A Cross-Cultural Analysis of Communication Apprehension A Comparison of Three European Nations

Stephen M. Croucher (1) , Mélodine Sommier (2) , Diyako Rahmani (3) , Juliane Appenrodt (4)
1. Department of Communication, University of Jyväskylä
2. Department of Communication, University of Jyväskylä
3. Department of Communication, University of Jyväskylä
4. Department of Communication, University of Jyväskylä

Abstract

Data from England, Finland, and Germany were used to explore national differences in communication apprehension (CA). Based on the traditions of oral communication training in each nation, and the history of cross-cultural comparisons in CA, it was proposed that national differences would emerge. English participants scored lower than Finnish and German participants on totalCA, publicCA, dyadicCA, and meetingCA; Finnish participants scored higher than all nations on totalCA, dyadicCA, and meetingCA; and German participants consistently scored in the middle on all aspects of CA, except for publicCA. The study of oral communication, conversational style, and politeness are discussed as potential variables relating to CA differences between the nations.

Full text article

Generated from XML file

References

Allen, M. & Bourhis, J. (1996). The relationship of communication apprehension to communication behavior: A meta-analysis. Communication Quarterly, 44, 214-226. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Allen, J. L., O'Mara, J., & Long, K. M. (2014). The influence of communication traits and culture on perceptions of distance in intracultural and intercultural relationships in the United States. China Media Research, 10, 72–88. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Andrew, J. (1996). Popular culture and public debate: London 1780. The Historical Journal, 39, 405-423. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Beatty, M. J., & McCroskey, J. C. (1998). Interpersonal communication as temperamental expression: A communibiological paradigm. In J. C. McCroskey, J. A. Daly, M. M. Martin, & M. J. Beatty (Eds.), Communication and Personality: Trait perspectives (pp. 41-67). Creskill, NJ: Hampton Press, Inc. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Byrne, P. R. (1987). Foreign language communication apprehension of Germans learning English: An East-West comparison. Unpublished master’s thesis. Texas Tech University: Lubbock, TX. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Byrnes, H. (1986). Interactional style in German and American conversations. Text, 6, 189-206. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Carbaugh, D. A. (2005). Cultures in conversation. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Cupach, W. R., & Metts, S. (1994). Facework. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Deutscher Bildungsserver. (n.d.). Bildungspläne/Lehrpläne der Bundesländer für allgeminbildende Schulen. Die Lehrphlan Datenbank. Retrieved November 15, 2012 from: http://www.bildungsserver.de/Bildungsplaene-Lehrplaene- der-Bundeslaender-fuer-allgemeinbildende-Schulen-400.html Google Scholar | WorldCat

Donovan, L. A., & MacIntyre, P. D. (2004). Age and sex differences in willingness to communicate, communication apprehension, and self-perceived communication competence. Communication Research Reports, 21, 420- 427. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Dwyer, K. K. (2000). The multidimensional model: Teaching students to self- manage high communication apprehension by self-selecting treatments. Communication Education, 49, 72-81. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen. (n.d.). Seminar für allgemeine Rhetorik. Retrieved November 15, 2012 from: http://www.uni-tuebingen.de/uni/nas/English Speaking Union. (n.d.). Schools’ programmes. Retrieved November 13, 2012 from: http://www.esu.org/programmes/schools Google Scholar | WorldCat

Finnish National Board of Education. (2004). National Core Curriculum for Basic Education. Retrieved November 12 from: www.oph/fi/english/education/basic_education Google Scholar | WorldCat

Gudykunst, W. B. (2002). Issues in cross-cultural communication research. In W. B. Gudykunst & B. Mody (Eds.), Handbook of international and intercultural communication (pp. 165-177). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Hackman, M. Z., & Barthel-Hackman, T. A. (1993). Communication apprehension, willingness to communicate, and sense of humor: United States and New Zealand perspectives. Communication Quarterly, 41, 282-291. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Hall, E. T. (1976). Beyond culture. New York, NY: Doubleday. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Hassall, T., Joyce, J., Ottewill, R., Arquero, J., & Donoso, J. (2000). Communication apprehension in UK and Spanish business and accounting students. Education & Training, 42(2), 93-100. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Heisel, A. D., McCroskey, J. C., & Richmond, V. P. (1999). Testing theoretical relationships and non-relationships of genetically-based predictors: Getting started with communibiology. Communication Research Reports, 16, 1-9. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Hofstede, G. H. (2001). Culture’s consequences (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Hofstede, G. H., & McCrae, R. R. (2004). Personality and culture revisited: Linking traits and dimensions of culture. Cross-cultural Research, 38, 52- 88. Google Scholar | WorldCat

