COMMUNICATION APPREHENSION

Definition Communication Apprehension: An individual’s level of fear or anxiety with either real or anticipated communication with another person or group of people.

Types of CA Traitlike – those who get nervous in almost all communication interactions Ex. One-on-one, interviews, small groups, in public – almost any situation except maybe family and friends Generalized Context – people who get nervous in one particular type of interaction Ex: (next slide)

….Types of CA Examples of generalized contexts: 4 types of Interactions… Public Speaking (talking to a large audience) Meetings (small groups, people) Group discussions (class) Interpersonal (1-2 people)

…Types of CA Person-Group – Talking to a specific group of people Ex: teachers, boss or superiors at work, certain groups of friends or peers, friends’ parents, etc. Situational – Feeling nervous in specific situations – when that situation passes, so has the anxiety Ex: job interviews, oral exam, spelling bee, class speeches

Causes of CA Heredity – inherited the personality trait; maybe a parent has the same fear Modeling – witnesses a speaker that was nervous Childhood reinforcement – made fun of or had a bad experience as a child (with speaking) Skills deficit – speech impediment, no training of necessary skills

Treatments for CA Small steps toward the goal – doing small speeches and gradually working up to the major ones Positive visualization – like sports, you mentally picture yourself doing a good job Skills training – taking speech class and learning the skills needed to succeed at public speaking Deep breathing – simply taking three (or more) deep breaths in a rhythmic pattern can help to relax you Muscle relaxation – tense up your muscles, hold for 5-10 seconds, then release

Activity You: On your own, write down 10 (or more) things you (or someone else) might feel anxious about while thinking about or giving a speech Together: With a partner, discuss your list and make additions to it as necessary – label each item on the list “preparation” or “right before” or “during” All: Make a collective list of fears and worries on the board – discuss how to overcome them