Levels Of Communication Apprehension Research Articles

Communication apprehension and students’ educational choices

PurposeThe literature evidences the effects of communication apprehension (CA), defined as the level of fear and anxiety associated with either real or anticipated communication, on educational efforts and suggests that (via the perceived desirability of certain professions) it could affect vocational choices. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the link between CA and the vocational choice of secondary education students.Design/methodology/approachData were obtained from two sources: a self-administered questionnaire to measure the students’ CA levels and their academic preferences, and the vocational counsellors’ advice for these students.FindingsThe results confirm the existence of a link between CA and both students’ vocational choices and counsellors’ advice. In general terms, apprehensive students tend to choose vocational education, whereas students with lower levels prefer university for further education. Focussing on the later, more apprehensive students tend to choose science degrees, which are perceived as requiring lower levels of communication skills.Research limitations/implicationsLimitations include the use of a convenience sample in only a country.Practical implicationsApprehensive students could be avoiding a path, with all the implications for their professional future, because it is perceived as frightening due to the apparent communication level required. As the literature note the links between CA and communication self-efficacy allows the development of educational interventions resulting in a reduction of CA.Originality/valueThe scarce early literature has paid attention to occupational and educational choices in higher and further education, but there is no research focussing on the link between CA and pre-university academic decisions.

English Oral Communication Apprehension in Students of Indonesian Maritime

Oral communication is essential for people’s workplace performance as well as for university students learning English. Speaking fluently is also crucial for maritime academy students prepared to work in industries abroad. Students need to believe in their ability to speak English. For this reason, sound communication skills are necessary for maritime students so they can compete with seafarer or sailor from other countries. The purpose of this research was to identify the level of oral communication apprehension of nautical students of Akademi Maritim Indonesia (Indonesian Maritime Academy) AIPI Makassar. The sample consisted of 10 first year students at nautical of AMI AIPI Makassar. Data was gathered through questionnaires adapted from Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Class Scale (FLCAS). The findings indicated that students were generally apprehensive in EFL oral communication. The students showed the highest apprehension for public speaking. The level of nautical students’ apprehension based on observation and supported by the modified FLCAS were 20% in the low category, 60% in the moderate category, and 20% in the high category. Students in the high apprehension category showed more symptoms than students in the moderate and low apprehension categories.

Helping patients reduce anxiety and choose new physicians through improved provider biographies

Objective: Not being able to effectively communicate with a new physician because of high anxiety associated with the interaction could lead to issues not being addressed, or even inaccurate diagnoses. Using uncertainty reduction and media richness theories as guidance, this study sought to find ways health educators within healthcare organisations could help prospective patients reduce their communication apprehension (CA) prior to a consultation. Methods: A total of 90 participants with high Communication Apprehension (CA) with respect to physicians were randomly exposed to two biographies of two different physicians in counterbalanced order that varied in the kind of information provided about the physician (primarily professional or personal), and the media through which the information was presented (text or video). Setting: An online experiment surrounding primary care provider selection. Results: Repeated measures analyses revealed that CA was reduced the greatest when participants viewed video biographies and biographies containing personal information about the physicians. Participants indicated they would want to visit the physician with whom they had the lowest level of CA. Conclusion: This research highlights improvements health educators or service provider managers could make to their physicians’ online biographies to help high-CA patients reduce their apprehension, and make the choice of the next physician much easier. Notably, including personal information about providers, and providing video introductions, reduces CA most significantly.

Foreign Language Anxiety in Saudi Classroom: A Case Study of Saudi Tertiary Female Students in Prince Sattam University

This paper investigates the level of anxiety due to learning English as a foreign language. It tries to answer these questions: 1-Is anxiety a factor in hindering English proficiency? 2-Does anxiety lead to fear of communication? 3- Which type of anxiety is high among tertiary level female Saudi students? The Foreign Language Anxiety Classroom Scale (FLACS) used as an instrument. The data was collected and statistically analysed through SPSS. This paper revealed that anxiety was one of the major factors that impeded English proficiency. Besides, anxiety also caused fear of communication among the students. Furthermore, it was found that the learners had got a high level of communication apprehension that hindered their contact with their teachers and others. This was followed by test anxiety in which the students expected to fail their test. Students showed great fear of test as they feared to be negatively assessed by teachers, this fact had created great anxiety that influenced their attitudes and behaviour as well.

