Shyness and self‐reported competence

This investigation examined levels of shyness on competence. Results indicated that shy individuals, as compared to not‐shy individuals, were less competent. Perceptual differences were found on articulation, social composure, social confirmation, social experience, wit, overall conversational performance, expressiveness, and interaction management. Based on findings, conclusions were drawn and future research suggestions were discussed.     

Decoding Ability and Humor Production

Scholars have suggested that being “in tune” with others may be an important aspect of successful humor creation; however, few studies have specifically investigated this possibility. Thus, this study examined the relationship between decoding ability and humor orientation. Decoding ability was conceptualized as involving three communication constructs: conversational sensitivity, nonverbal sensitivity, and receiver apprehension. Consistent with predictions, results revealed positive relationships between (1) humor orientation and conversational sensitivity and (2) humor orientation and nonverbal sensitivity. Also consistent with predictions, a negative relationship was found between humor orientation and receiver apprehension. Further analysis indicated the three communication variables together accounted for 24% of the variance in humor orientation; only conversational sensitivity and receiver apprehension, however, accounted for unique variance. Overall, these findings suggest humor production may be related to the ways in which individuals attend to their social environments.     

“Facing Threats”: Understanding Communication Apprehensive Instructors' Face Loss and Face Restoration in the Classroom

Noting a lack of qualitative literature devoted to student–teacher interactions, and even less targeting instructor communication apprehension (CA), this study aimed to combine these areas. Interview data were gathered from college instructors who experience CA in the classroom in an effort to garner their unique dealings with face-threatening situations with students. Using the concept of facework as a guide, two main themes arose from data analysis: (a) Threatening Face, and (b) Facing Identity: Managing and Restoring Face. Implications for facework theory and CA conclude this study.     

Communication apprehension as a determinant of avoidance,withdrawal and performance anxiety

Although communication apprehension (CA) is often presented as having a major impact on communication related behavior, the extant literature provides neither strong nor direct support for such claims. In the present research (1) behavior was viewed as a single index of disjunctively connected response options including avoidance, withdrawal and anxiety and (2) CA was viewed as a categorical rather than a continuous variable. Results of two separate studies provide direct evidence suggesting that CAs avoid communication if possible and report considerable anxiety when forced to communicate.     

Immediacy,humor, power distance,and classroom communication apprehension in Chinese college classrooms

This study investigates classroom communication apprehension in Chinese college classrooms in reference to perceived instructor verbal and nonverbal immediacy and humor orientation, and student individual-level power distance. Results of Pearson correlation indicate that both student individual-level power distance and student perceptions of instructor humor orientation are correlated positively and significantly with classroom communication apprehension, but multiple regression analyses suggest that student individual-level power distance is the only effective predictor of classroom communication apprehension. Perceived instructor verbal and nonverbal immediacy are not associated significantly with classroom communication apprehension. Limitations, implications, and suggestions for future research are addressed.     

提高高职院校非英语专业学生二语交际意愿的策略探析

近年来,交际能力的培养成为高职院校英语教学发展的首要目标。本文以高职院校非英语专业学生为研究对象,结合交际意愿（WTC）的影响因素,分别从教学法、动机、焦虑和文化视角四个维度探讨了提高高职院校非英语专业学生二语交际意愿的可行性策略,旨在有效提高学生的二语交际意愿,增强学生的语用交际能力。     

Aggressive and Affiliative Humor: Relationships to Aspects of Intercultural Communication

The security theory of humor was utilized to examine two types of humor (affiliative and aggressive) in relation to intercultural communication. Participants (N?=?241) completed a survey containing measures of humor (humor orientation, humor aggressiveness) and intercultural communication (intercultural communication apprehension, ethnocentrism, emulation, intercultural willingness to communicate). Humor orientation was negatively related to intercultural communication apprehension. Humor aggressiveness was positively related to ethnocentrism and negatively associated with emulation. Implications for the theory and intercultural communication are discussed.     

The utilization of congruence coefficients in human communication research

This paper describes the use of congruence coefficients, which can be used to determine the similarity of factor structures (Tucker, 1951). Although this technique has been widely used, the human communication literature contains no simple explanation of how to calculate congruence coefficients. Therefore, this paper provides information on how to use factor analytic data to compute congruence coefficients. Information on testing congruence coefficients for statistical significance is also provided.     

Communication Students' Mathematics Anxiety: Implications for Research Methods Instruction

This study examined indicators of math and speaking competence in three student major categories (N = 263). Communication (n = 178), business (n = 58), and liberal arts (n = 27) majors completed scales measuring math anxiety (Betz, 1978 Betz , N. E. ( 1978 ). Prevalence, distribution, and correlates of math anxiety in college students . Journal of Counseling Psychology , 25 , 441 – 448 .[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]), math performance (Dowling, 1978 Dowling , D. (1978). The development of a mathematics confidence scale and its application in the study of confidence in women college students. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Ohio State. [Google Scholar]), math self-efficacy, and public speaking apprehension (McCroskey, 1982 McCroskey , J. C. ( 1982 ). An introduction to rhetorical communication , Englewood Cliffs , NJ : Prentice-Hall . [Google Scholar]). These variables explained 27.5% of the variance in reported major. Business majors had higher math performance and math self-efficacy scores and lower math anxiety scores than persons majoring in communication or liberal arts, whereas communication majors reported lower public speaking apprehension scores than business or liberal arts majors. Sex differences were found on all mathematics variables, with females scoring higher in math anxiety and lower in math self-efficacy and performance than males. Findings are examined for their implications concerning research methods instruction.     

Identity Gap: Mediator Between Communication Input and Outcome Variables

After introducing the concept of identity gap, this study investigated the roles of 3 identity gaps (personal-enacted, personal-relational, and enacted-relational) in the relations between 2 communication input variables (assertiveness and communication apprehension) and a communication outcome variable (communication satisfaction). The results showed that the communication input variables did not have significant direct effects on the communication outcome variable. The effects of the communication input variables were transmitted to the communication outcome through the identity gaps. A personal-enacted identity gap directly mediated the effects of the communication inputs on the outcome. Personal-relational and enacted-relational identity gaps indirectly mediated the effects via a personal-enacted identity gap—that is, both communication inputs significantly predicted a personal-enacted identity gap, but neither a personal-relational nor an enacted-relational identity gap. However, a personal-enacted identity gap significantly predicted the other 2 identity gaps. Then, all 3 identity gaps significantly predicted communication satisfaction.