The effects of imagery induced anxiety on communication apprehensive persons :

Abstract

The cross situational consistency and the predictive utility of communication apprehension (CA) has been questioned. The purpose of the study was to validate the concept of communication apprehension as a trait. Twenty-eight students were selected and assigned to two groups (high CA, low CA) based on their scores on the Personal Report of Communication Apprehension. They were asked to imagine different oral communication situations and rate the amount of anxiety perceived on the State Trait Anxiety Inventory. Two hypotheses were tested based on Spielberger's conceptualization of state-trait anxiety: a difference should be found between the frequency and the intensity of anxiety between groups. Neither hypothesis was supported; it was concluded that CA could not be conceptualized best as a trait.