor that leads to misunderstandings in the communication process. Psychological noise takes three main forms: Selective Exposure, Selective Perception and Selective Retention.

Psychological Noise (CONT’D) Selective Exposure or Attention holds that as a general rule we expose ourselves to information that reinforces rather than contradicts our beliefs or opinions This means people will expose themselves to information that is of interest to them and they are likely to derive benefit from it Selective exposure explains why people with extreme political views have difficulty getting their ideas across to the general public Example a Muslim is more likely to watch an Islamic programme on television rather than a Christian programme

Psychological Noise (CONT’D) Selective Perception holds the view that people tend to see, hear and believe only what they want to see, hear and believe. According late Canadian philosopher Marshall Mc. Luhan, “everyone has his own set of goggles and we all think that we see with our set of goggles is what everyone else sees” People are selective in the way they perceive issues based on a number of factors These factors such as motivation, experiences, cultural and religious background, education background etc. shape how people selectively perceive issues.

Psychological Noise (CONT’D) Selective Retention or Remembering means that we tend to remember those things that reinforce our beliefs better than those that oppose them. People are selective in what they remember, they remember things that will be of interest to them and might benefit them in future Those things that will not benefit them, they are likely to forget easily For example, try to remember some good things about someone you dislike or come up with a list of faults for some you really like. Chances are that you will remember mostly bad things about your enemies and good things about your idols

Categories of Noise (CONT’D) 3. Environmental Noise is noise that is external to the communication process, but that nevertheless interferes with it The sender may or may not be able to control environmental noise Examples include a noisy class, noise from a moving car, a flying airplane etc An extension agent not getting a message because of a noisy gathering is an example of someone subjected to environmental noise

Categories of Noise (CONT’D) 4. Mechanical Noise Mechanical noise occurs when there is a problem with the mechanical devices being use to assist communication. Examples include print that is too small, a voice that is too soft, a picture that is blurred, a faulty microphone, etc.

Other Sources of Loss in Communication The sender of the message may also contribute to loss in communication The sender communicate verbally and nonverbally, however the nonverbal message may get more attention and the verbal message may be lost completely The sender must therefore pay attention to his or her physical appearance The sender must identify with the audience in his or her outfit and must be decent and modest The mood of the receiver (sad, happy, nervous, worried) may also affect the communication Hence ensure that the sender is in the right mood to receive the message

How Can we Reduce Noise To reduce semantic noise use simple, shorter and more specific words use everyday and concrete words that your audiences are likely to understand avoid the use of technical jargons if possible and adapt the message to the audience Know the educational and cultural background of the audience and package it to suit the audience As it is often said keep it simple and short (KISS) Make the communication culturally and religiously inoffensive or harmless

How Can we Reduce Noise (cont’d) To reduce psychological noise Use techniques to gain the attention and interest of the audience Such techniques include using personal experience, using stories or anecdotes, using striking statistics, packaging the message to address the needs of the audience Apply a sense of humor (make the audience laugh or smile) Adapt the message to suit the cultural background of the audience

How Can we Reduce Noise (cont’d) To reduce environmental noise Move away from a noisy environment Have a firm control over the audience Select a quieter and more serene environment

How Can we Reduce Noise (cont’d) To reduce mechanical noise Make sure the mechanical device being used to assist communication is in good shape Maintain all such pieces of equipment periodicall In conclusion, noise constitutes a major barrier to communication in extension. Distortions and losses in the communication process can be reduced if we pay attention to the presence of communication noise

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