Examining variation among compulsive communicators in classroom settings

The present study investigates variance among compulsive communicators on the traits of communication apprehension, verbal aggressiveness and argumentativeness and the relationship between these three communication traits and self‐perceived competence. Results confirmed a positive relationship between self‐perceived communication competence (SPCC) and argumentativeness and a negative relationship between SPCC and communication apprehension. The hypothesized relationship between SPCC and verbal aggressiveness was not confirmed within the sample studied. These results suggest that compulsive communicators are not a monolithic group but possess a range of competence.     

The relationship between student learning mode and changes in thoughts about communication in the basic oral communication course

This study investigates relationships between learning mode and changes in thoughts about communication (self‐perceived communication competence and communication apprehension) over a semester long basic communication course. The present study goes beyond previous work in that it examines changes in thoughts that are desired course outcomes instead of treating communication variables as unchanging. Results suggest a relationship between learning modes and thoughts about communicating but that learning mode does not exert major influence on changes during the basic communication course.     

Public speaking procrastination as a correlate of public speaking communication apprehension and self‐perceived public speaking competence

In the present study, the relationship between public speaking procrastination and communication apprehension, and the relationship between public speaking procrastination and self‐perceived public speaking competence were investigated. A significant, positive correlation was found between public speaking procrastination and communication apprehension. A significant, negative correlation was found between public speaking procrastination and self‐perceived public speaking competence. The implications of public speaking procrastination for students and their instructors are discussed along with “anti‐procrastination “ pedagogical strategies.     

Social support satisfaction,on‐line communication apprehension,and perceived life stress within computer‐mediated support groups

This study used an on‐line questionnaire to examine the relationship between social support satisfaction, on‐line communication time, on‐line communication apprehension, and perceived life stress among members of various on‐line support groups (N = 140). The results indicated that on‐line support satisfaction was predictive of on‐line communication time while on‐line communication apprehension was not related to on‐line communication time. On‐line communication apprehension was found to be predictive of on‐line support satisfaction. On‐line support satisfaction was found to be predictive of perceived life stress. The implications of findings for communication and social support research as well as the limitations of the study are discussed.     

Ethnocentrism,intercultural communication apprehension,intercultural willingness‐to‐communicate,and intentions to participate in an intercultural dialogue program: Testing a proposed model

This study investigates the relationships between ethnocentrism, intercultural communication apprehension, intercultural willingness‐to‐communicate, and college students' intentions to engage in an intercultural dialogue program. Data collected from a survey of 339 students in a midwestern university were used to test a proposed model. The results show that ethnocentrism and intercultural communication apprehension are related to each other and that intercultural willingness‐to‐communicate is influenced by both ethnocentrism and intercultural communication apprehension. Both ethnocentrism and intercultural willingness‐to‐communicate have a direct influence on students' intentions to engage in an intercultural dialogue program, but intercultural communication apprehension does not directly influence intentions. Implications of these findings are discussed.     

Age and sex differences in willingness to communicate,communication apprehension,and self‐perceived competence

Age and sex differences in willingness to communicate (WTC), communication apprehension, and self‐perceived communication competence were examined using three age cohorts of participants drawn from junior high, high school, and university student populations. Results indicate that junior high females are higher in WTC than their male counterparts and females at the university level are higher in communication apprehension and lower in self‐perceived competence than are male university students. Communication apprehension and self‐perceived competence show a consistent negative relationship that does not vary with age or sex in the present sample. The degree to which communication apprehension arid self‐perceived competence predict WTC varies with age and sex. In all three age cohorts, communication apprehension is a significant predictor of WTC among women. Among men, self‐perceived competence emerges as a significant predictor of WTC in all three age groups.     

Intercultural willingness to communicate and communication anxiety in international teaching assistants

This study addressed patterns and correlates of communication apprehension, intercultural communication apprehension, and intercultural willingness to communicate in international teaching assistants. Results indicated an inverse relationship between communication apprehension of international TAs and their satisfaction with students, relationship with students, and perceptions of student ratings of instruction. Similar results were found for ITA state anxiety. Inverse relationships were also found between ITA intercultural communication apprehension and relationship with students and perceptions of student ratings of instruction. International teaching assistant CA and ICA were positively related with ITA state anxiety.     

