Chapter 9 Communicating in Groups 267team members, make less significant contributions to the group discussions,
and perceive group discussions as less positive than do members of the team
with low levels of communication apprehension (Comadena, 1984; Jablin,
Seibold, & Sorensen, 1977; Jablin & Sussman, 1978; Sorenson & McCroskey,
1977). Team members experiencing communication apprehension are also less
likely to be perceived as leaders (Hawkins & Stewart, 1991). Within the work
environment, those with high levels of communication apprehension prefer to
work independently, engage in more listening and observation than action dur-
ing group interactions, and respond less favorably to change and evolving task
demands (Russ, 2012).
What explains this communication apprehension? Scholars have identified
several causes (Schullery & Gibson, 2001):
cLack of self-esteem. When individuals doubt the worth of their contributions,
they may decline to speak up in a group. Fear of being wrong, of being
mocked, or of creating a bad impression can further lead to communication
apprehension.c Status differences. Group members who hold a relatively low position in
the group’s social or political hierarchy may avoid disagreeing with their
superiors in the group because they fear retribution from the more powerful
persons.
c Unbalanced participation. When a group member—or a small number of
group members—dominates the conversation in a group, the less aggressive
members may retreat from communicating. This strongly influences how
decisions are made in the group.
Some simple techniques can help a group address communication apprehen-
sion among members. For example, to ease self-esteem problems, consider starting
a group meeting by having each member tell the member to the left what he or she
appreciates about that person. To neutralize status differences, have members sit
in a circle and invite lower-status members to speak before higher-status ones. To
rebalance participation, suggest a norm that calls for everyone to weigh in on ideas
presented in the group. Or look for members who are holding back and invite
them specifically to contribute their views.
You may be wondering how communication apprehension manifests or changes
in the somewhat anonymous world of online groups. Indeed, the online environ-
ment affords those with high communication apprehension more anonymity and
less social risk (Curtis, 1997; Ward & Tracey, 2004), and shy individuals tend to
report less communication apprehension during discussions conducted online
rather than face to face (Hammick & Lee, in press). However, research relating to
the impact of communication apprehension in online contexts is mixed and has
produced inconsistent findings (Flaherty, Pearce, & Rubin, 1998; Hunt, Atkin,
& Krishnan; 2012; McKenna, 1998; Patterson & Gojdycz, 2000). Studies reveal
that shy and apprehensive college students self-disclose much less on Facebook, are
less self-expressive, and have fewer friends (Hunt et al., 2012; Sheldon, 2008). But
regardless of the channel (traditional or online), communicatively apprehensive indi-
viduals are more reticent to participate in groups.
CONNECT
If you suffer from com-
munication apprehension
in groups, you’re probably
aware of the negative
effects it can have on your
social and professional
life. Luckily, there are many
practical strategies for
dealing with apprehension,
as we discuss in Chapter- Check out our tips on
desensitizing yourself,
visualizing your success,
and taking care of yourself
in anxiety-producing
situations.