Psychology Assessment: PRPSA & Talkaholic Scale

This assignment presents two psychological assessment tools: the PRPSA (Personal Reactivity to Social Pressure Assessment) and the Talkaholic Scale. It provides step-by-step instructions on how to calculate scores for each scale, including identifying corresponding items and applying a scoring system. The assignment also offers interpretations of the scores, highlighting high, low, and borderline ranges for both assessments.

Running head: EFFECTIVE BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS
Effective Business Communications
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

1EFFECTIVE BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS
Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Diagnosis and Reflection...........................................................................................................2
Five communication diagnostic tools.....................................................................................2
Findings from the tools..........................................................................................................4
Two communication issues....................................................................................................6
Professional Interaction..........................................................................................................7
Literature review........................................................................................................................7
Introvert..................................................................................................................................7
Lack of confidence in face-to-face communication...............................................................8
Theoretical perspectives of communication...........................................................................9
Models of Communication.....................................................................................................9
Interpersonal behavior theory..............................................................................................11
Action plan...............................................................................................................................12
Timelines of Action plan......................................................................................................14
Conclusion................................................................................................................................15
Reference list............................................................................................................................16
Appendix 1...............................................................................................................................19
Appendix 2...............................................................................................................................20
Appendix 3...............................................................................................................................22
Appendix 4...............................................................................................................................24

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Appendix 5...............................................................................................................................26
Introduction
Communication is one of the most important qualities that are needed in a person to
succeed in any field. People with good communication skills have the ability create a mark
among those who encounter the person by any means (Argenti, 2015). The aim of this report
is to provide an in depth analysis of my communication style in the workplace. This will be
done using five tools that diagnose communication issues. After diagnosis shall be done, the
report will put forth two major communication issues that I have and a literature review will
be conducted on the communication issues. The last section will offer an action plan that will
help my communication style and will remove the issues that were previously detected with
the help of those diagnostic tools.
Diagnosis and Reflection
Five communication diagnostic tools
For an organization to run effectively and successfully, an efficient workplace
communication is very essential. To maintain a healthy morale in the workplace, employees
must communicate correctly with each other (Zhang & Venkatesh, 2013). In the report five
tools will be used to diagnose communication issues, they are- Self Perceived
Communication Competence scale (SPCC), Personal report of Intellectual communication
Apprehension (PRICA), Non-Verbal Immediacy Scale-Self report, Personal report of Public
Speaking Anxiety (PRPSA) and Talkaholic Scale.
Self-Perceived Communication Competence scale (SPCC)

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The SPCC scale was formulated to gain information about the extent to which people
feel themselves to able to communicate in various contexts and with a wide range of
receivers (Croucher, 2013). This scale allows the respondents to define their competence
areas in communication. The perceived ability of the one who communicates is more
important than that of the outsider hence the respondent plays an active role in this tool for
measuring communication competence. The tool measures the willingness of an individual to
communicate or initiate a communication (Ziegele & Reinecke, 2017). A 12-item scale that
assesses the competence of the communicator is the SPCC. It is often found that a person can
communicate in a certain situation in a certain way but the style changes as soon as the
situation or environment is switched. The SPCC evaluates this difference and brings out the
level of comfort an individual has in communicating with people in various contexts.
Personal report of Intercultural Communication Apprehension (PRICA)
This test measures the apprehension that an individual faces while communicating
with people from other groups. The intercultural communication at the workplace needs to be
effective while working in an organization because in this modern day, people from various
communities are joining an organization and if the members do not communicate with each
other then it will be lead to miscommunication and people will start having differences
between them (Neuliep, 2017). The PRICA measures that to what extent a person is fearless
in communicating with a person from a different cultural or ethnic group.
Non-verbal immediacy scale-self report
Nonverbal Immediacy is a term used to portray the practices used to flag constructive
emotions towards someone else. The Nonverbal Immediacy Scale measures singular
contrasts in articulation of nonverbal promptness (Manusov, 2014). The test includes the
various body language and instincts that are followed by a person while communicating. The

