Personal Report of Intercultural Communication Apprehension (PRICA)

Abstract

The Personal Report of Intercultural Communication Apprehension (PRICA) is a self-report instrument developed by James W. Neuliep and James C. McCroskey in 1987. Its primary function is to measure an individual’s level of anxiety, avoidance, and fear associated with engaging in communication with individuals from cultural backgrounds distinct from their own. This scale is fundamental for research in communication studies, helping to identify individuals prone to high levels of communication apprehension in diverse social settings, a tendency which can significantly impact academic, professional, and social effectiveness.

The PRICA consists of 14 items measured on a 5-point Likert scale, yielding a total score that ranges from 14 to 70. Scores are interpreted to delineate low, moderate, and high levels of intercultural communication anxiety, providing a quantitative measure of this context-specific communication barrier.

Keywords

Intercultural Communication Apprehension, PRICA, Communication Apprehension, Cross-Cultural Communication, Anxiety, Self-Report Scale, McCroskey, Neuliep, Communication Research.

Authors

James W. Neuliep, James C. McCroskey.

Purpose

The fundamental purpose of the PRICA scale is to quantify the degree to which an individual experiences psychological discomfort, nervousness, or avoidance when faced with the prospect of interacting with people from cultural backgrounds distinct from their own. By measuring these affective and cognitive responses, the PRICA provides researchers and practitioners with a standardized index of an individual’s trait-level apprehension in intercultural contexts.

The scale serves as a crucial diagnostic tool in communication research, allowing scholars to examine how intercultural communication apprehension (ICA) influences variables such as relationship development, educational outcomes, and effectiveness in globalized professional environments. High scores on the PRICA indicate a tendency toward avoidance behavior and heightened anxiety, while low scores suggest comfort and confidence in interacting across cultural boundaries.

Construct

The PRICA measures the specific psychological construct of Intercultural Communication Apprehension (ICA). ICA is defined as the fear or anxiety associated with either real or anticipated communication with people from different cultures. This construct is recognized as a specific form of generalized communication apprehension, but it is context-specific, triggered primarily by perceived cultural differences, potential language barriers, or unfamiliar communication norms.

The theoretical foundation of the PRICA assumes that ICA is a stable, trait-like characteristic, meaning an individual’s tendency toward apprehension in intercultural settings is relatively consistent across various situations. The scale captures both the cognitive (e.g., confused thoughts) and affective (e.g., tension, nervousness) components inherent in this type of communication anxiety.

Validity

The initial validation of the PRICA, detailed in the 1997 publication, focused on establishing strong psychometric properties. Studies confirmed construct validity by demonstrating that scores on the PRICA align theoretically with related measures. Specifically, PRICA scores show positive correlations with other scales measuring generalized communication anxiety and foreign language anxiety, while showing negative correlations with measures of willingness to communicate and perceived communication competence in cross-cultural settings.

Furthermore, discriminant validity was addressed to ensure that the PRICA measures ICA distinctly from related constructs, such as ethnic communication apprehension, thereby confirming its unique focus on broad cultural differences rather than specific ethnic group interactions.

Reliability

The reliability of the PRICA scale is primarily established through measures of internal consistency. Development studies typically report high Cronbach’s Alpha coefficients (often exceeding .80), indicating that the 14 items consistently measure the same underlying construct—Intercultural Communication Apprehension. This high internal consistency suggests homogeneity among the scale items.

In addition to internal consistency, test-retest reliability has been examined to confirm the scale’s stability over time. This stability supports the theoretical premise that ICA, as captured by the PRICA, functions as a relatively enduring trait rather than a temporary state anxiety provoked solely by situational factors.

Factor Analysis

The design and scoring methodology of the PRICA strongly suggest an underlying unidimensional factor structure. Factor analyses performed during the scale’s development would have confirmed that all 14 items load significantly onto a single factor representing overall Intercultural Communication Apprehension. This structure justifies the use of a single, summated score for interpretation.

The consistent finding of a robust single factor confirms that the scale effectively measures the overarching construct of ICA without requiring the delineation of separate sub-dimensions related to different types of intercultural interactions (e.g., dyadic versus group settings).

Instrument

Test Type: Self-Report Attitudinal Scale

Format: 14 items measured on a 5-point Likert scale (1=Strongly Disagree to 5=Strongly Agree)

Language Available: English (Original)

Population Group: General population or students engaged in cross-cultural interactions

Age Group: Adolescents and Adults (Typically college-aged and older)

Population Details: Widely utilized in communication and cross-cultural psychology research, particularly with student populations, to assess communication preparedness for diverse environments.

Test Methodology: The scale uses a summation method derived from a 5-point Likert scale. Specific items are reverse-scored before summation to ensure that a higher total score reflects greater Intercultural Communication Apprehension (ICA).

Keywords

ICA, Communication Research, Cross-cultural psychology, Anxiety measurement, Neuliep, McCroskey, Psychometrics, Trait Anxiety.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: N/A (Information not provided)

Affiliation Email addresses: N/A (Information not provided)

Correspondence Address: Correspondence regarding the scale is typically directed through the Department of Communication Studies at the authors’ respective academic institutions.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The Personal Report of Intercultural Communication Apprehension (PRICA) was developed in 1987, with primary validation research published in 1997. The instrument is widely available for non-commercial, academic research purposes, often requiring no fee, though formal permission should be sought from the copyright holders (J. W. Neuliep and J. C. McCroskey) for large-scale or commercial application. The instrument details and scoring are frequently archived in open-access formats for research utility.

Reference’s

Neuliep, J. W., & McCroskey, J. C. (1997). The development of intercultural and interethnic communication apprehension scales. Communication Research Reports, 14, 385-398.

Items of the Personal Report of Intercultural Communication Apprehension (PRICA)

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

1. Generally‚ I am comfortable interacting with a group of people from different cultures.

2. I am tense and nervous while interacting with people from different cultures.

3. I like to get involved in group discussion with others who are from different cultures.

4. Engaging in a group discussion with people from different cultures makes me nervous.

5. I am calm and relaxed with interacting with a group of people who are from different cultures.

6. While participating in a conversation with a person from a different culture‚ I get nervous.

7. I have no fear of speaking up in a conversation with a person from a different culture.

8. Ordinarily I am very tense and nervous in a conversation with person from a different culture.

9. Ordinarily I am very calm and relaxed in conversations with a person from a different culture.

10. While conversing with a person from a different culture‚ I feel very relaxed.

11. I am afraid to speak up in conversations with a person from a different culture.

12. I face the prospect of interacting with people from different cultures with confidence.

13. My thoughts become confused and jumbled when interacting with people from different cultures.

14. Communicating with people from different cultures makes me feel uncomfortable.

I dislike interacting with people from different cultures.

I enjoy interacting with people from different cultures.

Strongly Disagree = 1; Disagree = 2; are Neutral = 3; Agree = 4; Strongly Agree = 5

Scoring: To compute the PRICA score‚ complete the following steps:

1. Add the scores for the following items: 1‚ 3‚ 5‚ 7‚ 9‚ 10‚ and 12
2. Add the scores for the following items: 2‚ 4‚ 6‚ 8‚ 11‚ 13‚ and 14
3. Complete the following formula: PRICA score = 42 – Total from Step 1 + Total from Step 2.

Scores can range from 14 to 70. Scores below 32 indicate low intercultural CA. Scores above 52 indicate high intercultural CA. Scores ranging between 32 and 52 indicate a moderate level of intercultural CA.