Final answer:
The correct answer is noise. Noise refers to any factor that disrupts the communication process and affects how a message is interpreted.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer is b. Noise.
Noise refers to any factor that disrupts the communication process and affects how a message is interpreted. It can be external, such as background noise or distractions, or internal, such as biases or language barriers. Noise can hinder the encoding, transmission, and decoding of a message, leading to misinterpretation or misunderstanding.
For example, if two people are having a conversation in a noisy room, they may have difficulty understanding each other due to the external noise. Similarly, if a message is written in a language that the receiver does not understand, it can create decoding challenges and hinder effective communication.