The effect of anxiety on the decoding of verbal/nonverbal communication of counselor regard.

Abstract

The effects of anxiety level and gender were examined relative to the decoding of channel-discrepant and channel-consistent verbal-nonverbal communication of counselor regard within a 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 analysis of variance design. A total of 128 subjects were randomly assigned to one of 16 independent experimental groups and viewed a videotape of a counselor who interacted with the subjects as if they were actual clients. After viewing one of four possible stimulus tapes, which were verbal-nonverbal counselor messages conveying positive or negative attitude for each channel (V+NV+, V+NV-, V-NV+, V-NV-), each subject completed the Barrett-Lennard Relationship Inventory. Results failed to support the dominance of nonverbal cues or include significance relative to gender or anxiety manipulations. Consistent counselor messages were not found to be superior to inconsistent messages. However, significant differences were found when the four possible combinations of counselor messages (V+NV+, V+NV-, V-NV+, V-NV-) were compared. The results are discussed relative to attitude intensity effects as a possible determining factor in the resolution of channel discrepant messages. Implications for theory and practice are also discussed.