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non-verbal cues allow understanding the nature of the person and the level of comfort that
one feels while communicating with another person (Beattie & Ellis, 2017). The non-verbal
cues differ with the nature of relationship one share with the other person with whom the
communication is being held.
Personal report of Public Speaking Anxiety (PRPSA)
The aim of this test is to understand the extent to which an individual is apprehensive
and anxious when it comes to public speaking. The test puts forwards 34 statements that are
to be marked by the individual as apt or not for them in respect to giving a public speech or
presentation. Every individual has this problem with public speaking that they feel nervous
and anxious but they conquer it and emerge as successful speakers in life. The test clearly
marks out the areas of concern for an individual so that they can work on it and reduce their
inability at delivering an efficient public speech (Leary, 2013). The level of anxiety that a
person faces while giving a public speech can be assessed perfectly using this tool as it covers
all the areas that are required to understand the fears if an individual in public speaking.
Talkaholic scale
According to Worthington (2017), the talkaholic scale is a measure that analyzes the
nature of people who are unable to control their urge to speak even in situation that does not
require their words. These are compulsive communicators and they have the nature to speak
and interact to the maximum extent. The tool helps in understanding that whether a person is
a compulsive speaker or not.
Findings from the tools
Findings from Self-perceived Communication Competence Scale (SPCC): The
results of SPCC show that I have a problem in interacting with people who are strangers to

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me and I cannot effectively pitch an idea to them. My total SPCC score is 51.6 which is low
and shows that my communication skills need some correction. The test focuses on the issue
of communicating with strangers as my main concern for improvement. Score for friends and
acquaintance stands at 70 whereas the same score goes down to 15 when I’m faced with
strangers. I do hesitate to pass on my idea to a group that is completely unknown to me and
my expression is constricted due to this reason. My communication abilities are limited to a
comfort zone and this creates problem in me communicating with random individuals in my
work place or any immediate environment.
Findings from Personal report of Intercultural Communication Apprehension:
The findings of the test show that my intercultural communication skills are high and I can
interact with people from differing cultural background. The score is 56 which reflects that
my communication with such people who have different ethnic or cultural background is
quite good and I do not practice segmentation based on the lines of culture. If the person is
someone with whom I can communicate with ease then it does not matter that the individual
is from a different background. Mixing with people from different background only allows
knowing more about the different worldview that are prevalent (Liu, Volcic & Gallois, 2014).
Findings from Non-verbal Immediacy scale-self Report: The test results show that
my behavioral acceptance is quite low and this leads to people taking me for being an
Introvert and someone with high ego. Score for this test is 56 which is very low and the
reason is that I cannot effectively showcase my body language to people and this leads to
people being repelled from me. According to Siegman (2014), lack of proper eye contact with
the other person often leads to that person believing that an individual is not interested in the
conversation.

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Findings from Personal report of Public Speaking Anxiety (PRPSA): The results
from this test show that I have a high level of anxiety when it comes to presenting a speech in
public. The test has 34 statements that test an individual if there is any fear of public speaking
or not. I agreed to most of the statements that had mentions of nervousness, anxiety,
confusion and sweating before a public speech. The results hence show that I lack confidence
in communicating with people on a larger scale. The anxiety takes over me and derails me
completely of my thoughts and things become haphazard in my speech. I avoid such speeches
and whenever I am faced with such situation, I lose track of all sanity.
Findings from the talkaholic scale: This test shows that I am not someone who is a
compulsive communicator. My score is 13 which is very low and according to the test results
it is clear that I speak very less and this is negative for me because there are times when I
need to speak I remain silent and many opportunities slip away from my hand. My lack of
confidence for face-to-face communication leads to me being silent and missing out on
opportunities that could benefit me and help me create a better prospect for myself. The
inability to speak at crucial stages due to inner constraints is a big disadvantage and the test
rightly points out that fact with the results.
Two communication issues
After taking the tests, I figured out some issues that I have in my communicating with
others. The first one is that I have low self-confidence when it comes to having direct face-to-
face conversation with people. This prevents me from clearly sharing my ideas with people
and then it leads into people having negative ideas about me. The second issue that I have is
that of being an introvert. I prefer being away from the focus of people and this leads to
people thinking that I have a big ego which stops me from participating along with everyone.