House, J. (2005). Politeness in Germany- Politeness in Germany? In: L. Hickey & M. Stewart (Eds.), Politeness in Europe. Clevedon, UK: Multilingual Matters, 2005, 13-29. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Hsu, C-F. (2004). Sources of differences in communication apprehension between Taiwanese and Americans. Communication Quarterly, 55, 370-389. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Hsu, C.-F (2007). A cross-cultural comparison of communication orientations between Americans and Taiwanese. Communication Quarterly, 55, 359– 374. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Hsu, C-F. (2010). Acculturation and communication traits: A study of cross- cultural adaptation among Chinese in America. Communication Monographs, 77, 414-425. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Iivonen, M., Sonnenwald, D.H., Parma, M., & Poole-Kober, E. (1998). Analyzing and understanding cultural differences: Experiences from education in library and information studies. Paper presented at the 64:th IFLA General Conference. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Johnson, D. I. (2007). Politeness theory and conversational refusals: Associations between various types of face threat and perceived competence. Western Journal of Communication, 71, 196-215. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Johnson, D. I., Roloff, M. E., & Riffee, M. A. (2004). Politeness theory and refusals of requests: Face threat as a function of expressed obstacles. Communication Studies, 55, 227-238. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Kelly, L., & Keaten, J. A. (2000). Testing communication anxiety: Implications of the communibiological paradigm. Communication Education, 49, 45-57. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Kurki, L., & Tomperi, T. (2011). Väittely opetusmenetelmänä. Kriittisen ajattelun, argumentation ja retoriikan taidot käytännössä. Tampere, Finland: Europaalaisen filosofian seura ry. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Lakey, S. G., & Canary, D. J. (2002). Actor goal achievement and sensitivity to partner as critical factors in understanding interpersonal communication competence and conflict strategies. Communication Monographs, 69, 217-235. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Lu, Y., & Hsu, C-F. (2008). Willingness to communicate in intercultural interactions between Chinese and Americans. Journal of Intercultural Communication Research, 37, 75-88. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Mansson, D. H., & Myers, S. A. (2009). A reexamination of Swedish and American college students’ communicative attributes. Journal of Intercultural Communication Research, 38, 9-22. Google Scholar | WorldCat

McCroskey, J. C. (1977). Oral communication apprehension: A summary of recent theory and research. Human Communication Research, 4, 78-96. Google Scholar | WorldCat

McCroskey, J. C. (1984). An introduction to rhetorical communication (4th ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Google Scholar | WorldCat

McCroskey, J. C., Burroughs, N. F., Daun, A., & Richmond, V. P. (1990). Correlates of quietness: Swedish and American perspectives. Communication Quarterly, 38, 127-137 Google Scholar | WorldCat

McCroskey, J. C., Gudykunst, W. B., & Nishida, T. (1985). Communication apprehension among Japanese students in native and second language. Communication Research Reports, 2, 11-15. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Merkin, R. S. (2009). Cross-Cultural differences in approach-avoidance communication in South Korea and the US. Human Communication, 12, 199-213. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Motley, M. T. (1995). Overcoming your fear of public speaking: A proven method. New York, NY: McGraw Hill College Custom Series. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Neuliep, J. W., Chadouir, M., & McCroskey, J. C. (2003). A cross-cultural test of the association between temperament and communication apprehension. Communication Research Reports, 20, 320-330. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Nishimura, S., Nevgi, A., & Tella, S. (2008). Communication style and cultural features in nigh/low context communication cultures: A case study of Finland, Japan and India. Teoksessa A. Kallioniemi (toim.), Uudistuva ja kehittyvä ainedidaktiikka. Ainedidaktinen symposiumi 8.2.2008 Helsingissä. Osa 2 (ss. 783–796). [In Kallioniemi, A. (Ed.), Renovating and developing subject didactics. Proceedings of a subject-didactic symposium in Helsinki on Feb. 2, 2008. Part 2 (pp. 783–796). Helsinki, Finland. University of Helsinki. Department of Applied Sciences of Education. Research Report 299]. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Novin, A. M., & Tucker, J. M. (1993). The composition of 150-hour accounting programs: An empirical investigation. Issues in Accounting Education, 8, 273-291. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Nuorkauppakamari. (2012). Debatin SM-Kilpailut. Retrieved November 12, 2012 from: http://www.debatti.fi Google Scholar | WorldCat

