Levels Of Communication Apprehension Research Articles

Communication apprehension and maths anxiety as barriers to communication and numeracy skills development in accounting and business education

PurposeTo establish the existence of barriers to communication and numeracy skills development and to establish the levels of these exhibited by accounting and business students at the commencement of their courses in higher education.Design/methodology/approachUses questionnaires to establish the levels of communication apprehension (CA) and maths anxiety (MA) in students at the commencement of their accounting and business courses in higher education. Establishes the underlying factors that are influential in determining the levels of apprehension and anxiety in individual students. An analysis of the underlying demographic variables such as age, previous educational background, etc. is also undertaken.FindingsIdentifies the existence of high levels of CA in accounting students and MA in business studies students at the beginning of their courses.Practical implicationsWhere high levels of CA in accounting students and MA in business studies students are shown to exist consideration must be given to relevant curriculum design and delivery, and the use of techniques designed to reduce apprehension/anxiety in the students concerned. Because the apprehension/anxiety is present on entry to higher education it may be that specific courses appear to be recruiting students whose perception of their longer term vocational skills requirements may be inappropriate to their chosen career area.Originality/valueIdentifies specific differences in the areas of CA and MA between differently focused vocational courses, which have syllabus overlap, within a business school.

IDENTIFYING COMMUNICATION APPREHENSION LEVELS IN SENIOR-LEVEL INFORMATION SYSTEMS MAJORS: A PILOT STUDY

Given the importance of communication skills in the classroom and workplace, it is surprising that no extant research focuses explicitly on senior-level information systems (IS) majors and their levels of communication apprehension (CA). To fill that void, this study examines the levels of CA among seniorlevel IS majors. Participants (n = 51) enrolled in an IS senior capstone course completed the Personal Report of Communication Apprehension (PRCA) measure. IS majors’ PRCA scores were then compared to national norms. Unexpectedly, no statistically significant differences were observed between the scores of the IS majors and the national norms; however, IS majors do experience moderately high levels of CA and the most anxiety-inducing setting was speaking in public, whereas the least anxiety-inducing setting was speaking one-on-one.

The Sound of Silence?

Employers often consider graduates to be unprepared for employment and lacking in vocational skills. A common demand from them is that the curriculum should include ‘communication skills’, as specific skills in their own right and also because of the central role that such skills can play in developing other desirable attributes. Current thinking in communication has indicated a split between communication apprehension and communication development. There are indications that techniques designed to develop communication skills will not resolve communication apprehension and that, if an individual has a high level of communication apprehension, these techniques will not result in improved communication performance. This paper compares and contrasts the levels and profiles of communication apprehension exhibited by accounting and engineering students. The implications of the findings are then discussed and the need for further research in the area of vocational choice is identified.

THE TYPES OF COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES USED BY SPEAKING CLASS STUDENTS WITH DIFFERENT COMMUNICATION APPREHENSION LEVELS IN ENGLISH DEPARTMENT OF PETRA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY, SURABAYA

This article reports on a study that aims to find out the types of Communication Strategies used and mostly used by students with high and low levels of Communication Apprehension and whether students with high level of Communication Apprehension used more numbers of Communication Strategies. The subjects in a created classroom were asked to retell a pictorial story and a pictorial instruction. The results showed that students with high Communication Apprehension level used more numbers of Communication Strategies.

The ecology of academic risk: relationships between communication apprehension, verbal aggression, supportive communication, and students’ academic risk status

Contemporary research exploring at‐risk student populations has generally used the epidemiological model, the constructivist model, or the ecological model to explain processes involved in academic risk. This study applies communication constructs to the ecological model of academic risk, which proposes that academic risk is a function of individual, social, and cultural communication phenomena. A survey of 232 students found that (a) at‐risk students communicated more with friends about school than did regular‐admission students, (b) levels of communication apprehension differed depending on at‐risk status and sex, and (c) levels of verbal aggression differed depending on at‐risk status. These results are discussed in terms of theoretical and applied implications.

