In an age of hyper-connectivity and constant messaging, communication
breakdowns remain surprisingly common. Often, it’s not poor vocabulary or
faulty technology that blocks understanding—it’s our own minds. Psychological
barriers are invisible filters shaped by emotions, attitudes, and mental states
that subtly distort what we say and hear. These barriers don’t just
affect individual relationships; they can ripple through teams, organizations,
and even entire communities.
Understanding these psychological obstacles is more important than ever,
especially in an environment where hybrid work models, mental wellness, and
emotional intelligence are taking center stage. Let’s explore the key
psychological barriers to communication, real-world examples of their impact,
and collaborative ways we can work through them together.
Definition: Psychological Barriers
Think back to a time when we learned a new skill quickly. Now, consider what was going on in our life at that time. Were we in good physical, mental, and emotional health? Was life just going our way? Our mood, attitude, and motivation can affect how easily we can pick up a new skill- for example- learning a new language:-
Causes of Psychological Barriers
A)
Lack of
Attention:
When a person’s
mind is distracted or preoccupied with other things, the
person is not able to form proper messages, listen to what others tell him/her,
interpret the message as required and give proper feedback. The
communication will face problems and becomes ineffective. Examples:
1)
A
person in tragedy, for instance, does not want to listen to other people giving
advice.
2) A person might be preoccupied by the problems of his/her professional life or personal life, which affects both.
Real-World
Example: At Infosys, during the pandemic-induced shift to remote work, internal
studies revealed that multitasking during virtual meetings led to missed
project requirements and delays. Leaders began encouraging employees to block
time for focused conversations and introduced meeting-free hours.
B)
Poor
Retention:
Retention of information is the capacity of the memory of the brain to store information. The Brain does not store all the information it comes across, but only the ones it deems useful for future. So, half the information is lost in the retention process.
Similarly, brain also loses information that is old and not taken as useful with time.Extracting the information is also a process in the formation of message. Here, the brain tries to remember the required information, the fragments of which have already been lost.
For example, you were told about a friend coming to meet you before a month and had been given the person’s name, address, phone number, etc. Now, you have to communicate the information to somebody else. At the time, you only remember the name and address and forget the phone number. The truth can change or distort due to poor retention which acts as barrier to communication.
Real-World
Example: In large IT consulting firms like Wipro, post-meeting
misunderstandings were traced back to poor retention. In response, the company
integrated short summary recordings and AI-generated meeting notes.
C)
Distrust
and Defensiveness:
Communication is successful when the communicators trust each other. Lack of trust makes them derive negative meaning of the message and they ignore the message. When a person tries to force his/her own ideas and opinions, then receiver does not listen. If the receiver does not agree to the message provided or thinks of it as a threat, he/she will not listen to it. Similarly, when the message is not transferred across to the receiver, the communication fails. For example, I don’t trust a friend, I will only give the details, of what is happening in my personal life which I think are harmless.
Real-World Example: In a turnaround initiative at Tata Steel, senior leadership initiated anonymous upward feedback loops. Over time, this reduced defensiveness and rebuilt trust between shop-floor workers and managers.
D)
Emotional
Interference:
Anyone who isn’t in a good mood is likely to talk less or talk negatively. A preoccupied mind is not good at communicating. For example, when a person is angry, he/she might say things they regret later. Even when listening to someone else speak, an angry person might easily misinterpret the message.
Various other emotions like fear, nervousness, confusion, mistrust and jealousy affect communication process. For example, a person having extreme moods of happiness will laugh at anything at all said to him/her. The same person when sad will cry or get angry at insignificant situations.
Real-World
Example: In high-stress roles like those at Apollo Hospitals, doctors undergo
emotional resilience training to communicate clearly with patients and
families, even under emotionally charged conditions.
E)
Closed
Mind and Filtering:
Man is selfish by nature and put his own needs and problems above all else. This sometimes leads people to filter information that someone is trying to convey to them. This might be due to mistrust, competition, jealousy, or the view that the message is insignificant.
For example, a senior in a company does not want the junior to do better at work, the person filters the information and does not provide crucial information that could help the junior. The junior therefore will not be able to complete the work properly and progress in ranks. Similarly, when a person is close minded, the person will have fixed opinions on many things which the person believes resolutely. The person will interpret any information in a negative way.
Another example could be, a sexist person does not accept the suggestions of a female colleague in a meeting that affects the communication flow in the meeting. It is difficult to argue with such close minded people and give proper information.
F)
Premature
Evaluation:
Some people are
always in a hurry by habit. These kinds of people most likely make quick
judgments and jump into conclusions. They do not consider all aspects of the
information such as social, cultural, economic, etc., and often end up
taking quick and wrong decisions.
It is important to hear the whole message to make proper judgments because they are not changed easily after they are once made.