Pederson, J., Tkachuk, H., & Allen, M. (2008). How perceived situational frequency and situational importance affect communication apprehension: A cross cultural analysis. Journal of Intercultural Communication Research, 37, 189–198. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Pörhöla, M. (1997). Trait anxiety, experience, and the public speaking state responses of Finnish university students. Communication Research Reports, 14, 367-384. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Pryor, B., Bulter, J., & Boehringer, K. (2005). Communication apprehension and cultural context: A comparison of communication apprehension in Japanese and American students. North American Journal of Psychology, 7, 247-252. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Richmond, V. P., McCroskey, J. C., McCroskey, L. L., & Fayer, J. M. (2008). Communication traits in first and second language: Puerto Rico. Journal of Intercultural Communication Research, 37, 65-73. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Robinson, T. E. (1997). Communication apprehension and the basic public speaking course: A national survey of in class treatment techniques. Communication Education, 46, 188- 197. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Sallinen-Kuparinen, A., McCroskey, J. C., & Richmond, V. P. (1991). Willingness to communicate, communication apprehension, introversion, and self-reported communication competence: Finnish and American comparisons. Communication Research Reports, 8, 55-64. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Schleef, E. (2009). A cross-cultural investigation of German and American academic style. Journal of Pragmatics, 41, 1104-1124. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Teven, J. J., Richmond, V. P., McCroskey, J. C., & McCroskey, L. L. (2010). Updating relationships between communication traits and communication competence. Communication Research Reports, 27, 263-270. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Valjakka, M. (2007). Is modesty attractive? Study of the present and future states of the entrepreneurial skills of Finnish small and medium-sized entrepreneurs. In Dowling, J. & Schmude, J. (Eds.). Empirical entrepreneurship in Europe. New perspectives. Cheltenham UK: Edward Elgar Publishing. 135-154 Google Scholar | WorldCat

Verband der Debattierclubs an Hochschulen (VDCH). (2012). Warum debattieren? Retrieved November 15, 2012 from: http://www.vdch.de/debattieren Google Scholar | WorldCat

Authors

Stephen M. Croucher
(Primary Contact)
Mélodine Sommier
Diyako Rahmani
Juliane Appenrodt
Author Biographies

Stephen M. Croucher

Stephen M. Croucher (Ph.D., University of Oklahoma, 2006) is a Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Jyväskylä.

Mélodine Sommier

Mélodine Sommier (MA, University of Jyväskylä, 2012) is a Doctoral student in the Department of Communication.

Diyako Rahmani

Diyako Rahmani is a Doctoral Student in the Department of Communication at the University of Jyväskylä.

Juliane Appenrodt

Juliane Appenrodt (MA, University of Jyväskylä, 2013) is a working professional in Germany.

Croucher, S. M., Sommier, M., Rahmani, D., & Appenrodt, J. (2015). A Cross-Cultural Analysis of Communication Apprehension A Comparison of Three European Nations. Journal of Intercultural Communication, 15(2), 1-09. https://doi.org/10.36923/jicc.v15i2.693

Article Details

How to Cite

Croucher, S. M., Sommier, M., Rahmani, D., & Appenrodt, J. (2015). A Cross-Cultural Analysis of Communication Apprehension A Comparison of Three European Nations. Journal of Intercultural Communication, 15(2), 1-09. https://doi.org/10.36923/jicc.v15i2.693

Most read articles by the same author(s)