“Re: We Really Need to Talk”: Affect for Communication Channels, Competence, and Fear of Negative Evaluation

Abstract

Demographic research has documented the ubiquitous use of computer-mediated communication (CMC). Researchers in this area have also explored various factors associated with CMC, including uses, gratifications, motives, and needs. This investigation examines the relationships among affect for communication channels (i.e., e-mail versus face-to-face), self-reports of competence, and fear of negative evaluation. Participants (N = 325) in an undergraduate public speaking course responded to three scales, Fear of Negative Evaluation (Leary, 1983), Affect for Communication Channels Scale (Kelly & Keaten, 2007), and a measure of communication competence. Results show that individuals who reported more competence when using e-mail (27%), as compared to individuals who reported more competence face-to-face (64%), also had greater affect for CMC, higher levels of fear of negative evaluation, and reported more use of e-mail in difficult personal situations.

Keywords:

• Affect for Communication Channels
• Communication Competence
• Computer-Mediated Communication
• E-mail
• Fear of Negative Evaluation

Notes

Note. Eigenvalues were generated based upon all 21 items. Abbreviations: IPC = increased preparation and control (with e-mail); EME = enhanced meaning and emotion (with face to face); RAI = reduced anxiety and inhibition (with e-mail). Italicized numbers signify primary factor loadings.

Note. Significance tests were conducted using the standardized residuals for each cell.

∗p < .05, ^† p < .01, ‡p < .001.

The symbol pr refers to partial correlation.

To assess the potential problem of multicollinearity within the step-wise regression models, variance inflation factors (VIF) were calculated and reported. A VIF of 10 or more signifies a problem with collinearity (Belsley, Kuh, & Welsch, 1980).

The symbol r _s refers to Spearman rank-order correlation.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

James A. Keaten

James A. Keaten (PhD, Penn State University, 1991) is a professor of communication studies at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colorado, USA.

Lynne Kelly

Lynne Kelly (PhD, Penn State University, 1991) is a professor of communication at the University of Hartford in West Hartford, Connecticut, USA.