An examination of the effects of linguistic abilities on communication stress, measured by blinking and heart rate, during a telephone situation

In the present study we examined the differences in communication stress responses, as they were affected by levels of linguistic ability, and measured by heart rate and blinking during a telephone communication. Nine female participants were selected as representative of the medium level of communication skills and linguistic level assessed by questionnaires. They were assigned to 3 conversation tasks: Japanese, English, and French. The questionnaires (STAI and Iceberg Profile) were also assessed. The results showed that both blinking rate and heart rate during the English and the Japanese tasks were higher than during the French task. Results from the questionnaires showed that the highest communication stress occurred during the conversation in English.