Mentoring at-risk middle school students to reduce communication apprehension

Research has demonstrated the efficacy of mentoring at-risk students in a number of fields from physical education to math and science. While separate research has found that many at-risk students lack effective communication skills, little research has explored the potential of communication mentoring in improving at-risk students’ communication efficacy. In our study, we examined the effectiveness of communication majors in a senior capstone course mentoring at-risk middle school students. Mentors were assigned a protégé and were required to design a curriculum targeting specific communication apprehension concerns identified in each student and implement the curriculum over a 10-week period. Analysis of self-reported communication apprehension scores showed at-risk students prior to mentoring reported higher than average levels of communication apprehension. After mentoring, they reported statistically significantly lower levels of communication apprehension. The implications for mentoring, at-risk students, and improved middle school communication education are considered.

Minority Groups and Communication Apprehension An investigation of Kurdistan

This study explores communication apprehension among the Iranian Kurdish minority group. Based on a sample of 157 self-administered surveys, the study investigates the relative communication apprehension (CA) score of Iranian Kurds and the influence of sex, age, and education on CA. Results revealed Kurds are relatively less apprehensive than many other cultures. It was also revealed that women have significantly higher levels of dyadic, public, and total CA. Moreover, all CA contexts (dyadic, groups, meeting, and public) and total CA tended to increase after grade 9 and decrease after completing high school. Age however, only had a modest effect on meeting CA. The findings propose higher levels of social encounters reduce the amount of CA among Kurds. Implications, limitations, and areas of future research are posited.

COPE Method Implementation Program to Reduce Communication Apprehension Level in Full Day Yunior High School Students

This study was aimed to explore the effect of COPE method to reduce communication apprehension level of students in Early Adolescence who become Full Day Junior High School students. Full Day Junior High School students, especially in Surabaya coastal area, have more demands to develop the communication aspects such as group discussions and presentations and extracurricular activities. Higher demands to develop such aspects of communication may cause them to experience communication apprehension. The subject was Full Day School students totaling 31 students. The design of the research was experimental design. The experimental method used was a non-randomized pretest posttest control group design and purposive sampling was also used. COPE method is a process that consists of four main stages where people are trying to deal with and control of stressful situations as a result of the problem being faced by conducting cognitive and behavioral changes. Four main stages COPE method is Calming the nervous system, Originating an imaginative plan, Persisting in the face of obstacles and failure, and Evaluating and adjusting the plan. Results of quantitative analysis based on U-Mann Whitney Test shows significant effect on the COPE Method to decrease anxiety levels of communication (0.000 <0.005).

Overcoming Communication Apprehension with Emotional Intelligence skills

Good communication skill in the English language is a necessity for graduates in a second language learning environment to ensure that they can secure employment upon graduation. To be successful communicators, learners must be able to deal with their apprehension appropriately which can be difficult especially for learners with low self-esteem and those who fear that they are incompetent in the English language. This study explores the potential of emotional intelligence as a means to overcome communication apprehension among tertiary learners. The instruments used to measure these two variables are the Emotional Skills Profile (ESAP) by Nelson and Low (2011) and the Personal Report of Communication Apprehension (PRCA24) by McCroskey (1982). The results indicate a significant negative association between emotional intelligence and communication apprehension. The regression analysis shows that intrapersonal, self-management and personal leadership are important predictors in determining communication apprehension levels. Hence, it is vital for language educators to incorporate emotional intelligence within the language curriculum to enhance learners’ confidence in using the second language.

The Application of Communication Strategies by Students with Different Levels of Communication Apprehension in EFL Context

The purpose of this study is to examine different kinds of communication strategies employed by students with different levels of communication apprehension in Iranian EFL context. It also investigates which communication strategies are the most and the least frequent ones used by students with high and low levels of communication apprehension. The research participants watched a short visual story and then retold what they found out. The participants employed thirteen communicative strategies which were ranged from the most to the least frequent for both groups of EFL learners. In terms of the type and the frequency of communication strategies, the outcomes of research revealed that EFL learners with high level of communication apprehension employed a larger number of communicative strategies than EFL learners with low level of communication apprehension.