The dimensionality of speaking and writing: a multilevel factor analysis of situational, task and school effects.

This article addresses the question whether communication apprehension (CA) should be regarded as a unidimensional or alternatively as a multidimensional construct. The answer is not only interesting from a theoretical point of view. There might also be practical implications for the treatment of CA. If CA were to appear to be unidimensional and a student's level of CA were to be the same across situations and tasks, there would be no need to tailor the treatment to particular speaking situations or specific writing problems. If, however, CA appeared to be multi-dimensional and a student might have a variety of different levels and types of CA, one type of treatment might be more effective for one student than for another one. To examine the effects of situational, task and school effects on speaking and writing apprehension. Use was made of the dataset of the 1987-1988 National Assessment of Language Performance in the Netherlands. The nationally representative sample consisted of 1448 students from 184 secondary schools; 52% of the students were boys and 48% were girls; the mean age of the students was 15 years 6 months. Speaking and writing apprehension were measured by means of self-report measures in grade 9. Multilevel factor analysis (MLFA) was used to determine the dimensionality of the measurement of speaking and writing apprehension. First, all seven speaking situations and three out of four writing problems could be distinguished empirically. Speaking and writing apprehension are clearly multidimensional constructs that depend on the speaking situation and the writing task. Second, correlations between speaking and writing apprehension were rather low. Speaking and writing apprehension seem to represent skill-specific constructs, which cannot be considered as equivalent forms of communication apprehension. Third, differences between schools in the level of speaking and writing apprehension were very small compared to measurements of speaking and writing performance.

Perceptions Of Communication Competence, Self‐Efficacy, And Trait Communication Apprehension: Is There an Impact on Basic Course Success?

The study examined the trends and relationships among communication apprehension (CA), self‐efficacy (S‐E), and self‐perceived public speaking competence (SPPSC), and impact on course grade, for 304 students enrolled in a basic public speaking course. Respondents completed McCroskey's (1982) Personal Report of Communication Apprehension (PRCA‐24), the Self‐Efficacy scale (S‐E Scale) (Pintrich and DeGroot's, 1990), and the Self‐perceived Public Speaking Competency scale (SPPSC Scale) (Ellis, 1995), based on the National Communication Association's (NCA) “Competent Speaker Speech Evaluation Form” (Morreale, 1990). Results indicated significant changes occurred in CA, S‐E, and SPPSC levels throughout the semester. However, only S‐E at mid‐semester and semester's end predicted grade.

Paradoxical Intention: An Alternative for the Reduction of Communication Apprehension?

This investigation examined whether paradoxical intention, an intervention for stage fright and other problems, impacts communication apprehension (CA). Using a pretest/post‐test design, high CA individuals were randomly assigned to paradoxical intention, visualization, placebo, or control conditions. In general, high CAs exposed to the paradoxical intention and visualization conditions reported lower CA levels than those in the placebo and control conditions. The paradoxical intention and visualization conditions did not differ from one another. These findings and their implications are discussed at the conclusion of this report.

Communication apprehension and self-perceived communication competence in adolescents who stutter

The purpose of this study was to examine the communication apprehension and self-perceived communication competence of 39 adolescents who stutter and 39 adolescents who do not stutter using two standardized communication measures. Significantly higher levels of communication apprehension and poorer scores on self-perceived communication competence were found in adolescents who stutter when compared with adolescents who do not stutter. Subscore test data revealed that adolescents who stutter had significantly greater fears about speaking in Group Discussions and Interpersonal Conversations than they had about Public Speaking and talking during Meetings, when compared with students who do not stutter. They also had significantly poorer perceptions about their own communication competence on the Talking to Strangers subscore test when compared with students who do not stutter. A significant positive relationship among stuttering severity, communication apprehension, and self-perceived communication competence total scores was found. Students who stutter severely had greater fears about speaking in group discussions and interpersonal conversations. Implications for stuttering therapy and the need for specifically addressing communication apprehension in treatment sessions are discussed. Educational objectives: (1) The reader will learn about communication apprehension and fear in people who stutter and be able to describe different types of responses to these fears. (2) The reader will be able to learn about commercially available instruments for testing communication apprehension and compare differences between adolescents who stutter and who do not stutter. (3) The reader will be able to describe and explain the relationship between communication apprehension and stuttering and determine its impact on stuttering and resulting treatment decisions.

