Factors affecting the Communication

Communication can be influenced by various factors that have nothing to do with the content of the message.  Some of these factors are:

• the nature of the room, how warm it is, smoke, comfort of the chair, etc
• outside distractions, what is going on in the area.
• the reputation/credibility of the speaker/writer.
• the appearance, style or authority of the speaker.
• listener's education, knowledge of the topic, etc.
• the language, page layout, design of the message.

People remember:

• 10% of what they read
• 20% of what they hear
• 30% of what they see

40% of what they hear and see

Barriers to Communication:

     It is of utmost importance that extension workers know the barriers which can possibly prevent understand of their message by the farmers. Some of the barriers are discussed below:

Ø Noise: Noise disrupts the understanding of a message, for example if the place where the discussion is being held is very hot or very cold.

Ø Non-Shared word meaning: words always have specific meaning for each person. If the words used by the speaker mean the same to the listener as to the speaker, then there is no problem. But if the meaning differs in both (the sender and the receiver’s) mind then the communications process fails.

Ø Lack of Self-Esteem or Lack of Confidence:  A person cannot be a good communicator without a sense of self-confidence. A person who is not confident, no matter how intelligent he is, will not be able to communicate his message to the audience effectively.

Ø Belief System: some people are very biased about religion, ethnicity and other beliefs. They are very narrow minded and never listen to a person of any other religion or ethnic group with an open mind. This means that the extension workers must make a special efforts  to understand the belief system of farmers with whom they work. Farmers or any other audience group are more likely to accept a message that is in line with their own beliefs and practices. Otherwise they must reject it simply because of  their biased attitude. The extension worker therefore needs to keep in mind the belief, ethnic groups and attitude of the farmers towards a particular innovation before he delivers the message. Trying to convey a message contrary to the beliefs of audience may be a futile exercise.

Ø Credibility and Information Source: An information source must have the quality of credibility to be an effective communicator. Credibility based on trust, trust and the favorable estimate of a person or a firm’s character, reputation and god manner. A credible source of information is always trustworthy and is listened to. Information disseminated by such source is much more likely to b accepted.

       An extension worker is an information source to the farmers. He must have the technical knowhow and more importantly he must have the ability to adopt it to the local situation so that the knowledge is relevant to the local farmers. An extension worker must be a trusted and a respected person.   Otherwise all his communication effort will be in vain. A major factor in the effectiveness of extension work in Pakistan is that most of the farmers have lost confidence in extension and extension work. The farmers, especially the small ones, believe that the agricultural extension agents are government servants who come just to show the farmers’ green gardens and hardly help them at all.

Ø Social Distance:  Sometimes farmers may respect an extension worker for his knowledge and good judgment, but they cannot bring themselves to ask for the required information because of the social distance between the farmer and the extension agent. Farmers may be distanced from the extension worker by his high qualifications, sophisticated clothes or modern office.  These things may make a farmer feel inferior and uncomfortable visiting the extension worker. If an extension worker feels and work like the superior, it may create a conflict in the farmer’s mind and he may avoid interacting with him.

Ø Appropriate Timing for Communication: both the timing and the timelines of communicating the message to the farmer influence its impact. Firstly the extension worker must select a time which is convenient to the local farmers.  Obviously no farmer will listen to the talk of an extension worker when there is an urgent farm work to be done. Second the information must e timely.  That means information must be on topic which is immediate importance to the farmers. A discussion on the control of codling moth or fruit fly will not be interesting for farmers when they are busy marketing their fruit.

Ø Place for Delivering the Information: While informal discussions between the extension worker and the farmers may occur in almost any place, even during meeting called for another purpose or during the walima of a marriage ceremony,  a formal meeting will be held a proper place either it is in mosque, hujra or community hall etc. the size and facilities of the place must be adequate to make the participants feel comfortable. For group discussions, the arrangements of chairs, tables, cots or rugs (if the meeting is to be held on floor) must be suitable. A circular or semi-circular arrangement is best.

 Techniques for Effective Impersonal Communication:

 Lionberger and Gwin (1982) have suggested comprehensive guidelines for effective interpersonal communication which are summarized and supplemented below: 

1.     An extension worker must develop an understanding of communication and its process and component parts, helps for effective communication and barriers which may adversely affects the understanding of the message.

2.     The language must be suitable, clear and simple. It must have similar meanings in the minds of both the extension worker and the farmer.

3.     Verbal and non- verbal communication must coincide. Your facial expressions and gestures must relate to your verbal message. Both the verbal and the gestures must show confidence and belief.

4.     Never try to keep a distance of status between yourself and the farmer, consider yourself as one of them.

5.     Try to listen and understand the audience point of views. This is necessary because you cannot explain something well unless you understand and respond to feedback from your audience.

6.     Avoid stereotyped ways of thinking and judgment. Try to comprehend more than what the other person actually says. Develop your own ideas about the audience and their attitudes.

7.      Show interest in the problems of your audience and try to make sincere efforts towards their solution. This will create confidence in you and your work. Don’t pretend; this creates suspicion and results in loss of credibility.

8.     Respond your audience, their beliefs and their ethnic group. You don’t have to agree with their beliefs, but you must not disparage any of the things that have great personal value for the people you work with.

9.     You must gain the confidence and rapport of your audience. Once you do this, you need not worry much about the acceptance of your message. Once gained, confidence must be sustained.

10.    Don’t force yourself on others. If a person doesn’t want to listen to you about your topic, you try to talk first about thing in which he is interested. Then he may decide to listen to you about other things also.