Measuring patients' communication apprehension about interacting with physicians: Instrument development

The purpose of these studies was to develop an instrument to measure patients' perceived communication apprehension in patient/physician interactions. In the first stydy, a five item Patients' Report of Communication Apprehension with Physicians (PRCAP) was developed. The scale appears to be a reliable, unidimensional scale which shows a moderate positive correlation with the Personal Report of Communication Apprehension (PRCA), a moderate negative correlation with willingness to communicate (WTC), and a moderate negative correlation with self‐perceived communication competence (SPCC). In the second study, designed to assess the predictive validity of the PRCAP, those who scored one standard deviation above the mean on the PRCAP reported being less satisfied with their interactions with physicians than those who scored one standard deviation below the mean on the PRCAP. It appears the PRCAP is a reliable and valid instrument that can be employed to pursue issues involving the role of CA in patient/physician interactions.     

Eysenck's BIG THREE and communication traits: Communication traits as manifestations of temperament

Two studies are reported which sought to determine the possible limitations of the proposition that “temperament is manifest through communication.”; The results of earlier studies suggest that many communication related traits indeed are correlated with one or more temperament variables. In the present study Willingness to Communicate, Singing Apprehension, and Innovativeness were found to be associated with one or more of the BIG THREE temperament variables. Writing apprehension was found to have no meaningful relationship with any of the temperament variables. It is concluded that, while most important oral communication traits probably are correlated with one or more temperament traits, some other communication traits, like writing apprehension, may not be.     

On‐the‐job relationships among self‐reported oral communication apprehension,job satisfaction,and organizational citizenship behaviors

This study assessed the relationships among self‐reported oral communication apprehension (CA), job satisfaction, and organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB) for employees of a bank located in the southeastern U.S. Results indicated positive relationships between several of the job satisfaction and OCB variables, and several negative relationships between oral CA and OCB variables, and oral CA and job satisfaction variables. Also, individuals with high oral CA, in comparison to those with low oral CA, were found to score significantly lower on dimensions of organizational citizenship behavior and job satisfaction. Implications of these findings for the organization are discussed, as are reactions to the research findings by bank personnel.     

A cross‐cultural test of the association between temperament and communication apprehension

The research reported in his study was a cross‐cultural test of the communibiological model of communication apprehension as temperamental expression. The study was designed to replicate the findings reported by Beatty, McCroskey, and Heisel (1998) in the U.S. and Japan. In this study participants from Japan and the U.S. completed measures of communication apprehension, neurotitism, and extroversion. The results indicated that, for both Japanese and U.S. college students, scores on the measure of communication apprehension were significantly correlated with measures of neuroticism and extroversion. Multiple regression analyses indicated that both neuroticism and extroversion predicted unique variance in communication in both cultures and that the multiple correlations for the two cultures did not differ significantly. It was concluded that the replication was successful and that temperament scores are substantially predictive of communication apprehension across the cultures tested.     

The end of the life span: Determinants of communication apprehension

While communication researchers have expressed an interest in communication development, an area still relatively untouched by the field is the study of communication with the terminally ill. This study was designed to examine this capstone of human development and to provide a framework for future research in an area which affects so many. It was hypothesized that having knowledge of the effects of the illnesses in terms of psychological status and familiarity with the dying individual would affect the level of communication apprehension experienced by a person. A research question also investigated the relationships between fear of death and levels of situational communication apprehension. Results indicated that having knowledge of the psychological status did not significantly affect an individual's level of CA. However, familiarity with the terminally ill individual was found to increase the level of CA experienced by a healthy person. Given these findings, the general premise that uncertainty is negative is brought into question.     

Teaching assistant communication apprehension,willingness to communicate,and state communication anxiety in the classroom

This study investigated the nature of teaching assistant communication apprehension in the university classroom. Teaching assistants were given a survey assessing their general level of communication apprehension and their general willingness to communicate. Additionally, teaching assistant state anxiety specifically associated with teaching in the classroom was assessed. Analyses revealed significant negative correlations between teaching assistant communication apprehension and teaching experience, training in content, and training in teaching. Teaching assistant willingness to communicate was positively correlated with teaching experience and training in content. Teaching assistant state anxiety in the classroom was negatively correlated with training in content and training in teaching.     

An observer measure of compulsive communication

This research reports a study designed to assess the reliability and validity of an instrument measuring observers' reports of compulsive communication. The development of an observer report of compulsive communication is important for three reasons: to assess possible differences between self‐perceived and observer reports of the construct, to gain insight into the positive and negative reactions of others to talkaholics and to provide a method for giving feedback to talkaholics regarding their communication behavior. The observer measure, the TS — Observer Report, was found to be a reliable instrument. Correlations between the TS ‐ Observer Report and Talkaholic Scale (TS) and communication apprehension scores were significant; however, the correlation between the TS‐ Observer Report and Willingness to Communicate (WTC) was not significant.     