The effect of culture and self-construals on predispositions toward verbal communication

This study tested the effects of culture and self-construals (i.e., independence and interdependence) on predispositions toward verbal communication. For the purpose of this study, we focused on two main areas of verbal communication predispositions: (a) communication apprehension and (b) argumentativeness. In our path model, we expected that culture-level individualism increases one's construal of self as independent, which, in turn, leads to a higher degree of argumentativeness and a lower level of communication apprehension. We also expected that culture-level individualism decreases one's construal of self as interdependent, which, in turn, leads to a lower degree of argumentativeness and a higher level of communication apprehension. Data to test the model were drawn from undergraduates (N=539) studying in Korea, Hawaii, and mainland U.S. The data were partially consistent with the theoretical predictions made. The implications of the results for theory and practice are discussed.

The effect of culture and self-construals on predispositions toward verbal communication

This study tested the effects of culture and self-construals (i.e., independence and interdependence) on predispositions toward verbal communication. For the purpose of this study, we focused on two main areas of verbal communication predispositions: (a) communication apprehension and (b) argumentativeness. In our path model, we expected that culture-level individualism increases one's construal of self as independent, which, in turn, leads to a higher degree of argumentativeness and a lower level of communication apprehension. We also expected that culture-level individualism decreases one's construal of self as interdependent, which, in turn, leads to a lower degree of argumentativeness and a higher level of communication apprehension. Data to test the model were drawn from undergraduates (N=539) studying in Korea, Hawaii, and mainland U.S. The data were partially consistent with the theoretical predictions made. The implications of the results for theory and practice are discussed.

Communication Apprehension in Upper Level Accounting Students: An Assessment of Skill Development

The accounting profession and college accrediting bodies have placed major emphasis on the development of communications skills. Prior research has indicated that accounting students have a higher level of communication apprehension than students in other majors. In this study, accounting majors in two AACSB-accredited business programs were found to have significantly lower overall levels of communication apprehension than their non-accounting-major counterparts. However, further analysis indicated that, though accounting majors' apprehension level was lower in the area of public speaking, their group reticence was significantly higher compared with students not majoring in accounting.

Preparing Adolescents for Selection Interviews: The Impact of a Training Intervention on Levels of Worry and Locus of Control

ABSTRACT This study evaluated the impact of an interview skills training intervention on adolescent school pupils in Northern Ireland. In particular, it explored their levels of interview-related worry and career locus of control orientations, and how they were affected by the programme concerned. A sample of 264 students aged 14–16 were assigned to a training (n = 132) or control (n = 132) condition. Trainees were significantly less worried than their control counterparts about four of six interview-related items at post-test only—i.e. the training programme had significantly reduced their levels of communication apprehension about the interview process. No differences between the two groups were detected for career locus of control. The findings are discussed in the context of mediating variables including gender and religion. Their implications for educators in preparing young people for the rigours of the job market and selection interviews are also discussed.

Rethinking Communication Apprehension: A Myers-Briggs Perspective

This study is an examination of relationships between Myers-Briggs personality type preferences, based on Jungian theory, and communication apprehension. Results showed that participants who preferred introversion or sensing reported significantly higher levels of communication apprehension in general and across the group, dyadic, meeting, and public contexts than did participants who preferred extraversion or intuition. In addition, participants who preferred feeling reported higher levels of communication anxiety in the public context than those who preferred thinking. Findings support the assumption that communication apprehension is biologically based, suggest that the Myers-Briggs type preference framework offers an alternative way of understanding communication apprehension, and point out the need for new approaches to understanding the phenomenon of communication apprehension.

