UPPSC PCS - 2016
The foremost barrier to oral communication is :
Year Asked: 2016
Correct Answer
A. Poor listening
Detailed Explanation
Poor listening is the answer. Oral communication is two-way: the speaker encodes the message, and the listener must receive, interpret and respond to it. If the listener does not attend properly, the message fails however fluent the speaker is. That is why listening is treated as the foremost receiver-side barrier in the communication model.
Why the other options fail:
- Humility is a virtue that helps communication, because it keeps a speaker open to feedback. Arrogance would be a barrier; humility is not.
- Interestedness is a positive attitude that keeps a listener engaged. Lack of interest is a barrier, but the option names a favourable quality.
- Concentration is the attention needed to receive the message. Its absence is a barrier, but concentration is a component of good listening, so poor listening is the broader and foremost barrier.
Core concept: barriers in the communication process, with listening as the receiving skill. Mains connection: GS Paper IV on communication in administration, where a civil servant must listen to citizens' grievances before acting on them.
Trap: choosing Concentration because it sounds like the direct opposite of distraction. The question asks for the broadest barrier, and poor listening covers it.
This question appeared in UPPCS 2016 GS Paper 2.
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