A study of the relationship between cognitive style and communication apprehension in air traffic control trainees.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between cognitive style as measured by the Group Embedded Figures Test (GEFT) and communication apprehension (CA) as measured by the Personal Report of Communication Apprehension - Long Form (PRCA). These instruments were administered to two (2) groups (A and B) of forty (40) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees. Scattergrams showed no visual relationship between cognitive style and CA for either group. GEFT and PRCA scores for subjects in each group were analyzed using the Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient; no relationship was found for either group. In addition, no significant relationship was obtained between Group A and Group B for either variable as determined by the Pearson r. High variance on the PRCA suggests need for re-examination of the validity and reliability of the instrument and the lack of any relationship between the two variables gives support to the current questioning of the CA construct. Results of this study suggest that cognitive style is unrelated to communication apprehension.