Distortion is a result of communication in which the original, intended meaning of a message is replaced with a different interpretation as the receiver reconstructs the meaning of the message.  This is an outcome of noise, which is an interference in regards to sending or receiving a message; it distorts the message and prevents the receiver from interpreting the intended meaning.  It can be physical, physiological, psychological, or semantic (Beck et al., 2005; Devito 2005). 

Types of Noise and Examples:

Physical: other people talking loudly, illegible handwriting, "pop-up's" on the internet.
Physiological: hearing impairment, visual impairment, articulatory problems.
Psychological: preconceived beliefs and feelings, wandering thoughts
Semantic: meanings misunderstood