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Professional Interaction
A week back, I was assigned to do a presentation in front of two new clients at my
workplace. The presentation went very bad and I could not look into their eyes and explain
the entire idea of the project. I was so down with my self-confidence that every time I started
talking and my eyes met with theirs, I stopped midways and lost track of my speech. The
stage freight that I have prevents me from successfully performing any presentation in front
of an audience. Another scenario that took place was in the last month when the entire office
was getting ready for an in-house talent event. Everyone was performing and so did I but due
to my introvert attitude, I did not walk up and submit my name in any of the events and this
lead to people believing that I had an ego that was unbearable and hence they never asked me
for participation.
Literature review
Introvert
An introvert is a person who seemingly derives pleasure from being alone and feels at
unease when present in a stimulating environment like a social function or an office
gathering. It is seen that a person is not completely introvert or even a complete extrovert but
it depends on the situations and individual preferences (Al-Dujaily, Kim & Ryu, 2013).
People believe that individuals who are introverts are actually cold in nature and prefer to
stay aloof from everything. For introverts the outside world feels like a threat and a force that
torments their mental process and hence they prefer avoiding them. These people are in
constant introspection of the self and derive pleasure from it rather than mixing up people.
Often introverts are referred to as depressed people, but this is a misconception that people
bear in their mind. Depression is something that results from being emotionally strained or
alone (Gilbert, 2016). Introverts are not emotionally strained and they enjoy being alone and

8EFFECTIVE BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS
keeping things to themselves. People who are introverts take longer time to process their
thoughts and have deeper thinking process as compared to those who are extroverts. Having
such a problem in the communication skill can lead to serious issues in the workplace, as
people will feel that the person is cold, has a lot of ego, and hence avoids talking or mixing
up with people.
Lack of confidence in face-to-face communication
Confidence is a factor that has its roots in the trust that a person puts in the self. Face-
to-face communication is the oldest form of communication and it is essential that people are
well versed with it. The first and foremost kind of communication that a man makes with his
immediate surrounding is the face-to-face communication (Pierce, 2009). Every impression
that a person leaves is mostly based on that communication. When two people are
communicating for the first time in the workplace, a simple greeting from either side can act
as a complete icebreaker and lead to many more conversation and a better overall
environment of work. In this kind of communication, the sender and receiver are both face-
to-face and hence it is regarded as the most effective means of communication. Confidence
plays a major role for such communication to take place because people often have
apprehensions when they approach new people or are in a new environment (Klein et al.,
2017). In workplace communication, people have to be fearless and free from any kind of
anxiety so that they can freely communicate with people and create a better rapport. When it
comes to giving presentation to the clients, this self-confidence is very much an essential part
that will enable an individual to clearly present an idea or a project to the clients and also
make sure that the communication remains a two way process. The person communicating
must trust on the words that leaves his mouth, the more the trust will be, the higher the
confidence will be (Van Der Roest, Kleiner & Kleiner, 2015).

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Theoretical perspectives of communication
The theoretical perspectives of communication are as follows-
Mechanical- The mechanical perspective regards communication as a completely
mechanical process that includes transfer of information between the sender and receiver.
Psychological- According to Liu (2014), in this approach, communication is referred
to as a process that not only transmits information but it also enables the flow of emotions
and thoughts between the sender and the receiver.
Societal- In this perspective, communication is referred to as the process that takes
place due to content. It is basically a result of the interpersonal communication that is
prevalent in the society. People living in a society will eventually communicate with each
other due to some personal need or some common need and hence communication will take
place.
Systematical- Communication is referred to as a piece of information that people
create according to their own perspectives and hence interpret according to their own style
and understanding.
Models of Communication
Shannon and Weaver
Shannon and Weaver proposed one of the foremost models of communication that
includes a sender, receiver and a channel (McQuail & Windahl, 2015). According to the
model, a piece of information is transmitted from a sender to a receiver through a channel.
The channel in workplace communication is the language that is used to communicate. The
model mentions of an interesting concept that is termed as ‘noise’. ‘Noise’ refers to the
disruptions that take place in the communication process due to certain things. In workplace

