Chapter3

Copyright (c) Allyn & Bacon 2008

Chapter Three:Communication Approach and

Avoidance Traits

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Shyness


Zimbardo (1977)We begin with two yes-no questions. Please mark your responses below:

1. Do you presently consider yourself a shy person? _____Yes_____No

2. If you answered "no" to the first question, was there ever a period in your life during which you considered yourself a shy person?_____Yes _____No


Zimbardo’s ResultsAsked over 5,000 People.More than 40 % (2,000) of the

people who responded answered "yes" to the first question, and over 80 % (4,000) answered "yes" to one of the two questions.


Berger, Baldwin, McCroskey, & Richmond (1983) Replicated the Study with 10,000 people and found the same results.


Shyness DefinedThe behavioral tendency to not initiate communication and/or respond to the initiatives of others.

Shyness stems from a preference for noncommunication by the individual.


Scale # 9 (p. 372)

Scores above 42 are considered high.


Willingness to

Communicate


WTC Defined

A person's general level of desire to initiate communication with others.

(WTC may be considered an attitude toward initiating communication, or as some prefer, the person's intent or disposition toward the behavior of initiating communication.)


Factors Leading to Reduced WTC

Genetic Factors Childhood Reinforcement Skill Deficiencies Social Introversion Social AlienationEthnic or Cultural Divergence


Scale 10 (p. 373)Group Discussion > 89 High WTC, < 57 Low WTC

Meetings > 80 High WTC, < 39 Low WTC

Interpersonal Conversations

> 94 High WTC, < 64 Low WTC

Public Speaking > 78 High WTC, < 33 Low WTC

Stranger > 63 High WTC, < 18 Low WTC

Acquaintance > 92 High WTC, < 57 Low WTC

Friend > 99 High WTC, < 71 Low WTC

Total WTC > 82 High Overall WTC

< 52 Low Overall WTC


Communication Apprehension


CA Defined

The fear or anxiety associated with either real or anticipated communication with another person or persons.


PRCA-24 (Scale 11, p. 375)

Interpreting the scores of the PRCA (Scale 11)

oScores 24-50 – Least Amount of CAoScores 50-60 – Less CA than MostoScores 60-70 – Average Amount of CAoScores 70-80 – More CA than AverageoScores 80-120 – CA Clearly Impacts

Your Life


Communication Apprehension as a Trait

Causes of Trait Communication Apprehension o Negatively Related to Extraversion

o Positively Related to Neuroticism

o Associated with Personality and Temperament


Situational Communication Apprehension

Generalized ContextsGiven Individual or Group Across

ContextsGiven Individual or Group in a

Given Situation


Causes of Situational Communication Apprehension

Novelty FormalityConspicuousness Unfamiliarity

DissimilarityExcessive

AttentionEvaluationPrior Failure


Effects of Communication Apprehension

Internal Discomfort Avoidance or Withdrawal from

Communication Situations Communication Disruption


Effects of Shyness and Willingness to Communicate

The person’s own behavior in different contexts

o Classroom

o Small Groups

o Dyads

o Social Situations

o Occupational Choice


Perceptions of Quiet People

Less Attractive

Less Competent

More Anxious

Poor Leaders


Compulsive Communicators (Talkaholics)

Talkaholic Scale (Scale 12, p. 377)

Scores over 35 are high. Low Quality Communication vs.

High Quality Communication Relation to Eysenck’s Supertrait

Extraversion


Communication Competence


Communication Competence

A person who has "adequate ability to make ideas known to others by talking or writing" (McCroskey, 1984, p. 263)


Two ComponentsPersonal Effectiveness

Social Appropriateness


Scale 13 (p. 378)

►Scores under 59 are Incompetent

► Scores between 60 and 86 are Moderately Competent

► Scores over 87 are Highly Competent


Sociocommunicative Orientation


Assertiveness

The capacity to make requests, actively disagree, express positive or negative personal rights and feelings, initiate, maintain or disengage from conversations, and stand up for oneself without attacking another.


Responsiveness

The capacity to be sensitive to the communication of others, to be a good listener, to make others comfortable in communicating, and to recognize the needs and desires of others.


Scale 14 (p. 379)

Assertiveness

oScores over 36 are High

oScores under 36 are LowResponsiveness

oScores over 41 are High

oScores under 41 are Low


Competence and Androgyny

High Assertive

High Responsive

CompetentAndrogynous

(1)

Aggressive(2)

Low Responsive

Submissive(3)

NoncompetentUndifferentiated

(4)

Low Assertive

Chapter3

Education

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