2023 Volume 52 Issue 1 Pages 41-64
The present study examined the state-anxiety of Japanese college students (N=86) in dyadic conversations both quantitatively and qualitatively from the following four perspectives; 1) the state anxiety change before/after the conversation, 2) the state anxiety change between the conversations with a stranger/friend, 3) an influence of other relevant factors such as trait-anxiety and agari (broad psychological and physical experiences including “stage-fright”) on the state anxiety, and 4) an influence of the cognitive factors such as self-construals, living abroad experiences, and the conversation situation with a stranger/friend. The participants had 20-minute conversations with both a same-sex stranger/friend. State-anxiety was measured twice with The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory right before/after the conversation. The study also measured the trait-anxiety, independent/interdependent self-construals, agari, and the pulse before/during/after the conversation as quantitative data. After all quantitative data was collected, participants were interviewed about their emotion experiences and perceptions of the conversation. The quantitative questionnaire data was statistically analyzed with MANOVA (repeated measures). The qualitative interview data was coded and analyzed. The results show the participants’ state-anxiety level tended to decrease after the conversation with both a stranger and a friend. The participants’ state anxiety level before the conversation with a stranger was likely higher than with a friend. The study also reveals a significant influence of living abroad experiences and self-construals on their state-anxiety level. The interview results suggest their perception of the conversation situation with a stranger/friend influences their state-anxiety.
