During a district-level infrastructure monitoring meeting, a Project Director continuously attributes critical delays reported by field engineers to their lack of professional commitment, rather than evaluating the documented supply-chain bottlenecks. As a result, field staff begin withholding full status reports to avoid negative performance evaluations.
Which type of communication barrier is primarily operating in this administrative scenario?
- Psychological barrier resulting from cognitive bias, mistrust, and defensive attitudes between superior and subordinatesAnswer
- BPhysical and environmental barrier caused by logistical distance and channel noise between the project site and headquarters
- CParalinguistic barrier arising from non-verbal kinesics and poor vocal pitch control during project review presentations
- DAssertive communication barrier resulting from field engineers aggressively asserting their procedural authority
Answer
Psychological barrier resulting from cognitive bias, mistrust, and defensive attitudes between superior and subordinates
The scenario highlights internal cognitive biases, superior-subordinate filtering, and defensive silence triggered by fear of poor performance ratings. These factors represent psychological barriers to effective communication, as message transmission is distorted by emotional states, attitudes, and interpersonal mistrust.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Psychological Barriers in Communication