The Impact of a Group Communication Course on Veterinary Medical Students' Perceptions of Communication Competence and Communication Apprehension.

This paper explores the impact of a group communication course on veterinary medical students' perceptions of communication competence and communication anxiety. Students enrolled in the Group Communication in Veterinary Medicine course completed the Personal Report of Communication Apprehension and the Communicative Competence Scale at the beginning (Time 1) and end (Time 2) of the semester. Results show that first-year veterinary students' self-perceptions of communication competence increased and their self-reported levels of communication apprehension decreased across multiple contexts from Time 1 to Time 2. This research provides support for experiential communication training fostering skill development and confidence.

Relationship between Intermediate EFL Learners' Communication Apprehension, Willingness to Communicate, and Speaking Ability

Speaking is the first to be acquired in the process of language production. In parallel, the absence of communication apprehension and the presence of willingness to communicate are the essential prerequisites for stringing words together. The purpose of the current study, therefore, was to investigate the underlying patterns of the relationship between communication apprehension (CA), willingness to communicate (WTC), and speaking ability with regard to different contexts and receivers. In so doing, to assign the homogeneity of the sample, Nelson English Language Test was administered and 120 individuals were selected out of 253. Subsequently, Personal Report of Communication Apprehension (PRCA-24) and Willingness to Communicate Questionnaire were employed in order to determine language learners' levels of WTC and CA. Moreover, the researchers utilised the sample interview questions from Task 1 of the intermediate Speaking Test and the speaking scale provided by Farhady, Birjandi, and Ja'farpur (1994) to interview with individuals and determine their speaking ability. Then, the non-parametric data were analyzed using a Spearman's rank order rho correlation. The results illustrated that individuals' speaking ability was neither related to their level of CA nor to their WTC. Moreover, the findings showed that CA and WTC had a negative correlation. Consequently, CA can be considered as one of the predicators of WTC in academic contexts.

Communication Apprehension: A Comparison between English Majors and Non-majors in China

Using the scale of communication apprehension developed by McCroskey, a comparative study has been conducted between English majors and non-majors of different English learning experiences in a Chinese university. Whereas all the subjects remain at the medium level of communication apprehension, no significant difference was found across different communication scenarios among students of different majors as well as different grades. The results imply that the cause of communication apprehension might not be necessarily associated with differences in learning experience, syllabi or even teaching approaches. The characteristics of the high-contextual Chinese culture may be interpretable to this non-difference result. Thus, we may hypothesize with confidence that psychological approaches may be more effective to reduce the phenomenon of mute English of Chinese learners and their reticence in English class.

Understanding Factors that Affect Level of Oral Communication Apprehension between Accounting and Non Accounting Students: A Literature Review

In the global and dynamic business world, accountants are expected to have more than academic knowledge. One of the important skills needed by the employer is effective communication. However, prior research find that there is a trait to that which known as Communication Apprehension (CA). Most studies show that accounting students suffer higher level of CA as compared to non-accounting students. Accordingly, this paper aims to review existing research to discover the factors that affect the level of CA among accounting and non-accounting students. It is believed that gender, course major and English competency is among factors that contribute to the high level of CA. This study is expected to contribute to the discipline of knowledge, especially in the field of social science by focusing on the current issues and challenges in educational environment. It is also assisting to improve skills in the areas of teaching, learning and also help to improve accounting curriculum.

The Effect of Personality, Situational Factors, and Communication Apprehension on a Blended Communication Course

Background/Objectives: This study was to explore the influence of personality types and situational factors on public speaking. Also, it examined the effect of communication apprehension on students' academic achievement in a blended learning environment. Methods: A total of 182 participants who enrolled in a blended communication course were administered questionnaires that assessed the Big Five personality traits (openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism), situational factors (previous experiences, immediacy, level of rehearsal, and motivation) and level of communication apprehension. Results: According to regression analysis, the predictors among the personality traits affecting speech performance were extroversion and openness, and among the situational factors, only the level of rehearsal was found to be a predictor. Also, academic achievements were not affected by Communication Apprehension in a blended learning environment, which does not comport with the findings in traditional face-to-face classes. Implications for theory and pedagogical practice are discussed.

