Messages initiated by the sender are always some-what distorted- either by the sender, through the interaction between sender and receiver, or by the receiver. One primary cause of distortion is anxiety of either interactant: the greater the level of anxiety, the greater the possibility of misunderstanding. Another common cause of message distortion is a difference in the frames of reference of the interactants, due to dissimilarities, such as those created by differences in ages, ethnic background, or gender. In their daily interaction, family members usally assume that other family members have a similar frame of reference: since this is untrue in many cases, misunderstandings inevitably arise.