Effects of types of cognitions on performance in oral briefings.

134 Pages·2.2 MB·en_US

by  Williams, Thomas B.;Thomas, Kenneth Wayne;Thomas, Gail Fann.

SMS

NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL
Monterey
California
,
THESIS
EFFECTS OF TYPES OF COGNITIONS ON
PERFORMANCE IN ORAL BRIEFINGS
by
Thomas B. Williams
June 1991
Thesis Co-Advisors: Kenneth W. Thomas
Gail F. Thomas
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited
T256348

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EFFECTS OF TYPES OF COGNITIONS ON PERFORMANCE IN ORAL BRIEFINGS
12 PERSONAL AUTHOR(S)
Williams, Thomas B.
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Master's Thesis FROM TO 1991, June 124
16 SUPPLEMENTARY NOTATION
The views expressed in this thesis are those of the author and do not reflect the official
policy or position of the Department of Defense or the U.S. Government.
17 COSATI CODES 18 SUBJECT TERMS (Continue on reverse if necessary and identify by block number)
FIELD GROUP SUB-GROUP Communications Apprehension; Oral
Communications; Cognitions and Performance
19 ABSATRnACTe(mCponitirnuiecoanlreverssetuifdneycesswaarysandciodenntdifuycbytbelodck ntuomberd)etermine whether individuals
interpretations of oral briefing situations create functional "mind sets"
or dysfunctional anxiety that impact performance, and to determine what
implications such interpretations have for the training of Logistics Offi-
cers. Functional "mind sets" were measured using a variation of the
"Stress Resiliency Profile." Communications Apprehension (anxiety) was
measured using variations of the "Personal Report of Communication Appre-
hension." Significant correlations were found between "interpretive
styles" and communications apprehension, and between communications appre-
hension and performance. These relationships have positive implications
for the identification and training of logistics officers who have poten-
tial for experiencing difficulties in conducting oral briefings.
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Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited
Effects of Types of Cognitions on Performance
in Oral Briefings
by
Thomas B. Williams
Lieutenant Commander, Supply Corps, United States Navy
B.A. University of California, San Diego, 1977
,
M.P.A., Golden Gate University, 1986
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree of
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN MANAGEMENT
from the
NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL
June 1991
ABSTRACT
An empirical study was conducted to determine whether
individuals 1 interpretations of oral briefing situations
create functional "mind sets" or dysfunctional anxiety that
impact performance, and to determine what implications such
interpretations have for the training of Logistics Officers.
Functional "mind sets" were measured using a variation of
the "Stress Resiliency Profile." Communications Apprehen-
sion (anxiety) was measured using variations of the "Person-
al Report of Communication Apprehension." Significant
correlations were found between "interpretive styles" and
communications apprehension, and between communications
apprehension and performance. These relationships have
positive implications for the identification and training of
logistics officers who have potential for experiencing
difficulties in conducting oral briefings.
111
.. ACO'O
i3b
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. INTRODUCTION 1
A. STATEMENT OF THE RESEARCH QUESTIONS 1
B. RELEVANCE TO LOGISTICIANS 1
C. SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE RESEARCH 6
D. OVERVIEW 7
II. LITERATURE REVIEW 8
A. INTRODUCTION 8
B. COMMUNICATIONS APPREHENSION 8
1. General Background 8
2. Oral Communications Apprehension 9
3 Etiology of Communications
Apprehension 9
4 Types of Communication Apprehension 15
5. Communications Apprehension Construct
Generalization 17
6. Responses to Communications
Apprehension 18
7. Dealing with Communications
Apprehension 19
8. The Personal Report of Communications
Apprehension (PRCA) 22
C. COGNITIONS AND STRESS 33
1. General Background 33
2. Interpretive Styles 34
—
3. Other Studies of Cognitions in Stress 44
IV