For example, a person who is in a hurry and is talking on the phone does not listen to half the message and makes the decision which is wrong in the situation.
Psychological barriers affect communication more as information is formed in the brain and is sent by people with various psychological condition which differs from one moment to another. Information is as effective as the people involved make it. Similarly, the psychological condition of the receiver also has as much importance as the sender’s. Communication is ineffective if psychological aspects of communication acts as a barrier to communication.
G)
Perception,
Viewpoint, Attitudes and Opinions:
Perception is the mindset using which people judge, understand and interpret everything. Each person has his/he own perception of reality which is shaped from mental and sensory experiences.
Likewise, viewpoint is also a mindset to look at the world. Sender might have a particular viewpoint that is not shared by the receiver. The sender does not explain the viewpoint but takes the viewpoint as granted. The message is not understood by the receiver as must have been understood, creating a barrier to effective communication.
Attitude is the established way in which we think and feel about things and ideas which also creates a psychological communication barrier. For example, a person takes females to be weak which is the person’s perception. He/she tells that to someone who does not think so. This causes a misunderstanding between the two. Everything they communicate after that becomes unsuccessful that the view of the person is already set.
H)
Low
Self-Esteem or Lack of Confidence
Individuals who doubt their abilities or fear judgment may hold back ideas or avoid expressing themselves altogether.
Real-World
Example: At Byju’s, initiatives like Toastmasters clubs and peer mentoring
encouraged hesitant team members to share ideas and build communication
confidence.
Effective Communication is King in a Crisis:
Communication is a crucial aspect of our lives whether that be personal or professional and although it is common to believe that communication is simply the exchange of words, it is much more than that.
A
speaker’s words only account for a fraction of the information being
transmitted, 7% to be precise. Our non-verbal cues such as our facial expressions, tone of voice and
body language have much more of an influence on how the message will be
received.
Often in interactions, when verbal and nonverbal massages fail to align, it can decrease clarity, rapport and most importantly trust. As such, the importance of effective communication skills must not be overlooked.
In the world of education, communication is regarded as an essential skill; one that can always be improved and one that is pivotal to the success of the teaching process. Increased productivity, reduced conflict and greater learning satisfaction are just a few of the positive outcomes associated with effective communication. Yet it continues to remain a key challenge for many and a lack of communication within and across groups can result in poor learning experience.
As challenging as it may be, it is essential that effective internal and external communication be the norm within our institution. This goes beyond putting processes in place, it should be part of the institution’s DNA. The right people should be communicated to at the right time to ensure learning is being delivered efficiently.
How we communicate with our students directly impacts upon the quality of the learning experience, which in turn influences satisfaction and the likelihood of retention. But how exactly can we enhance the quality of our communication processes?
Here are the
seven C’s, which is a great tool to ensure effective communication:
Clear
Ensure there is clarity in the message we are delivering so that it can be interpreted the way we intended it to be. We must have a clear understanding about the purpose and goal of the message and what we hope to accomplish in the exchange.
Complete
The message must hold all the information and facts needed by the audience in order for them to make an informed decision or take action. Incomplete messages can significantly breakdown communication and open the doors for misinterpretation.
Concise
Brief, succinct messages that are to the point are crucial as it shows our clarity of thought. Minimise irrelevant information and unnecessary details to avoid misunderstanding, instead focus on the key points we want to highlight.
Credible
This implies being transparent in communication and including supporting facts from credible sources to support our message, as it will strengthen the message and build confidence.
Considerate
Showing compassion and politeness in verbal exchanges creates for
a respectful dialogue, one where both viewpoints are considered. Demonstrate
that we are not just hearing but listening to what is being said.
Simply showing empathy and attempting to understand the receiver’s needs can go
a long way in building that lasting relationship.
Correct
The information we communicate should be free from error including language and grammatical mistakes. This essentially supports the credibility of the information being delivered and makes us appear knowledgeable and professional.
Confidence
To get our message across effectively we need to exude confidence. This means displaying positive body language, breaking down complex concepts in a simple and engaging way and responding proactively to unexpected situations. Consider things such as eye contact, hand gestures and our stance. For example, a relaxed, open stance, and a friendly tone can make a big difference in others seeing us as approachable.
Conclusion: The Human Side of Communication
Effective communication is not just about what we say—it’s about how we perceive, interpret, and emotionally respond to each other. Psychological barriers are deeply human, rooted in our lived experiences, inner narratives, and emotional states. But that also means they can be softened, reshaped, and eventually overcome—together.
Whether you're part of a remote team, leading an organization, or simply navigating everyday interactions, becoming aware of these barriers is the first step. Building shared understanding, fostering empathy, and committing to mindful engagement can help us transform fractured exchanges into meaningful conversations.
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