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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 1 ' UNCLASSIFIED SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF THIS PAGE REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE FormApproved OMBNo 0704 0188 1a REPORT SECURITY CLASSIFICATION lb RESTRICTIVE MAP- Mi UNCLASSIFIED 2a SECURITY CLASSIFICATION AUTHORITY i Distribution ava.lab.l ty of ri Approved for public release; 2b DECLASSIFICATION DOWNGRADING SCHEDULE distribution is unlimited 4 PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER(S) 5 MONITORING ORGANIZATION REPORT N "." 6a NAME OF PERFORMING ORGANIZATION 6b OFFICE SYMBOL 7a NAME OF MONITORING ORGANiZAT ON (If applicable) Naval Postgraduate School Code 36 Naval Postgraduate School 6c ADDRESS {City, State, and ZIPCode) 7b ADDRESS(City, State and ZIPCode) Monterey, CA 93943-5000 Monterey, CA 93943-5000 3a NAME OF FUNDING/SPONSORING 8b OFFICE SYMBOL 9 PROCUREMENT INSTRUMENT IDENTIFICATION NUMBER ORGANIZATION (If applicable) 8c ADDRESS(City, State, and ZIPCode) 10 SOURCE OF FUNDING NUMBERS PROGRAM PROJECT TASK AORI" ELEMENT NO NO NO ACCESSION NO 1 TITLE (Include Security Classification) EFFECTS OF TYPES OF COGNITIONS ON PERFORMANCE IN ORAL BRIEFINGS 12 PERSONAL AUTHOR(S) Williams, Thomas B. 13a TYPE OF REPORT 3b TIME COVERED 14 DATE OF REPORT (Year, Month Day) 15 PAGE COl 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 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. 20 DISTRIBUTION/AVAILABILITY OF ABSTRACT 21UnABcSlTRaAsCTsiSEfCUiReITdY CLASSIFICATION [3UNCLASSIFIED/UNLIMITED SAME AS RPT DTIC USERS 22a NAME OF RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUAL 2b TELEPHONE (Include AreaCode) 22c OFFICE SYMBOL Prof. Kenneth W. Thomas (408) 646-2776 Code AS/Th DDForm 1473, JUN 86 Previouseditionsareobsolete SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF I S/N 0102-LF-014-6603 UNCLASSIFIED 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