10EFFECTIVE BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS
communication, ‘noise’ can be the psychological bondage that an individual may have in
connecting with another person (Brumm, 2013). The introvert attitude of a person can be a
noise that will disrupt the entire communication process and lead to ineffective
communication. The problem according to the model remains in understanding how the
message that is sent will be decoded. A weak communicator at any end may lead to a
complete wrong understanding of the content and hence the desired reaction may not be
generated (Baecker, 2013).
Figure 1: Shanon-Weaver Model of Communication
Source: ("Shannon and Weaver Model of Communication", 2018)

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Schramm’s model of communication
The profounder of this model, Wilbur Schramm proposed that communication is a
two way process and both the sender and receiver sends and receives messages in turns.
Every sender encodes messages and then sends it to the receiver and then the receiver
decodes it (Watson & Hill, 2015). This model is known to be adapted from Osgood and
hence it is known as the Osgood and Schramm Model of communication. It is commonly
referred to as the Encode-Decode Model of Communication. The components of this theory
are-
 Sender or the transmitter is the one who transmits the message.
 Encoder- The person who coverts the information into codes and enables it to be
transferred to the receiver.
 Interpreter is the receiver of the message who tries to decode the message and
understand the information that has been coded into the message.
 Message- It is the information that is being sent from the sender to the receiver.
 Feedback- It is a very essential feature of this model of communication. A
communication that generates no feedback may well be taken as an unsuccessful
communication process. It is a response to the message that has been received. Low
feedback results to people communicating lesser and falling apart from each other.
 Noise- The various interferences that are caused in the communication process are
known as noise and this noise can result to the communication process to being
disrupted and left incomplete.
 Medium- The medium is the media that is used to transfer the message or
information from the sender to the receiver.

12EFFECTIVE BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS
Fig 2- Schramm’s model of communication
Source- ("Schramm's Model of Communication | Businesstopia", 2018)
Psychological Noise
The idea of noise in communication needs to be understood in order to know the
various implications that restrict an individual to communicate freely with others. Noise in
communication is anything that acts as a barrier to the entire communication process and
disrupts the cycle of communication. Noise can be both external and internal in nature.
External noises are the influences that disrupt the sending and receiving of messages between
the sender and receiver. The external influences can range from natural causes such as
weather issues to problems relating to the location or even loud noises from the surrounding
environment. The internal influences are the ones that restrict an individual from
communicating with the other and this comes from within the sender or the receiver. A form
of noise is known as the psychological noise and this kind of noise is about the bondage that

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people have in their psychology and hence feel restricted to communicate with others. The
psychological noise comes from within the two constants involved in the communication
process. The mental setup and certain apprehensions on the part of either sender of receiver
constitutes this problem and lead to inefficiency in the communication process. The way a
person perceives himself and the other around him constitutes the majority of the problems
that arise in the psychological noise section (McCabe & Timmins, 2013).
Interpersonal behavior theory
Triandis’ theory of Interpersonal Behavior
Harry Triandis developed a theory of interpersonal communication, which suggested
that an individual’s behavior is much depended on various social factors and emotions
(Argyle, 2013). It is highly influenced by the kind of past behavior that person has faced. A
person is a reflection of the past behavior that was put against him at various stages of life.
Habits play a major role in the behavior of a person because habits are reflect the thought
process of that individual. Societal norms that prescribe an individual’s behavior and action
are the factors that assign roles to the person concerned and he is expected to behave in that
certain way (Montano & Kasprzyk, 2015). Any response that an individual generates to a
situation is caused due to the various factors that surround that person; one or the other factor
that has been mentioned in this theory always influences that person’s decision (Shockley-
Zalabak, 2014).
Action plan
In order to succeed in my workplace, it is extremely essential for me to raise the bar
of my communication skills. In a period of 4 months from now, I wish to follow a strict
action plan that will allow self-confidence to grow and bring me out of a shell that engulfs me

