Fear. Ted talk on fear in public speaking
Speech: Your worst nightmare or your best friend? Understanding Communication Apprehension
Why are we afraid? Fear keeps us safe We are born with ability to react to fear-inducing situations What are some of your fears?
What is communication apprehension? More formal term than “stage fright” Communication Apprehension (CA)--an individual’s level of fear or anxiety associated with either real or anticipated communication with another person or persons (McCroskey, 1993).
CA doesn’t look the same in each person CA occurs in different situations Job interview Speech Questions in class
Causes of Situational Communication Apprehension Novel situation Meaning a new experience such as a job interview Formal situations You don’t want to communicate inappropriately Ex. Black tie dinner Subordinate status This is when a person holds “high status” over another Ex. Meeting the president of the US
Being unfamiliar with cultural norms Causes Continued Being unfamiliar with cultural norms Ex. authors traveling to other countries and communicating with fans from another country Excessive Attention Ex. Being put on the spot repeatedly in football practice
Effects of Communication Apprehension Internal Effects Those with high CA have feelings of discomfort, fright, being inadequate, etc. External Effects Avoidance of communication Withdrawal from communication Disruption Over-Communication
Good News! There are many ways you can reduce your communication apprehension! More to come tomorrow!