Communication Challenges
Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D., is a master storyteller and a great observer of life; Remen said, “The most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen. Just listen. Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each other is our attention.... A loving silence often has far more power to heal and to connect than the most well-intentioned words.” Communication, gender and culture influence one another in many ways (Wood, 2008). People communicate either verbally, or non-verbally. Verbal and non-verbal communication occurs simultaneously and work together, complementing or contradicting each other (Harris & Sherblom 2008). This paper will focus on how people communicate, both verbal and non-verbal
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The appropriate degree of assertiveness in communicating can add to cultural misunderstandings. For instance, some white Americans typically consider raised voices to be a sign that a fight has begun, while some black, Jewish and Italian Americans often feel that an increase in volume is a sign of an exciting conversation among friends. Thus, some white Americans may react with greater alarm to a loud discussion than would members of some American ethnic or non-white racial groups
Deborah Tannen and William Lutz both discuss the difficulty of communicating. Their point of views may be different, but their conclusion is the same. Men and women have difficulties of communicating. Not because the two genders want to be complicated but simply because we don’t realize how or what we’re doing when it’s happening.
Cross-cultural communication is about the manner people with different cultural background interact with each other face to face or at a distance, i. e. the process by which people exchange with information. Three broad areas of communication are written, verbal and non-verbal communication, or body language. Some communication styles include direct/indirect, formal/informal and emotional/neutral communication. Direct communication assumes saying what people think without adapting the message to the counterpart. The result is clear and transparent but can be considered undiplomatic by the indirect communicators whose concern is to avoid offence. Formal communication style implies respect to age, status and also requires more formal language than informal communication style. In the emotional communication style it is important to express one’s emotions as it is a significant aspect of self-expression. Neutral communication style implies control of emotions and restricted body language. (Brian and Tomalin, 2013, p10). There can be problems of communication even within one culture and the barriers to efficient communication between different cultures can be poor knowledge of cultural differences, ethnocentrism, stereotyping and fear of embarrassment (Najafbagy, 2008; Brian and Tomalin, 2013).
Different social, professional and cultural contexts may affect relationships and the way people communicate due to of a lack of understanding or knowledge of one another’s background and culture. This could be through their race, religion, ethnicity or where they come from. Each one of these can have similar or very different ways to communicate. For example
Communication involves more than exchanging words between people. Gestures, postures, facial expressions and even eye contacts are important during communication. Both verbal and nonverbal cues are important during communication and can help a person understand the speaker or listener’s emotions, attitudes or status. Understanding the existence of various cultures is necessary since different cultures have varying ways of communication (Lustig & Koester, 2012). Therefore, a communication style that is perceived as bad by a culture may be good in another culture. Besides, characteristics that may be essential for a particular culture may be quite irrelevant for another. In line with this dissimilarity, individuals need to adapt carefully and understand communication preferences and desires among cultures.
To define these communication conundrums, Tannen discusses “rapport-talk” and “report-talk”. She defines “rapport-talk” as “For most women, the language of conversation is primarily
There is a range of communication technology aids available, including devices known as Voice Output Communication Aids (VOCA) and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). VOCA are dedicated to communication and may not have any computer functions. AAC devices are either symbol or text based. There are also communication software that can be added to a computer, mobile phone or PDA to enable a person to type what they want to say and play it back so others can hear what was typed.
For this question I am going to explain strategies used in health and social care environments to overcome barriers to effective communication and interpersonal interactions.
One challenge an individual may face is communication problems, so as we get older we start to lose our eyesight and our hearing weakens, we will become much more hesitant when we talk. Other things can affect the way we can communicate e.g. Maria’s mother has dementia and is a 1st generation immigrant from Italy, therefore she can only speak Italian; and has forgotten how to speak English. This will make it hard for her mother to communicate with service providers if she’s placed in a nursing home, as they will not be able to understand what she’s saying; which will be a problem as there may be aspects about her mother that needs to be vitally known. Furthermore, her mother will have a hard time negotiating with her support workers that’ll come help during the night.
What are the obstacles to direct communication? Why do social workers need to understand these?
Today, miscommunication occurs on a daily basis between men and women all the time. A slight pause in the wrong place or a voice intonation misunderstood and a complete conversation goes south. However, Tannen is convinced beyond doubt that the effects may be subtle but harmful in the long run. This is normally because the involved individuals habitually don’t realize and fathom that they are in a cross-cultural experience. At the minimum when in a new country or place we long for the need to bridge a
Communication is a multifaceted process that involves a sender, interference and a receiver. It can be significantly impacted by gender and the cultural norms within the countries of Australia and Japan. Individuals use communication to express feelings, emotions, opinions and values. Communication is therefore a vitality to human interaction between parents and children, bosses and employees or husband and wife. The differing qualities and attributes of those included in any interaction can in this way influence communication. This can be explored through gender roles and their role in the verbal and nonverbal communication process, the effect that gender has on behaviour and the aspects of society and culture that are shared between Australia and Japan.
According to statistics, poor communication or lack of communication is the leading cause of failure for a relationship or marriage. Men and women find it hard to share information and it affects their everyday lives. Deborah Tannen’s essay “Sex, Lies, and Conversation” discusses how men and women communicate differently. Tannen discusses that the body language of men and women use during conversation, she concluded that men tend to be quit with a woman, and the fear women have being pushed away while the men aren’t in touch with the women’s feeling. In knowing these differences men and women can improve how to communicate with each other.
Conversating All around the world people conversate to get enjoyment, information or instruction to interact with one another. In many ways there are gestures or behaviors being made, while talking about a topic with either men or women. In both, the article “Sex, Lies and Conversation” and the book “Deep down dark” (part 1) both reason with communication within a person. Deborah Tannen’s article addresses the roles of men that lack in communication with their significant other, while women assume men do not want to be bothered with such information, for the way they act towards a conversation.
The foundation of success and the progression of civilization are all based around the fact that interpersonal communication is key. Communication is defined as, “...the act or process of using words, sounds, signs, or behaviors to express or exchange information or to express your ideas, thoughts, feelings, etc., to someone else” (Webster). Two people having a verbal conversation is a commonly seen thing for us. In this year, 2016, a large majority of people are fluent in at least one language and our ways of communicating are far greater than they may have been in the past. For example, early indigenous people may not have had a language base to communicate on. They were then forced to create a nonverbal basis of speaking. Another
Is anyone wrong in this situation? By what other means could Randell have requested the information from Tom Ballard? What do you think of Tom Ballard’s reaction? Why?