Communication apprehension among Chinese accounting and business students: a demographic exploration

Past literature has consistently highlighted the problem of oral communication apprehension (CA) among accounting majors. However, these results are mostly applicable to developed countries. As such, this study gathers questionnaire data consisting of 1090 students of one large Chinese–dominated private university in Malaysia. Data analysis reveals that accounting students, surprisingly, do not differ significantly in terms of levels of CA compared to that of business students. Also, CA does not differ across student's age and year of study. Results were discussed in light of how personal variables support the extent of future accountants as communicators.

Effects of Imagined Interactions and Rehearsal on Speaking Performance

Imagined interactions (IIs) constitute a type of social cognition that can reduce fear of communication. Through the mental preparation enabled by IIs, an individual can reduce disfluencies and mitigate the anxiety that arises from a speech. Study 1 indicated that rehearsal influences the reduction of silent pauses but not vocalized pauses. In addition, those who reported higher levels of communication apprehension demonstrated more total disfluencies throughout the speech. Study 2 examined how utilizing mixed modes of imagery can affect the rehearsal process in comparison to visualizing (VIS) an encounter alone. The results indicated that a rehearsal consisting of both II training and the mixed modes of imagery resulted in more overall fluency in speech and in higher self-reported speech evaluations.

Gender and Language: Communication Apprehension in Second Language Learning

For over the decades, researchers all around the world have found that language learning comes with some difficulties and disabilities which can usually manifest into a more severe problem (Dembo, 1991). It is proven that second language learning can become a traumatic experience for certain language learners. Among the catalyst for this experience is the feeling of stressed, anxious and worries especially in communication (Banks, 2008). It is very apparent that communication apprehension, as stated by Horwitz, Horwitz& Cope (1991), has contributed towards the detrimental feeling of anxiety during the process of language learning. Since language anxiety is one of the major factor that determines the level of comprehensible input received (Krashen, 1982), it has undoubtedly developed into a prominent factor in determining the successful of second language learning. However, it is proven that communication apprehension can happen to anyone regardless of the gender. Wick-Nelson & Israel (2006) mention that communication apprehension, as the matter of fact manifests differently according to gender. Thus, it is important to note that female and male process their feeling and experiences differently. The aim of this paper is to determine the difference of communication apprehension level according to gender. A total of 60 respondents were randomly selected among the University Teknologi MARA (Perak) students from various faculties. The instrument used in this study is a set of questionnaire adapted from the measurement scale of language anxiety called Foreign Language Class Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) designed by Horwitz (1983). The data obtained were analyzed using SPSS version 16.0.

Negotiating in the 21st Century: Bridging the Gap Between Technology and Hostage Negotiation

Hostage negotiation is a communicative event developed to save lives through interpersonal tactics. The current protocol in hostage negotiation relies primarily on verbal communication through landlines. This protocol severely handicaps negotiators as landlines only open a single channel of communication. The purpose of this study is to promote the inclusion of new technology, specifically cell phones with text, call, and video capabilities, into hostage situations. The injection of new technology, and thus new communicative mediums, allows negotiators to adapt to the perpetrator's fluctuating level of communication apprehension, communication competency, and levels of trust.

At-Risk Students and Communication Skill Deficiencies: A Preliminary Study

Early research has explored the relationship between at-risk students and communication apprehension. Atrisk students have been found to have high levels of apprehension in a variety of communication settings. However, little attention has been given to exploring at-risk students perceptions of their communication skills and other areas of communication competency beyond general communication apprehension or fear of speaking. This study explores the relationship between at-risk students; self reported levels of communication competence, communication apprehension, and additional areas of communication skills such as selfmonitoring and verbal aggressiveness. The results of this study show that at-risk students tend to report having high communication competency levels, while testing very low on communication skill areas. Study implications and suggested areas for future research and curriculum development for teachers are explored.

The Power of No Words: Implications of Stakes on Assessing Students' Oral Skills Apprehension.

Business undergraduates’ oral communication apprehension (OCA) levels are compared across general oral communication settings as well those including high stakes reflective of the contemporary workplace. Findings indicate business students’ OCA levels significantly increase as oral settings’ demands (e.g., stakes) increase. Along with an explication of how student’s oral communication experiences and OCA levels impact the learning process, these results have implications for how business educators prepare their students for the specific oral communication demands of the workplace.