Anxiety

In Chapter 14 on speech delivery, we offer practical tips to help you build your confidence and face the natural anxiety that accompanies a speaking opportunity. Many of these tips are also useful for overcoming anxiety in intercultural encounters. For example, Allison might visualize her success in navigating a foreign city in order to boost her sense of efficacy.

“What if I say something offensive?” “What if I don’t know how to behave?” “What if I embarrass myself?” These are just a few of the worries that people sometimes have as they approach intercultural communication encounters. Consider the experience of Allison, an American student about to set off on a semester abroad in China:

Here I was, standing, in the check-out line of the Chinese market in Rockville, Maryland, listening to the cashier yell at me with an incomprehensible stream of syllables. This was after a rather harrowing attempt to find groceries in the overcrowded store. A year of Chinese wasn’t helping me as I stood in front of an entire display of green vegetables, trying to figure out which sign would lead me to my desired product. During all of this, my accompanying friend turned to me and said, “This is how crowded it will be wherever you go in China” (Goodrich, 2007, para. 1).

image
THE IDEA OF STUDYING abroad may initially cause you anxiety, but positive experiences in a foreign country can make you a more competent and interculturally sensitive communicator. Ryan Sensenig/Photo Agora

You can probably imagine Allison’s anxiety as she considered her upcoming adventure: if she felt uncomfortable navigating the market just a few miles from her dorm, how would she be able to communicate effectively several thousand miles away?

But for most of us, the more positive experiences we have with those who differ from us, the less intimidated we feel about communicating with someone from another culture. And the less intimidated we feel, the more competent our communication becomes. In fact, one study found that American students who took the risk and studied abroad perceived themselves as being more proficient, approachable, and open to intercultural communication than those who lacked overseas experience (Clarke, Flaherty, Wright, & McMillen, 2009). Even online interactions across cultures may ease anxiety and foster understanding. Digital tools such as Skype, e-mail, and Google Docs enable students in globally connected classrooms to engage in international communication experiences even if physical travel is not feasible (Rubin, 2013).

Although anxiety may be a natural part of any new experience or interaction, it would be unfortunate to allow it to prevent you from experiencing the clear benefits and enrichment gained from intercultural experiences.