NO MORE ZOOM GLOOMS
How understanding Communication Apprehension can change our
outlook of Zoom calls.
By Megan Janssen
Muted mics, interruptions, black
screens, sketchy signals, and more.
This is the look of our new world of
communication found through the
virtual platform Zoom. In this new
world, building connections and
producing quality discussions
among members on Zoom meetings
can be difficult. This is a major
setback because video calls and
conferencing are being utilized for
needs both big and small. So,
despite all the conveniences Zoom
provides, video calls elicit a key
obstacle, one that seems to have no
end in sight. Nevertheless, this
major issue can be described and
alleviated through an inside
investigation of communication
theories. While many cannot
describe the exact phenomenon
that causes this difficulty in
relationships and discussions
through Zoom, much of this
awkwardness, tension, discomfort,
and anxiety can be attributed to
communication apprehension (CA;
McCroskey, 1970). CA can lead to
struggles among individuals and
teams, so it is important to fully
understand the issue, learn about
the theory and its facets/types, and
find an applicable solution to
mitigate such problems.
To gain a better grasp of the Zoom
struggles businesses face, I
discussed the situation with the
CEO of the South Dakota State
University Research Park, Dwaine
Chapel. He described the battles
he and his colleagues face when
meeting over Zoom. The following
are his grievances: “When you
have five or more people on a
video conferencing meeting, you
tend not to get a good quality of
productivity out of everyone,
because people are walking over
each other just trying to talk,”
“People do not get to complete
their train of thought sometimes
because they are interrupted
more readily,” and “It’s more
difficult to have stronger
relationships [among those in a
Zoom meeting].” These are just
some of the sentiments a career
professional has regarding
communication in Zoom meetings
(D. Chapel, personal
communication, February 3, 2021).
CONTINUED
 WHAT IS COMMUNICATION APPREHENSION?
CA can be attributed to these Zoom issues,
whether or not individuals are aware of it.
Communication Apprehension (CA) was first
coined by James C. McCroskey. In his work,
McCroskey (1970) stated that the phenomenon
of communication apprehension was, “…a
variety of ‘types’ of communication-bound
anxiety” (p. 270). While McCroskey was
referring specifically to oral communication
originally, the theory has evolved to represent
“an individual’s level of fear or anxiety
associated with either real or anticipated
communication with another person or
persons” (Lindberg, 2021, para. 4). In other
words, CA is the anxiety one feels when
anticipating or actually communicating with
others, whether it be one person or multiple.
This can result in shaking, sweating,
forgetfulness, nausea, etc. McCroskey argued
that there are four types of CA rather than just
one. The first type, trait apprehension, refers to
a relatively enduring level of apprehension
across a variety of situations. In this way, it is
akin to a personality trait. The second type,
context-based apprehension, is a form tied to a
specific context (i.e., public speaking, small
groups, official meetings, etc.). The third type
is audience-based apprehension, which is
linked with communication with a specific
audience (i.e., students, coworkers, superiors,
etc.). The final type, situational apprehension,
WHAT CAN BE DONE?
To mitigate the Zoom communication pain-
point through the lens of CA, the best solution
is socialization. Group socialization, as it would
is experienced when communicating with a
given person in a particular situation (i.e., first
date, interview, performance review, etc.)
(Lindberg, 2021).
While CA cannot always become obsolete in
people’s lives, certain steps can be taken to
alleviate the anxiety. This is more difficult to
accomplish over Zoom, but it is still possible.
Depending on the type of apprehension
encountered, one can ask the following
questions to him/herself: “What is the base fear
that causes your communication
anxiety? What types of context are you most
nervous to communicate in? Who are you most
nervous to speak with? What situations cause
you the most anxiety?” Only by discovering
one’s own apprehension type can one start to
test individual theories to mitigate such anxiety.
This could include keeping cameras off,
learning each member’s name, using the hand
function, and more. In the career field of CEOs,
like Chapel’s, one must be ready to
communicate in a variety of situations over
Zoom; therefore, knowing the type of
apprehension and how it is triggered can help
begin a process of coping and alleviating that
anxiety. Without a base knowledge, there is
little to work from to reduce one’s
apprehension.
be on Zoom calls, is the process whereby
members use verbal and nonverbal messages
to build a unique group culture. In all small
CONTINUED
 groups, socialization is a great key to success.
When an individual is acquainted and
connected to his/her group, communication
feels more natural as the relational bonds have
already been formed. This can decrease
anxiety greatly, allowing for a better discussion
to take place. Some easy examples of
socialization activities include ice breakers,
name games, general information sharing, etc.
This can last as long as needed, but an
appropriate time limit would be between five
and ten minutes. Beyond the simple activities,
it would be beneficial to create standards and
norms for the discussion to fall under before
starting the Zoom meeting. By sharing and
voting on set guidelines, it would help some
initial communication apprehension be put to
rest (especially concerning context anxiety).
This could include whether to have the
cameras on, how long people should share, a
basic principle of respect, and much more. All
of these activities and discussions can take
place at the beginning of the meeting, helping
start the conversation on a personable and
respectful tone. It is important to note that
groups who meet often do not need to
implement such activities each Zoom call;
rather, they can begin their first few meetings
this way, leaving out the games and
discussions in later meetings. Over time, after
socialization has been utilized, the group with
lower CA will be at ease, allowing for free-
flowing discussions and more quality work.
Socialization is the simple yet monumental
solution to the Zoom apprehension felt by
many.
In our current world, individuals and
businesses are finding it difficult to build
connections and produce quality discussions
among members on Zoom meetings, most of
which can be attributed to CA. The theory
argues that there are four types of
apprehension - trait, context, audience, and
situational - which can help one discover the
core fear that causes his/her anxiety. Once
that knowledge is established, the mitigation
practices of socialization and ethical standards
will help create better Zoom meetings. So, next
time you must attend such a dreaded Zoom
meeting, remember to unmute yourself, turn on
your camera, and let knowledge alleviate your
anxiety.

BIO
Megan Janssen is a senior Communication Studies major at South Dakota State University dedicated to
applying the tools of communication theory to relieving the “pain-points” of the research
park/entrepreneurial industry.

REFERENCES

Lindberg, C. (2021). What is communication apprehension? Definition, types, how to improve? Leadership Ahoy!. https://www.leadershipahoy.com/what
-is-communication-apprehension-definition-types-how-to-improve/

McCroskey, J. C. (1970). Measures of communication-bound anxiety. Speech Monographs, 37(4), 269.

https://doi-org.excelsior.sdstate.edu/10.1080/03637757009375677