COMMUNITY COLLEGE FACULTY GOVERNANCE LEADERS: RESULTS OF A NATIONAL SURVEY

Faculty governance units are widely used in community colleges to provide a sounding board for policy formation and decision making. Typically based on a representative democracy, these units must be both responsive to peer faculty members as well as the college's central administration. As a result of being structurally in the middle of the decision-making process, effective communication is paramount to faculty governance unit leader success. This study profiles individuals in the faculty governance leadership position, including their written and oral communication apprehension levels, and the relationship of this apprehension to job-related stressors.

Communication apprehension in UK and Spanish business and accounting students

Distinguishes between communication apprehension (CA), the fear of actually communicating, and communication development, the ability to maintain and improve performance as a communicator. Indicates that CA needs to be addressed before progress can be made in developing the communication skills of graduates to which employers attach considerable importance. Reports the results of a study comparing levels of CA amongst business and accounting students in the UK and Spain, which confirm the high levels of CA found in North American students but also indicate differences which may be due to cultural and other factors. Considers implications of findings for curriculum design and staff development.

The multidimensional model: Teaching students to self‐manage high communication apprehension by self‐selecting treatments

This study tested the Multidimensional Model for teaching students to self‐manage communication apprehension (CA) by self‐selecting treatment technique(s). Communication literature indicates that although numerous techniques are available to help students manage high CA, the difficulty lies with determining which technique(s) will target a student's specific needs. Multimodal evaluation of seven personality dimensions (Lazarus, 1989, 1997) and then matching dimensions to techniques puts the selection of techniques in the hands of those experiencing high CA. The pretest‐posttest control group design (N = 331) showed that there was a significantly greater reduction in CA level when teaching the Multidimensional Model in a public speaking course than when only using traditional skills training.

Reducing high levels of communication apprehension among primary schoolstudents: Can teachers make a difference?

This study, conducted over a 20 week period, focused on a group of primary school teachers as they implemented a variety of intervention actions, within their class programs, directed towards supporting the reduction of high levels of communication apprehension (CA) among students. Six teachers and nine students, located across three primary schools, six class groups, and four year levels, participated in the study.An action research paradigm incorporating a series of case studies was used to describe each teacher's journey as he/she responded to the diverse needs of individual students with high CA levels. The principal data collection methods used in this study included the Personal Report of Communication Fear (PRCF) scale, semistructured interviews, and dialogue journaling. The PRCF scale was used as a screening tool to identify students experiencing high levels of CA.Semistructured interviews, conducted by the researcher at the beginning and conclusion of the action research process, provided valuable information relevant to each student. Dialogue journaling was the medium by which teachers engaged in written discourse with the researcher, discussing the growth, development, and progress of individual students. Entries in dialogue journals comprised a significant component of each teacher's case study.Six case studies document the teacher's action research journey. These case studies recount the teacher's perceptions of their endeavours to minimise the problems that arise with primary school students experiencing high CA levels. In particular, they highlight the fact that teachers are faced with diverse problems and plan to resolve these in different ways.

The impact of self‐directed videotape feedback on students’ self‐reported levels of communication competence and apprehension

This research examines whether having students privately watch their own videotaped speeches impacts their self‐reported levels of communication competence and speaker apprehension. Based on a naturally occurring experiment, results indicated that: a) students’ reported levels of apprehension about meetings decreased significantly in sections with videotape feedback; b) students reported significant increases in competency and decreases in apprehension across work and social settings but reported the largest improvements in the classroom setting; and c) the videotape feedback had a limited differential impact on students’ perceived improvements based on their initial levels of competence and apprehension. Results suggest the need to further evaluate use of videotapes in the basic course.

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.