Sometimes our emotions can get in the way of effective communication. This is called emotional interference. Certain words or situations can trigger emotional and physical responses that responses that can't be entirely controlled. The emotions can come from the sender, receiver or even the medium itself. Consider the following forms of speech:
1. Burning an American flag.
2. Wearing a Nazi swastika armband.
3. Burning a cross in a public space.
4. Publishing a cartoon of Mohammed.
5. A weather siren going off in the middle of a storm.
Think: Which of these forms of speech would evoke an emotional reaction in you? Are there certain words or names that you find offensive or evoke an emotional response in you?
Emotional interference can result for some of the following reasons:
- Frame of Reference - preconceived notions or prejudice, inability to see from another's point of view.
- Intercultural Differences - Misinterpretation of meaning due to lack of shared values or experiences.
- Attitudinal Barriers - One party has had a bad experience with the sender/receiver/medium
Read: Read the following story of how David Howard lost his job as an assistant to the mayor of Washington DC.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/longterm/williams/williams020499.htm
Assignment: On a sheet of notebook paper, answer the following questions concerning the article:
Why did David Howard lose his job?
What role did emotional interference play in his firing?
Why was he re-hired by the mayor?
What lessons do you believe each party learned from this incident?
Turn in your paper at the end of class. This paper is worth 5 points.
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