Physiological Barriers to Communication

The Impact of Physiological Barriers to Communication

There are many different physiological barriers to communication—and they may have very different effects on communication.

This includes the precise mechanism by which they disrupt the transmission of messages, and also the direction of the disruption.

For example:

Someone with hearing loss may not fully hear a spoken conversation.

This is likely to be especially true if there are also other potential barriers to communication, such as background noise, a physical barrier. This can reduce their understanding of what has been said. They may need to lip-read, or use other forms of communication, such as sign language or writing. However, unless they have been profoundly deaf since childhood, or have a speech disorder in addition to the hearing loss, they are likely to be able to speak clearly in a way that can be understood by most audiences.
It may be difficult to understand someone with a speech disorder such as stammering

Speech disorders affect how speech is produced, but do not usually influence the underlying understanding of language. It can therefore be difficult for people to understand what someone with a speech disorder is saying. However, they can generally communicate very effectively in writing, and can also hear and interpret speech themselves. Speech disorders therefore tend to be 'one-way' barriers to communication.
Someone with a language disorder may struggle to both transmit and receive messages

In a language disorder, you can produce speech and generally hear properly. However, there is a problem with how your brain manages language. You may therefore not be able to find the right words, and you may struggle to interpret what other people are saying to you. This also applies to communication in writing. Language disorders therefore form a barrier to communication of all types and in both directions.
Someone with visual loss may not be able to see body language and facial expressions

Non-verbal communication plays a huge part in interpersonal interactions—some estimates suggest as much as 75% to 80% of communication is non-verbal. This includes voice, facial expressions, and body language. Someone who is blind or who has trouble seeing clearly will only have voice and words to rely on, and may therefore not pick up much of the unspoken communication. This also often means that they do not use facial expressions or body language to communicate with others, because they are not aware of their importance.
People with dyslexia find it hard to process information

If someone is giving a series of instructions, or explaining something, they may therefore 'switch off' partway through or be unable to remember the earlier instructions. It may also take them a few minutes to respond in conversation, especially if they want to think about what is being discussed. They also often find it difficult to deal with long communications in writing, or need text to be broken up into smaller chunks or bullet points.
People with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)often struggle to focus

This can mean that they are less receptive to communication, especially if someone is talking for a long time without a break. This can happen, for example, in a presentation, or a lesson at school. They may also find it difficult to read long communications for the same reason.
Someone with a tic disorder may make distracting movements at odd times

This might simply distract someone with whom they are having a conversation. However, it may also interfere with other people's ability to interpret their body language. This may be particularly true if the person is uncomfortable about how the tics make them behave, because this will influence their body language and interfere with the overall communication.

Overcoming Physiological Barriers to Communication

When there is a physiological barrier to communication in place, you therefore need to consider the impact before you think about how to manage or mitigate it.

There are several ways in which physiological barriers to communication can be mitigated or managed. However, the choice of which approach to use will be dependent on several factors, including the people concerned, the barrier in question, and the situation.

This means it is important to discuss what accommodations are needed with the person concerned—and do so in a way that does not create more barriers to communication.

This makes it very difficult to generalise about ways to overcome physiological barriers to communication. However, some approaches or accommodations that may be useful include:

The use of assistive technology

There are many different forms of assistive technology that may help to overcome physiological barriers to communication. For example, hearing aids can often help people with hearing loss. Speech-to-text software can be a huge help for people with specific learning difficulties or conditions like dyslexia and dyspraxia. Often just allowing the use of computers can make a big difference.
Try simple physical accommodations

Often very small things make a big difference. For example, if someone has hearing loss, turning to face them when you speak can make it possible for them to lipread. Going somewhere quieter to reduce background noise is also helpful. When you are talking to someone who is blind, focus on emphasising your voice and using words rather than expressions, just as you would do on the telephone. When you are communicating with someone with a processing disorder, keep it simple, and reduce the number of instructions or points. All these make it easier to communicate your message to them, and make them more receptive to a conversation.
Ask about preferences

If you are communicating with someone who has a condition that forms a physiological barrier to communication, ask them about their preferences for communication, and then try to accommodate them. For example, they may prefer to communicate in writing if possible, or to have information in advance so that they can get it translated in Braille. It may not always be possible to accommodate this, but where possible, you should do so.
Give them time

One of the most important ways in which you can support someone with a condition that forms a physiological barrier to communication is to give them time to communicate. Don't rush them into speech, or rush into speech yourself before they have had time to process what you have said. Instead, wait while they process what you have said and/or form and produce a reply.

A Final Thought

Physiological barriers to communication are often associated with temporary or permanent conditions or disabilities. It may be much harder to manage a short-term or new issue than a longer-term one, because the person concerned may not have had time to work out what accommodations they need.

However, with both, the key is twofold: ask what would help (and then do it), and give them time to consider.

Continue to:
Body Language, Posture and Proximity
Understanding Hearing Loss and Deafness