This document discusses noise in the communication process. It defines noise as any interference that prevents a message from being understood correctly, which can come from external environmental sources or internal mental states. The document outlines several types of noise including contextual, mechanical, physical, psychological, physiological, and semantic noise. It also discusses how noise can impact the communication process and identifies some common sources of noise such as a lack of feedback, cultural differences, information overload, distractions, poor channel choice, and status effects. Finally, it provides recommendations for overcoming noise through active listening, adopting an audience-centered approach, managing information overload, encouraging feedback, fostering open communication, reducing filtering, and using appropriate communication channels.

1. NOISE IN THE
COMMUNICATION PROCESS
PRESENTED BY
Ms. J.B.Z

2. OUTLINE
1. Definition Of Noise
2. Types Of Noise
3. Impact Of Noise In The
Communication Process
4. Sources Of Noise
5. How To Overcome Noise In
Communication
6. Conclusion

3. DEFINITION
NOISE
Any interference in the communication
process that prevents the message from being
heard correctly, and it can occur at any point
in the process
External noise: Comes from the environment
Internal noise: Occurs in the sender’s and
receiver’s mind

4. TYPES OF NOISE
Contextual noise
Mechanical or technical noise
Physical Noise
Psychological Noise
Physiological Noise
Semantic Noise

5. CONTEXTUAL NOISE
Caused by poor knowledge or
interpretation of the context in which a
message is communicated.
e.g.
 In the African context, spitting beneath
one’s clothing is a sign of blessing our
ancestors. In European and American
cultures, this may be considered weird.

6. MECHANICAL OR TECHNICAL
NOISE
Caused by the quality of media used
e.g.
I. I cannot hear the person at the other end
of the mobile phone because there is no
network there
II. I may not get good reception of the TV
broadcast since my TV aerials needs
repair.

7. PHYSICAL NOISE
Caused by actual disturbances in the
environment
Such as the sounds of road construction
outside your window that make it difficult
to hear what is being said.

8. PSYCHOLOGICAL NOISE
Mental interference that prevents you from
listening
Caused by conditions that affect our
thinking and feeling
If your mind is wandering when someone
is speaking to you, the noise in your head
is preventing communication.

9. PHYSIOLOGICAL NOISE
Any physiological issue that interferes with
communication.
For example, if you have a migraine, it
may be difficult to speak to others or listen
to them when they speak to you.

10. SEMANTIC NOISE
Occurs when there is no shared meaning in
a communication
This often occurs when dealing with
medical professionals, who use
terminology that lay people may not
understand

11. IMPACT OF NOISE IN
COMMUNICATION PROCESS
Noise
Sender
Receiver
decodes
Receiver
creates
meaning
Transmitted
on medium
Message
Encoding
Encoding
Message
Transmitted
on medium
Source
decodes

12. SOURCES OF NOISE
1) Absence of feedback.
2) Cultural differences.
3) Information overload.
4) Physical distractions.
5) Poor choice of channels
6) Semantic problems.
7) Status effects.

13. ABSENCE OF FEEDBACK
One-way communication flows from
sender to receiver only, with no direct and
immediate feedback.
Two-way communication goes from sender
to receiver and back again.
Two-way communication is more effective
than one-way communication.

14. CULTURAL DIFFERENCES
 Ethnocentrism is the tendency to consider one’s
culture superior to any and all others.
 Ethnocentrism can cause people to:
Not listen to others.
Address or speak to others in ways that alienate them.
Use inappropriate stereotypes in dealing with someone
from another culture.
 Other cross-cultural communication challenges.
 Language differences.
 Use of gestures.

15. INFORMATİON OVERLOAD
Too much information make it difficult to
discriminate, sort out what is useful/not
useful information.
Examples:

16. PHYSICAL DISTRACTIONS
 Any aspect of the physical setting in which
communication takes place.
Can be anything
Telephone constantly ringing
Lack of privacy
Interruptions from drop-in visitors.
Background noise
Uncomfortable chair
 Poor lighting
 Poor air conditioning

17. POOR CHOICE OF CHANNELS
Choose the channel that works best.
Written channels work for messages that:
Are simple and easy to convey.
Oral channels work best for messages that:
Are complex or difficult to convey where
immediate feedback is needed.

18. SEMANTIC PROBLEMS
 Involves a poor choice or use of words.
Sender has to convey the message in a way
that can be clearly understood.
What not to do:
 Use slang or jargon the audience may not understand
 Use words that are too complex for the receiver
 Need to speak and write clearly
 Use the KISS principle of communication.
 “Keep it short and simple.”

19. STATUS EFFECTS
Status differences create potential
communication barriers between persons
of higher and lower ranks .
Filtering
The unintentional distortion of information
to make it appear most favourable to the
recipient.

20. HOW TO OVERCOME NOISE
1) Active Listening
2) Adopt An Audience-centered Approach
3) Combat Information Overload
4) Encourage Feedback
5) Foster Open Communication Climate
6) Reduce Filtering
7) Use Of Proper Channels

21. ACTIVE LISTENING
Ability to listen well is a distinct asset.
Everyone needs to develop good skills in
active listening.
Active listening is the ability to help the
source of a message say what he or she
really means.

22. GUIDELINES FOR ACTIVE
LISTENING
Listen for content.
Listen for feelings.
Respond to feelings.
Note all cues.
Reflect back.

23. ADOPT AN AUDİENCE-
CENTERED APPROACH
One of the best ways to understand cultural
differences is to learn some of the language
Make your message meaningful for those
who will receive it.

24. COMBAT INFORMATION
OVERLOAD
Carefully organize and sort information
before plunging ahead with reading.
Speed reading may help, provided you stop
to read carefully the most relevant
information.
You can help prevent others from suffering
from communication overload by limiting
the frequency and length of your messages.

25. ENCOURAGE FEEDBACK
The process of telling others how you feel
about something they did or said, or about
the situation in general.
Repeat your message, using more than one
channel
 Improves the chances of it being received
accurately.

26. FOSTER OPEN-
COMMUNİCATİON CLİMATE
 Get everyone participate share their ideas and
feelings freely with everyone else.
 Ways to keep communication channels open …
Group meetings
Suggestion boxes

27. REDUCE FILTERING
How to reduce filtering
try to establish more than one
communication channel
eliminate as many intermediaries as
possible
decrease distortion by condensing
message information to the bare
essentials

28. USE OF PROPER CHANNELS
 When to use certain channel
• Oral alone:
Simple reprimand
Settle simple dispute
• Written alone:
Don’t need immediate feedback
Need record
• Both channels:
Commendation
Serious reprimand
Important policy change
• Nonverbal
Be aware of it.

29. THANK YOU
QUESTIONS