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when I prepare for a face-to-face conversation. My introvert response to all gestures will be
reduced after these 4 months if I can stick to the plan.
Short-term courses
Self-development and improvement of the behavioral aspects of an individual has
numerous short-term courses that can be taken up to improve the communication skills.
These courses are both in online and offline streams and they are not high priced (Chen,
2014). The online courses start from as low as $9. I will take up a course on personal
development and another short course on behavioral therapy. These will help me working out
with the various flaws that I have in myself and hence start communicating at the workplace
and other situations in a better way.
Taking up post graduation course in communication
I plan to take up a postgraduate course in communication; this will lead me to fight
the fears that I have in public communications. These courses enable students to gain a
practical experience of the public sphere where an individual has to face the audience every
day. The fear of public speaking is reduced and the course creates room for multiple public
presentations that reduce the fear and induce self-confidence in the person (Bovée & Thill,
2013). The course creates a scope for all round development of the communication skills of
an individual and develops the same largely.
Reading plan
I plan to read certain books that are recommended for self-help and self-development.
Proper reading list allows development of the self and enhancement of the communication
skills. I plan to read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People a book by Stephen R. Covey. It
is a self help book and it contains certain fundamental principles and ideas that should be

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followed to ensure success in life. The other book that I wish to read is The Art of Public
Speaking authored by Dale Carnegie. This book will provide much-needed tips to boost my
self-confidence and improve my public speaking abilities. My lack of confidence results in
the failure of delivering a presentation or speech in front of a wide audience and this read will
help me enhancing the skills needed to perform better in such situations.
Maintaining a self-journal
Such journal will help me to keep a track of the progress that I have achieved in
pursuance of my action plan. I will update the journal every night to keep track of the process
that I will be following every day to upgrade my communication skills.
Mirror sessions
Practicing speeches and presentations in front of the mirror will help me in being
confident about my style of communication. I can work on improving my body language in
front of the mirror so that when I use it in the practical field, it comes out as pitch perfect.
Communicate with people
I will communicate with people and remove myself from the shell that I have been
living in. My apprehensive attitude should be removed and communicating with more
number of people will lead me to being free in interacting with others. If my communication
approach is negated by anyone then I will not take it personally but continue to communicate
with others so that my introvert attitude is removed.
Timelines of Action plan
Activities Week 1 Week 3 Week 5 Week 8 Week 12 Week 16

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Maintaining
journal
✓
Start reading
book
✓
Take short
communication
courses
✓
Mirror sessions ✓
Search on
communication
course on Post
graduation
✓
Start
implementing
on personal
and
professional
life
✓
Table 1: Gantt chart
(Source: Self-developed)
Conclusion
The reflective analysis on my communication skills helped me in getting a better idea
of the parts in which I need to work and improve. The tools allowed me to understand the
flaws that I have within me and brought light to the issue of me being an introvert and the

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lack of self-confidence for public speaking or fact-to-face communication. The literature
review provided the theoretical aspects that are to be noted in about my incompetency in
communicating effectively in the workplace. After a thorough study, pursuance of the action
plan will help in evolving me into a better communicator. Moreover, it is a fact that poor
communication skills will always deter professional growth hence improving them is the only
option left to attain growth in career.

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Reference list
Al-Dujaily, A., Kim, J., & Ryu, H. (2013). Am I extravert or introvert? Considering the
personality effect toward e-learning system. Journal of Educational Technology &
Society, 16(3).
Argenti, P. A. (2015). Corporate communication. McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
Argyle, M. (2013). Cooperation (Psychology Revivals): The Basis of Sociability. Routledge.
Baecker, D. (2013). Systemic theories of communication. en Cobley, P & Schulz, PJ.(eds).
Theories and Models of Communication. De Gruyter: Germany, 85-100.
Beattie, G., & Ellis, A. W. (2017). The psychology of language and communication.
Routledge.
Bovée, C. L., & Thill, J. V. (2013). Business communication essentials. Pearson Higher Ed.
Brumm, H. (Ed.). (2013). Animal communication and noise(Vol. 2). Springer Science &
Business Media.
Chen, S. J. (2014). Instructional design strategies for intensive online courses: An objectivist-
constructivist blended approach. Journal of interactive online learning, 13(1).
Croucher, S. M. (2013). Communication apprehension, self-perceived communication
competence, and willingness to communicate: A French analysis. Journal of
International and Intercultural Communication, 6(4), 298-316.
Gilbert, P. (2016). Depression: The evolution of powerlessness. Routledge.

