A longitudinal analysis of communication traits: communication apprehension, willingness to communicate, and self-perceived communication competence

ABSTRACT

This longitudinal study assessed the communication apprehension, willingness to communicate, and self-perceived communication competence for a group of participants across a 15-year span. In total, 220 of 237 participants completed the 15-year project. The data represent six time points, with data collections happening once every three years. The results show that meeting communication apprehension, dyadic communication apprehension, public communication apprehension, willingness to communicate, and self-perceived communication competence all changed across time, indicating these traditionally thought of trait-like variables behaved more as state-like characteristics. Group communication apprehension did not change over time, indicating it may be more trait-like than state like. Results are limited by evidence of poor temporal stability for the public communication apprehension, self-perceived communication competence, and willingness to communicate measures.

KEYWORDS:

• Communication apprehension
• willingness to communicate
• self-perceived communication competence
• trait
• state
• reliability
• temporal stability

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, upon reasonable request.

Notes

1. Traits often sit alongside “States” which are temporary patterns of behavior at a given point in time.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Massey Business School.

Notes on contributors

Stephen M Croucher

Stephen M Croucher Professor and Head of School, Communication, Journalism and Marketing at Massey University.

Stephanie Kelly

Stephanie Kelly Professor in the College of Business and Economics at North Carolina A&T State University.

Thao Nguyen

Thao Nguyen Doctoral Graduate, School, Communication, Journalism and Marketing at Massey University.

Kenneth Rocker

Kenneth Rocker Doctoral Candidate, School, Communication, Journalism and Marketing at Massey University.

Tommy Yotes

Tommy Yotes Doctoral Candidate, School, Communication, Journalism and Marketing at Massey University.

Joanna Cullinane

Joanna Cullinane Professor and Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor, Massey Business School, Massey University.