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Communication Apprehension

Some people experience communication apprehension, fear or anxiety associated with interaction that keeps them from being able to communicate cooperatively (Daly, McCroskey, Ayres, Hopf, & Ayres, 2004). People with high levels of communication apprehension experience intense discomfort while talking with others, and therefore have difficulty forging productive relationships. Such individuals also commonly experience physical symptoms such as nervous stomach, dry mouth, sweating, increased blood pressure and heart rate, mental disorganization, and shakiness (McCroskey & Richmond, 1987).

Most of us experience communication apprehension at some points in our lives. The key to overcoming it is to develop communication plans—mental maps that describe exactly how communication encounters will unfold—prior to interacting in the situations or with the people or types of people that cause your apprehension. Communication plans have two elements. The first is plan actions, the “moves” you think you’ll perform in an encounter that causes you anxiety. Here, you map out in advance the topics you will talk about, the messages you will say in relation to these topics, and the physical behaviors you’ll demonstrate.

The second part of a communication plan is plan contingencies, the messages you think your communication partner or partners will say during the encounter and how you will respond. To develop plan contingencies, think about the topics your partner will likely talk about, the messages he or she will likely present, his or her reaction to your communication, and your response to your partner’s messages and behaviors.

When you implement your communication plan during an encounter that causes you apprehension, the experience is akin to playing chess. While you’re communicating, envision your next two, three, or four possible moves—your plan actions. Try to anticipate how the other person will respond to those moves and how you will respond in turn. The goal of this process is to interact with enough confidence and certainty to reduce the anxiety and fear you normally feel during such encounters.