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Klein, E. R., Armstrong, S. L., Skira, K., & Gordon, J. (2017). Social Communication
Anxiety Treatment (S-CAT) for children and families with selective mutism: A pilot
study. Clinical child psychology and psychiatry, 22(1), 90-108.
Leary, M. R. (2013). Social Anxiety, Shyness, and. Measures of Personality and Social
Psychological Attitudes: Measures of Social Psychological Attitudes, 1, 161.
Liu, B. F., & Fraustino, J. D. (2014). Beyond image repair: Suggestions for crisis
communication theory development. Public Relations Review, 40(3), 543-546.
Liu, S., Volcic, Z., & Gallois, C. (2014). Introducing intercultural communication: Global
cultures and contexts. Sage.
Manusov, V. L. (Ed.). (2014). The sourcebook of nonverbal measures: Going beyond words.
Psychology Press.
McCabe, C., & Timmins, F. (2013). Communication skills for nursing practice. Palgrave
Macmillan.
McQuail, D., & Windahl, S. (2015). Communication models for the study of mass
communications. Routledge.
Montano, D. E., & Kasprzyk, D. (2015). Theory of reasoned action, theory of planned
behavior, and the integrated behavioral model. Health behavior: Theory, research and
practice (.
Neuliep, J. W. (2017). Intercultural communication: A contextual approach. Sage
Publications.

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Pierce, T. (2009). Social anxiety and technology: Face-to-face communication versus
technological communication among teens. Computers in Human Behavior, 25(6),
1367-1372.
Schramm's Model of Communication | Businesstopia. (2018). Businesstopia.net. Retrieved 29
January 2018, from https://www.businesstopia.net/communication/schramms-model-
communication
Shockley-Zalabak, P. (2014). Fundamentals of organizational communication. Sydney:
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Siegman, A. W. (2014). Nonverbal behavior and communication. Psychology Press.
Van Der Roest, D., Kleiner, K., & Kleiner, B. (2015). Self Efficacy: The Biology Of
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Publishing USA.
Worthington, D. L. (2017) Talkaholic Scale (Compulsive Communication Scale)(TAS). The
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Willingness to Respond to SNS Status. Computers in Human Behavior.

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Appendix 1
Self-Perceived Com unication Competence Scale (SPCC)
Presume 0 = completely incompetent and 100 = competent.
1. Present a talk to a group of strangers. 20
2. Talk with an acquaintance.85
3. Talk in a large meeting of friends. 50
4. Talk in a small group of strangers. 15
5. Talk with a friend. 90
6. Talk in a large meeting of acquaintances. 70
7. Talk with a stranger. 15
8. Present a talk to a group of friends. 60
9. Talk in a small group of acquaintances. 60
10. Talk in a large meeting of strangers. 10
l 1. Talk in a small group of friends. 80
12. Present a talk to a group of acquaintances. 65
Scoring: To compute the sub-scores, add the percentages for the items indicated and divide
the total by the number indicated below.
Public 1 + 8 + 12; divide by 3. = 48.33
Meeting 3 + 6 + 10; divide by 3. =43.33
Group 4 + 9 + 11; divide by 3. = 51.66
Dyad 2 + 5 + 7; divide by 3. = 63.33
Stranger 1 + 4 + 7 + 10; divide by 4.= 15

