A research note on the dimensions of communication reticence

Abstract

The present investigation extends the debate regarding the underlying structure of a general communication reticence construct. The Personal Report of Communication Apprehension, the Unwillingness‐to‐Communicate Scale and the Writing Apprehension Test were factor‐analyzed. Separate factor analyses produced multidimensional solutions for each measure. A single factor analysis of all of the scale items produced a seven factor solution that offers a better understanding of the elements contributing to a communication reticence syndrome. The emerging factors indicated that communication reticence varies according to context of communication, mode of communication, personality type of the communicator, attitudes toward the communication process, and communication history.