Men Talk: An Exploratory Study of Communication Patterns and Communication Apprehension of Black and White Males

Abstract

This article is the culmination of a two-part study that addresses (1) the nonverbal communication patterns of Black and White men in groups and (2) communication apprehension of Black and White men when communicating with each other. In part one, groups of acquainted same-race (racially homogeneous) males and mixed-race (racially heterogeneous) males were videotaped while communicating about issues of interest to most college-age men (i.e., dating, sexuality, AIDS). Nonverbal communication patterns were coded and compared between the same-race and mixed-race groups. Results indicated that Black and White males were significantly different in their display of adaptors in the same-race groups. In part two, 40 Black and 35 White males completed the Personal Report of Communication Apprehension (PRCA). Results showed that Black and White men were significantly different only in the dyadic (interpersonal) context. General patterns of communication between the two races are discussed.