Updated:

The Influence of Perception on Communication Essay

Exclusively available on Available only on IvyPanda® Made by Human No AI

Background

Perception, in its literal meaning, is anything that people believe to be in their set of minds and thoughts. It is something, which people consider to be the way they imagine with the help of their sensory organs. Perception is affected by several factors present in the environment, and these factors influence the discernment of a person, which also influences the communication process which is undertaken due to the very perception.

Communication and types of communication

Communication is said to be a process that consists of a message encoded by a sender, sent through a channel to a particular receiver who decodes it and provides his/her feedback to the sender. Communication is the vital energy, the paramount source of interaction and building relationships. Not only are the human profound communicators, but even animal and plants tend to communicate too. Hence, nature has made communication an important characteristic of the world.

Communication, in a broader sense, is divided into verbal and nonverbal communication. Verbal communication deals with words spoken and written, whereas nonverbal deals with gestures, expressions, time, and the physical space. Research proves that seventy percent of the communication is based on nonverbal cues, while the rest lay on the words spoken. The spoken words also illustrate the expression of human beings by the tone and pitch of the voice. It all accumulates at one single point: communication is eternal and the epicenter of human actions and relationships.

Communication is a widely practiced phenomenon, but the way people communicate differs from place to place, culture to culture, between the genders, from age to age, and from mind to mind. Hence, it can be said that the way people perceive things in their environment; they tend to communicate the same way. A famous example is of being the glass half-filled or half empty. Most of the people reply it be half empty because their perceptions are shaped pessimistically, while rest are optimistic in their lives, it is the perception of their mind which directs them to say things. Man does not see the reality, but what he sees, imagines it to be the reality, even if there is another side of the picture. Perceptions shape communications and these perceptions are visible to others when they communicate.

Perception is shaped by the physical environment of what a person tends to see, the learning environment which consists of culture, values, norms, customs, and traditions. These can vary from continent to continent or home to home. Such can be displayed from the interpersonal communication people tend to have with each other. Interpersonal communication plays an important role here. Interpersonal communication is the form of communication done between individuals of a group, which is highlighted by factors such as intent listening, assertiveness, empathy, sensitivity, and most importantly the nonverbal gestures.

Perception and communicating in different cultures

Being in a different culture brings different sets of problems. A person who is not familiar with the culture of that place finds it difficult to communicate with the natives there, hence experiences difficulties while communicating. For instance, an American in Asia will have to learn the culture of Asians. In Muslim countries, men do not shake hands when they greet but hug each other. If men do not do this, it is perceived that they have some problem with each other, which is the opposite in America.

If an American points another American with the index finger, it will not be offensive to each other, but in Japan, if someone is pointed at with an index finger, it is considered to be rude. The loudness of voices in Arabian cultures displays strength, whereas soft voices indicate weakness. It is considered ill-mannered to belch, but in India, people do so to show satisfaction when dining. General appearances and dressing also send communicative vibes to people. Black is the color of mourning, where red displays excitement and happiness.

Gender differences in communication

Men and women both have different ways of perceiving things. Women are more expressive and have a relationship as the foremost task to pursue.Men are work-oriented and are less talkative than women. While communicating, women want the complete attention of men, and if men fail to display attention by staying silent, women believe that men are bored and do not want to listen to them.

Women, usually nod their heads, indicating that they are listening, and men translate it, as women are not listening to what they are saying. Women prefer to keep eye contact while communicating while men take it to be offensive as their powers are being challenged. Such communication differences are present in both genders because they perceive their words and actions to be different.

As said earlier, communication is heavily dependant on nonverbal cues which dominate most of the communication process. These cues are shaped by the perceptions people have in their minds about different things. Age, gender, and cultural differences are prime factors that design the communication process and helps people understand each other and build relationships at home, the workplace, and other walks of life.

Work Cited

Borisoff D., Merrill L. The power to communicate: Gender differences as barriers. USA: Waveland Press Inc.1998

Jandt F.E. An introduction to intercultural communication: Identities in a global community.USA: Sage Publications Inc.2009

Trenholm S., Jensen A. Interpersonal Communication. New York, USA: Oxford University Press, Inc.2004.

Wood T.J. Interpersonal communication: Everyday encounters. Boston USA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.2007.

More related papers Related Essay Examples
Cite This paper
You're welcome to use this sample in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2021, November 19). The Influence of Perception on Communication. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-influence-of-perception-on-communication/

Work Cited

"The Influence of Perception on Communication." IvyPanda, 19 Nov. 2021, ivypanda.com/essays/the-influence-of-perception-on-communication/.

References

IvyPanda. (2021) 'The Influence of Perception on Communication'. 19 November.

References

IvyPanda. 2021. "The Influence of Perception on Communication." November 19, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-influence-of-perception-on-communication/.

1. IvyPanda. "The Influence of Perception on Communication." November 19, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-influence-of-perception-on-communication/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "The Influence of Perception on Communication." November 19, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-influence-of-perception-on-communication/.

If, for any reason, you believe that this content should not be published on our website, please request its removal.
Updated:
This academic paper example has been carefully picked, checked and refined by our editorial team.
No AI was involved: only quilified experts contributed.
You are free to use it for the following purposes:
  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment
Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

1 / 1