Political Communication Apprehension: Toward Productive Political Discourse Online and Face‐to‐Face

Based on the theoretical framework of Byrne's similarity attraction paradigm and the spiral of silence theory, the current paper conceptually defines political communication apprehension as the fear or anxiety associated with real or anticipated communication about politics with another person or persons. Although communication apprehension research has encompassed numerous topics and contexts known to increase anxiety, including religion, race, and death, researchers have failed to examine the relation between political discourse and anxiety. Politics is a well‐known anxiety provoking discussion topic, and political communication apprehension is an important and timely topic that needs further investigation. Political deliberation and discussion are essential to the growth and development of a democratic society. Furthermore, the need to process beliefs, feelings, and thoughts is a natural part of human communication and relationship building. For leaders, the ability to listen and connect with empathy and respect to all people, regardless of ideological differences, is a vital component of impactful leadership. Therefore, the purpose of the review is to begin the discussion regarding political communication apprehension (PCA) and to set the stage for future studies examining the validity and reliability of a PCA measure. The current paper not only introduces PCA but also argues that PCA is a relevant construct that may hold the key to more productive political conversations for leaders and followers, online, face‐to‐face, and inside and outside the classroom.