Southwest Airlines Professional Communications Certification Practice Exam

A person outside the door is speaking loudly and is keeping you from hearing the instructor. This is an example of what type of noise?

1. Internal Noise

2. External Noise

3. Semantic Noise

4. Psychological Noise

The correct answer is: External Noise

The situation described, where an individual outside the door is speaking loudly and disrupting your ability to hear the instructor, is categorized as external noise. This type of noise encompasses any sounds that originate outside the communication sender and receiver, which can detract from or interfere with the intended message. External noise includes anything in the environment that disrupts communication, such as loud conversations, traffic noises, or construction sounds. In this instance, the volume of the person speaking outside acts as a barrier to your ability to listen effectively, thereby exemplifying external noise. In contrast, internal noise would refer to distractions arising within the individual, such as personal thoughts or feelings that may hinder communication; semantic noise relates to misunderstandings or misinterpretations of words or phrases; and psychological noise involves emotional states or biases that affect how information is perceived. Therefore, the situation presented accurately reflects the concept of external noise.