Concludes that traitlike communication apprehension (CA) was found to be a modest predictor of a form of audience-based CA, while a situational component was much stronger. (VLC)

Communication competence has been approached primarily from three perspectives in the communication literature: (1) as cognitive understanding of communication, (2) as a capability of performing certain communication skills, and (3) as achieving effective communication. Most scholars who write about communication competence view competence either…

Tests three rival measurement models of a common measure of trait communication apprehension, the Personal Report of Communication Apprehension (PRCA-24). Finds that the second-order factor model better fits the data in terms of conceptual implications, psychometric properties, and empirical evidence than the linear, unidimensional model or the…

Current conceptualizations of the construct of "communication competence" are examined in this paper and are found to be problematic. The paper argues that "communication competence" must be distinguished from "communication performance" and sees neither as a reliable predictor of the other. The paper suggests that both research and pedagogy must…

Findings strongly support the content validity of the 24 items included in the instrument to measure communication apprehension. (PD)

Because a review of literature revealed that no valid instrument for measuring a person's willingness to communicate existed, a willingness to communicate (WTC) instrument was developed. The basis of this construct is the assumption that willingness to communicate is a personality-based, trait-like predisposition which is fairly consistent across…

Reports results of a survey of department chairs in many disciplines regarding communication problems they face. Finds that most department heads experience serious communication problems in conflict management, persuading/motivating others, public relations, and information management. (SR)

Replies to C. M. Condit's responses to the authors' articles and comments advancing a communibiological paradigm. Argues that a general misidentification of the level of abstraction (paradigm not theory) drives Condit's complaints about communibiology, and outlines several misrepresentations of the authors' position. (SR)

College students and secondary school teachers completed measures of communication apprehension about public speaking, meetings, small groups, and conversation. Results indicate that males may be slightly shyer than females, females may be slightly more apprehensive about public speaking than males, but neither differs meaningfully in terms of…

Portions of three earlier studies relating differences in employees to employee satisfaction and one study relating management communication style (MCS) to employee satisfaction were replicated across four organizational contexts. Major findings supported the generalizability of the results revealed in the earlier research. The role of…

Earlier research using college students, which suggested a link between the size of the community in which a person is raised and that person's level of communication apprehension, is replicated in this study with public school students, grades K-12. A theory based on the principle of reinforcement and on a postulate of forced adaptation is…

Replies to C. M. Condit's response to the authors' article on communibiology in the same issue of this journal, arguing that some of her challenges to communibiology are seriously flawed. (SR)

Argues that evidence is accumulating that genetics plays a major role in human communication behavior. Looks at the importance of neurological systems in communication behavior, and at the role of cerebral functioning. Addresses implications of the "communibiological perspective" for communication instruction. Argues that, rather than…

Presents research concerning the school environment as a potential cause of increased communication apprehension in some children. Indicates a substantial increase in the average communication apprehension level of children occurs between kindergarten and grade five and that a disproportionately greater number of teachers with high communication…