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Acquaintance 2 + 6 + 9 + 12; divide by 4 = 70
Friend 3 + 5 + 8 + 1]; divide by 4 = 70
Total SPCC= 51.66
Public > 86 High SPCC < 51 Low SPCC
Meeting > 85 High SPCC < 5] Low SPCC
Group > 90 High SPCC < 61 Low SPCC
Dyad > 93 High SPCC < 68 Low SPCC
Stranger > 79 High SPCC < 31 Low SPCC
Acquaintance > 92 High SPCC < 62 Low SPCC
Friend > 99 High SPCC < 76 Low SPCC
Total > 87 High SPCC < 59 Low SPCC
Higher SPCC scores indicate higher self-perceived communication competence with
basic communication contexts (public, meeting, group, dyad) and receivers (strangers,
acquaintance, friend).
Appendix 2
Personal Report of Intercultural Communication Apprehension (PRICA)
Please indicate how much you agree with these statements by marking a number
representing your response to each statement using the
following choices: Strongly Disagree = 1; Disagree = 2; are Neutral = 3; Agree = 4;
Strongly Agree = 5
1. Generally, I am comfortable interacting with a group of people from different
cultures. 3

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2. I am tense and nervous while interacting with pe0ple from different cultures. 3
3. I like to get involved in group discussion with others who are from different
cultures. 2
4. Engaging in a grOUp discussion with peOple from different cultures makes me
nervous. 5
5. I am calm and relaxed with interacting with a group of people who are from
different cultures. 3
6. While participating in a conversation with a person from a different culture, I get
nervous. 4
7. I have no fear of speaking up in a conversation with a person from a different
culture. 2
8. Ordinarily I am very tense and nervous in a conversation with person from a
different culture. 4
9. Ordinarily 1 am very calm and relaxed in conversations with a person from a
different culture. 2
10. While conversing with a person from a different culture, 1 feel very relaxed. 2
11. I am afraid to speak up in conversations with a person from a different culture. 4
12. 1 face the prospect of interacting with people from different cultures with
confidence. 1
13. My thoughts become confused and jumbled when interacting with people from
different cultures. 5

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14. Communicating with people from different cultures makes me feel
uncomfortable. 4
Scoring: To compute the PRICA score, complete the following steps:
Step 1. Add the scores for the following items: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, and 12 = 15
Step 2. Add the scores for the following items: 2, 4, 6, 8, 11, 13, and 14 = 29
Step 3. Complete the following formula: PRICA score = 42 - Total from Step 1 + Total from
Step 2. = 56
Scores can range from 14 to 70. Scores below 32 indicate low intercultural CA. Scores above
52 indicate high intercultural CA. Scores ranging between 32 and 52 indicate a moderate
level of intercultural CA.
Appendix 3
Nonverbal Immediacy Scale- Self Report (NIS-S)
Please use the following 5-point scale: I =
Never; 2 = Rarely; 3 = Occasionally; 4 = Often; 5 = Very Often
I. I use my hands and arms to gesture while talking to people. 2
2. I touch others on the shoulder or arm while talking to them. 2
3. I use a monotone or dull voice while talking to people. 4
4. I look over or away from others while talking to them. 4
5. I move away from others when they touch me while we are talking. 3
6. I have a relaxed body position when I talk to people. 3

25EFFECTIVE BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS
7. I frown while talking to people. 3
8. I avoid eye contact while talking to people. 5
9. I have a tense body position while talking to people. 4
10. I sit close or stand close to people while talking with them. 2
11. My voice is monotonous or dull when I talk to peeple. 4
12. I use a variety of vocal expressions when I talk to people. 2
l3. I gesture when I talk to people. 2
14. I am animated when I talk to people. 2
15. I have a bland facial expression when I talk to people. 4
16. I move closer to people when I talk to them. 1
17. I look directly at people while talking to them. 3
18. I am stiff when I talk to people. 4
19. I have a lot of vocal variety when I talk to people. 2
2O. I avoid gesturing while 1 am talking to people. 4
21. I lean toward people when I talk to them. 2
22. I maintain eye contact with people when I talk to them. 3
23. I try not to sit or stand close to people when I talk with them. 4
24. I lean away from people when I talk to them. 3
25. I smile when I talk to people. 3

