Communication Apprehension
"About one of every five persons--20 percent of all students--is
communication apprehensive. . . .Communication apprehensive people
may not appear apprehensive unless they are engaging in a particular
type of communication. High communication apprehension seems
unrelated to general anxiety and intelligence." (Pearson & Nelson)
Theories of Causes of Communication Apprehension (CA)
1. Excessive Activation - Getting overly "psyched up" before an activity
2. Inadequate Communication Skills – A speech/communication barrier leads to a
stronger feeling of apprehension or anxiety.
3. Inappropriate planning – General unpreparedness leads to greater apprehension.
The term ‘communication apprehension’ was coined by James McCroskey (1976a) and is
defined as “an individual’s level of fear or anxiety associated with either real or anticipated
communication with another person or persons” (McCroskey, 1984).
Don’t Stress!!
Ways to Overcome CA:
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