Failure to Communicate

Research from psychology and cognitive science has revealed a host of specific factors that contribute to misunderstanding. Some of these have to do with how our minds make sense of what we hear and read, while others are the result of cognitive, social, and cultural factors.

The very structure of a given language can be problematic as well. In short, there is no one reason for miscommunication: there are a host of underlying causes. Issues of misunderstanding have only multiplied as new mediums for communication have arisen.

Emails, texts, and social media posts are even more problematic because they are impoverished modes of communication. Without facial cues, tone of voice, gestures, and even the creative use of silence, our intentions in these text-only mediums are even more likely to go awry"