26EFFECTIVE BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS
26. I avoid touching people when I talk to them. 5
Scoring:
Step 1. Add the scores from the following items: 1, 2, 6, 10, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, I9, 21, 22,
and 25 = 29
Step 2. Add the scores from the following items: 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 15, 18, 20, 23, 24, and
26 = 51
Total Score = 78 plus Step 1 minus Step 2 = 56
LOW
Appendix 4
Personal Report of Public Speaking Anxiety (PRPSA)
Please indicate whether or not you believe each statement applies to you by marking whether
you:
Strongly Disagree = 1; Disagree = 2; Neutral = 3; Agree = 4; Strongly Agree = 5.
1. While preparing for giving a speech, I feel tense and nervous. 5
2. I feel tense when I see the words “speech” and “public speech” on a course outline
when studying. 5
3. My thoughts become confused and jumbled when I am giving a speech. 5
4. Right after giving a speech I feel that I have had a pleasant experience. 1
5. I get anxious when I think about a speech coming up. 5
6. I have no fear of giving a speech. 2
7. Although I am nervous just before starting a speech, I soon settle down after starting
and feel calm and comfortable. 2

27EFFECTIVE BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS
8. I look forward to giving a speech. 2
9. When the instructor announces a speaking assignment in class, I can feel myself
getting tense. 5
10. My hands tremble when I am giving a speech. 4
11. I feel relaxed while giving a speech. 2
12. I enjoy preparing for a speech. 2
13. I am in constant fear of forgetting what I prepared to say. 5
14. I get anxious if someone asks me something about my t0pic that I don’t know. 5
15. I face the prospect of giving a speech with confidence. 2
16. I feel that I am in complete possession of myself while giving a speech. 1
17. My mind is clear when giving a speech. 2
18. I do not dread giving a speech. 2
19. I perspire just before starting a speech. 4
20. My heart beats very fastjust as I start a speech. 5
21. I experience considerable anxiety while sitting in the room just before my speech
starts. 5
22. Certain parts of my body feel very tense and rigid while giving a speech. 4
23. Realizing that only a little time remains in a speech makes me very tense and
anxious. 4
24. While giving a speech, I know I can control my feelings of tension and stress. 2
25. I breathe faster just before starting a speech. 4
26. I feel comfortable and relaxed in the hour or so just before giving a speech. 1
27. 1 do poorer on Speeches because I am anxious. 5
28. I feel anxious when the teacher announces the date of a speaking assignment. 5

28EFFECTIVE BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS
29. When 1 make a mistake while giving a speech, I find it hard to concentrate on the
parts that follow. 5
30. During an important speech I experience a feeling of helplessness building up
inside me. 4
31. I have trouble falling asleep the night before a speech. 4
32.My heart beats very fast while I present a speech. 4
33. I feel anxious while waiting to give my speech. 4
34. While giving a speech, I get so nervous I forget facts I really know. 5
Scoring: To determine your score on the PRPSA, complete the following steps:
Step 1. Add scores for items 1, 2, 3, 5,9, 10, 13, 14, 19,20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30,31,
32, 33, and 34 = 102
Step 2. Add the scores for items 4, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 18, 24, and 26 = 21
Step 3. Complete the following formula:
PRPSA = 72 - Total from Step 2 + Total from Step 1 = 153 (HIGH)
Your score should be between 34 and 170. If your score is below 34 or above 170, you have
made a mistake in computing the score.
High = > 131
Low = < 98

29EFFECTIVE BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS
Appendix 5
Talkaholic Scale
Strongly Disagree =l: Disagree = 2; Neutral = 3; Agree = 4; Strongly Agree= 5
1. Often I keep quiet when l should talk 5
2. I talk more than I should sometimes 1
3. Often. I talk when I know 1 should keep quiet 1
4. Sometimes I keep quiet when I know it would be to my advantage to talk 5
5. I am a "talkaholic" 2
6. Sometimes I feel compelled to keep quiet 3
7. In general. I talk more than I should 1
8. 1 am a compulsive talker 2
9. 1 am not a talker; rarely do I talk in communication situations 5
10. Quite a few people have said I talk too much 1
11. ljust can't stop talking too much 1
12. In general, I talk less than i should 5
13. lam not a "talkaholic" 5
14. Sometimes l talk when I know it would be to my advantage to keep quiet 2
15. l talk less than 1 should sometimes 5
16. 1 am not a compulsive talker 5