Communication Apprehension

Communication Apprehension was a term coined in the early 1970s by James C. McCroskey. Communication apprehension (CA) has been defined as an “individual level of fear or anxiety associated with either real or anticipated communication with another person or persons” (McCroskey, 1977). This type of apprehension is not only applicable to small children as would be seen in an elementary school but can also be prevelent in adults as well especially in the realm of public speaking.

If Communication Apprehension Unusual?

The facts that can easily be found by doing some basic research reveals that communication apprehension is not unusual and that it is experienced by thousands upon thousands of people worldwide. This challenge is not insurmountable for most people. Let’s talk about is one reason, and adoptable strategy, that gives optimism as to why communication apprehension can be minimized.

Basic Issue

The basis of communication apprehension, at least defined for the adult, is worry. The process of worry begins with the anticipation that some kind of event will happen. In the case of communication apprehension, the worry or apprehension is focused forward to a situation either real or illusory. This means that the individual will see or envision an upcoming circumstance or situation that they may encounter and the emotionally charged feelings of inadequacy swell.

Easy To Say But Not To Do

Do not worry or be apprehensive is easy to say and much harder for thousands upon thousands of people to do. It seems that worry, or communication apprehension in this case, is one of those behaviors that dominates many people’s lives and is not easily dispelled as a useless emotion or feeling towards a variety of circumstances and situations.

Worry or apprehension, however, is one of those behaviors that cannot and will not accomplish anything at all. Worry is an emotional state and not a state that works towards doing anything positive. Worry erodes the psychic, causes unwanted emotional turmoil, and depletes the body through lack of sleep or poor eating habits. It only leads to further and further despair.

Worry Or Apprehension Can Be Defeated

On the other hand, communication anxiety or worry in general can be defeated. It can be minimized or completely diminished when you recognize it and learn to overcome its’ debilitating affects.

So, how does one go about diminishing or eliminating communication apprehension and worry?

Step By Step Strategies

One of the very first steps is to 1) understand and recognize what causes you communication apprehension, 2) when is it likely to occur, and 3) in what situations or environments?

First Step To Overcoming Communication Apprehension

In some instances, a person who experiences some level of communication anxiety in public venues where one is required to speak in front of a small group of people, as in a team meeting for example, is much different for that same person when speaking to a group where that person is amongst a gathering of friends. This point is to highlight that there are certain circumstances or situations that either elevate one’s communication barriers or worry and one’s that do not. The step, relative to identification of those situations causing anxiety is to at first make a list of those environments.

So, how does this help to identify the root causes of one’s apprehension. In the midst of a group of friends, it is more obvious to draw causal factors in that friends represent a web of safety where one does not feel or be made to feel that they are unworthy of being accepted by those with whom they associate.

However, on the other hand, a group of colleagues, as represented by a work team, do or are not necessarily seen as friends, and, for the most part, are often viewed as people with whom one is in competition with for the favor of the leader.

When you recognize, understand and project situations where you feel anxious, it is only reasonable to assume that you would feel somewhat threatened or, at the least, somewhat inadequate relative to the potential extroverts with the group.

Step Two

Step two is an adjunct to step one wherein you need to declare exactly when you start to experience an increased level of anxiety in relation to the requirement or expectation that you must verbally contribute to or defend a position that differs from someone else.

Step Three

In this step, again as an adjunct to step one and two, you would need to declare in exactly what situations or environments one feels compromised in relation to feeling adequate in verbally expressing one’s ideas or thoughts. For example, one may feel somewhat comfortable, over time, in speaking amidst work colleagues that one has come to know for a period of months or years but when one is thrust into an environment that does not connote friends or associates, communication apprehension jumps to the forefront of the thought processes.

This jump from comfort to discomfort is often based on feelings of inadequacy or lack of self-worth. It really is not the point here that one may have been negatively affected as a child or youth but it is more to the point that one recognizes that the situation or circumstance spawns less than capable feelings, thoughts, or emotions that lead to inadequate or diminished verbal performance.

The Next Step

The next step will be difficult initially, but if you get comfortable with this step, you are well on your way to reducing worry or apprehension. This is the step that you begin to take control of the fear or anxiety and that step is to take action. The old adage is just as true in the past as it is now and that adage is that the best way to conquer fear of anything is to take action.

This means, for example, that if you listed speaking in front of a group of people as a situation that causes verbal trepidation or anxiety, then you will begin to practice overcoming this fear through taking action. This action entails writing out a few pages of a presentation on a subject that you feel comfortable in speaking about. Once you have these notes prepared (e.g. three pages) practice reading them out loud in front of a mirror in the privacy of your own home. Look up and into the mirror as often as you can. Do not feel stupid or weird about this tactic; it is for your own good.

The Next Step After The Last Step

This is a step that sees you inviting a group of friends (more than 2) over to your home so that you can deliver your prepared speech to them. Preferably, you have practiced so many times (probably five or more times) that you seldom refer to your notes at all. After this event, the next step is to invite a different group of friends (even more than the last time) over to your home and this time, you should try and deliver the same speech without using your notes at all. However, as a safety net, keep your notes close but not in your hand. In this way, you know that your material can help support your speech should you forget a point or two.

Putting It Together

What all of these practice sessions should tell you is this: practice is the secret to performing well in a variety of circumstances. Know the subject what you want to talk about; familiarity with the subject, through practice, makes for a more satisfying and less stressful experience. This tactic, i.e. practice, is the same method that all great public speakers have used to prepare for public presentations. The more you do it, the more you speak in front of any size group, the better and better you’ll perform and the more confidence you’ll gain.

It is ‘action’ that erodes or replaces worry. As I have said before, worry doesn’t accomplish anything but action does. The plan of action, therefore, is to find other ways and means through practice that defeats any communication apprehension. This could be (a longer-term solution I realize) practicing these new found communications skills in front of larger and larger groups of people. In fact, there may be an opportunity for you to participate in a local Toastmasters group where practice speaking in front of an accepting and supportive groups of people prepares you for future meetings whether that be with colleagues or in front of a group of people that you do not know.

I cannot specifically tell you what action to take given your particular circumstances can be very varied, but you can alter, modify, and overcome these verbal challenges if you really have a desire to do so.

Take action – not worry. Action defeats worry, just like “action” defeats fear, you can defeat and overcome communication apprehension.

Inspirational Quotes for Reflection:

“Do not worry about the size of a project. Think of a large project as doing the dishes – one dish at a time gets it done.” Byron Pulsifer, Stop Worrying

Worry is futile much like despising the fact that we all will grow old. The clearer vision accepts that old age and death are inevitable and that to worry about this fact of life is certainly futile thinking. Instead, a life that unfolds gallantly living each day to its fullest brings a life of no regret. Byron Pulsifer

“Worry is something you can make as big as the tallest mountain, or as small as a pebble on the beach. It is up to you to decide which you would rather have.” Byron Pulsifer

“Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” Jesus, Bible Matthew 6:27