The aim of this study was twofold: first to ascertain the amount of difficulty reported to be experienced by subjects communicating assertive mes-sages through different media (letter, telephone, face-to-face) and secondly to investigate the role of individual differences (assertiveness itself and fear of punishment) in the difficulty of communication. With few exceptions the subjects found the communication of specific assertiveness messages by letter least diffi-cult and face-to-face most difficult. The two individual difference variables produced a number of significant main effects (individual differences, media), but almost no interaction effects. Results are discussed in terms of the measurement and training of assertiveness as well as the social psychology of telecommunications.
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