Communication apprehension, willingness to communicate, and sense of humor: United States and New Zealand perspectives

Participants were 217 U.S. college students and 179 N.Z. college students. Results indicate N.Z. students sampled were significantly less willing to communicate and experienced greater communication apprehension than U.S. students sampled. N.Z. students reported enjoying humor less, being less able to recognize humor, and being less likely to use humor to cope with stress. Significant negative correlations were found for U.S. students between communication apprehension and humor variables (liking of humor, sensitivity to humor, and coping humor). Willingness to communicate was correlated positively with sensitivity to humor and coping humor. For N.Z. students significant positive correlations between communication apprehension and humor variables (liking of humor, sensitivity to humor and coping humor) were found. Willingness to communicate was negatively correlated with the same humor variables.

Key concepts:

• Communication apprehension
• Willingness to communicate
• Liking of humor
• Sensitivity to humor
• Coping humor
• Individualism
• Collectivism