Eysenck's BIG THREE and communication traits: three correlational studies

Over the past decade, communication scholars have increasingly considered biological contributions to the ways in which we communicate. One approach to exploring the links between biology and communication involves analysis of relationships between communication variables and variables containing strong biological underpinnings. The present study was designed to provide an examination of the relationship between Eysenck's personality dimensions and communication variables. This essay reports the results of three separate studies that encompass more than a dozen communication variables. The results seem to indicate that non-neurotic extraverts are not shy or apprehensive about touch, tend to perceive themselves as more competent, view themselves as assertive and responsive, and express greater degrees of self-acceptance. Neurotic introverts report apprehension about communication, perceive themselves as less immediate, rate themselves as having a lower affect orientation, and somewhat higher levels of verbal aggressiveness. Neurotic participants report less self-acceptance. Neurotic non-psychotics report a greater degree of affect orientation, more apprehension about communication, and lower verbal aggression. Neurotic psychotic extraverts tend to be compulsive communicators and report greater tolerance for disagreement. Psychotics are non-responsive, and tend to report higher levels of verbal aggressiveness, argumentativeness and assertiveness. Finally, psychotic non-neurotics tend to have a greater tolerance for disagreement and are less likely to identify themselves as compulsive communicators. Possible directions for future research are suggested.     

A test of a cultural model of patients' motivation for verbal communication in patient‐doctor interactions

In theory, two‐way communication between patient and physician is desirable. However, there is a dearth of research that has explored the effects of patients’ culture and cultural orientations on patients’ ability to actively participate in the medical encounter. The purpose of this paper was to test the effects of patients’ culture and cultural orientations on assertiveness and communication apprehension during medical interviews. According to the proposed model, culture and self‐construals are causal antecedents to patients’ beliefs about verbal communicativeness. Our model suggests that cultural values (self‐construals) are determined in part by culture. In regards to the mediation process, the model proposes that the greater the patient's construal‐of‐self as independent, the more positive her/his beliefs regarding patient participation, which, in turn, leads to a higher degree of motivations to communicate verbally with a physician. Our model also suggests that the greater the patient's construal‐of‐self as interdependent, the more negative her/his beliefs regarding patient participation, which, in turn, leads to a higher degree of communication avoidance and apprehension during medical interview. The data were partially consistent with the theoretical predictions made. The implications of the model for theory and practice are discussed.     

Effects of communication environment,immediacy, and communication apprehension on cognitive and affective learning

This study explores relationships among immediacy, communication apprehension, and learning outcomes between two class formats: mixed-size sections (i.e., large-lecture/break-out sections) versus self-contained sections. The results indicated that students' cognitive learning outcomes were slightly greater in the mixed-size sections versus self-contained sections. In addition, affective learning decreased for all students from the first day of class, though it decreased slightly more for students in the large-lecture/break-out sections. When the teacher was perceived as highly immediate, however, there was no difference in affective learning due to format.     

The relationship between student communication motives and information seeking

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between college students’ communication motives (i.e., relational, functional, participatory, excuse making, sycophantic) and their use of information‐seeking strategies (i.e., overt, indirect, third party, testing, observing). Participants were 149 students enrolled in an introductory communication course at a Mid‐Atlantic university. Results indicated that (a) students who communicate for the sycophantic, relational, and participatory motives use the indirect and observing information‐seeking strategies and (b) students who communicate for the functional communication motive use the overt information‐seeking strategy, but do not use the testing information‐seeking strategy. Future research should examine whether college students use information‐seeking strategies with their classmates and the impact of the use of these strategies on their learning experience.     

Table of contents for volume 17

The present study considers the relationships between communication apprehension (CA), personality type, represented by the Myers‐Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) (Myers, 1987), and final grades in a basic public speaking course. The results indicated that trait and context CA are significantly correlated with extraversion and in introversion personality types. In addition, CA in the public speaking context is correlated with the sensing and intuition personality types. Multiple regression showed that while trait CA does not contribute to course grade or grade‐point average, thinking and feeling personality types do contribute significant unique variance to final grade in a public speaking course. Keywords: Communication apprehension, speech anxiety, personality, grades, college students, learning preference.     

Validity of the PRCA as an index of oral communication apprehension

This paper reviews the research which has employed the PRCA to measure the construct of oral communication apprehension. It is concluded that the PRCA is a reliable and valid measure of that construct.