Page 230 - Essentials of Human Communication

The Nature of Public Speaking 209

Now that you have a good idea of what public speaking is and what benefits you’ll derive
from studying it, we can focus on what is probably your major concern: communication ap-
prehension/ stage fright/fear of speaking in public.

CommuniCation apprehension
People experience communication apprehension in all types of situations (as illustrated
throughout this text), but it is in the public speaking situation that apprehension is most com- For additional insight into the
mon and most severe (Richmond & McCroskey, 1998; Wrench, McCroskey, & Richmond, 2008). terminology of apprehension, take
To measure your own fear of speaking in public, take the apprehension self-test that follows. a look at “ABCD: Communication
Apprehension and Related Terms”
at tcbdevito.blogspot.com.
TesT Yourself

How Apprehensive Are You About Public speaking?
Explore the Profile “Personal
This questionnaire consists of six statements concerning your feelings about public speaking. Indicate the de- Report of Speaking Anxiety”
gree to which each statement applies to you by marking whether you (1) strongly agree, (2) agree, (3) are un- at MyCommunicationLab
decided, (4) disagree, or (5) strongly disagree with each statement. There are no right or wrong answers. Don’t
be concerned that some of the statements are similar to others. Work quickly; just record your first impression.

_____ ➊ I have no fear of giving a speech.
_____ ➋ Certain parts of my body feel very tense and rigid when I am giving a speech.
Explore the Concept
_____ ➌ I feel relaxed while giving a speech. “Overcoming Nervousness” at
MyCommunicationLab
_____ ➍ My thoughts become confused and jumbled when I am giving a speech.

_____ ➎ I face the prospect of giving a speech with confidence.
_____ ➏ While giving a speech, I get so nervous that I forget facts I really know.

how DiD You Do? To obtain your public speaking apprehension score, use the following formula: Start with
18 points; add the scores for items 1, 3, and 5; then subtract the scores for items 2, 4, and 6.

A score above 18 shows some degree of apprehension. Most people score above 18, so if you scored relatively
high, you’re among the vast majority of people. You may find it interesting to compare your apprehension
scores from this test and from the test in Chapter 9. Most people would score higher on public speaking appre-
hension than on apprehension in group discussions.
what will You Do? As you read the suggestions for reducing apprehension in the text, consider what you
can do to incorporate these ideas into your own public speaking experiences. Consider too how these sugges-
tions might be useful in reducing apprehension more generally—for example, in social situations and in small
groups and meetings.
Source: Adaptation of “Test Yourself: How Apprehensive Are You about Public Speaking?” from An Introduction to Rhetorical Communication by James C. McCroskey,
9th Ed. Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. Printed and Electronically reproduced by permission of Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.

If you experience public speaking apprehension, the following 10 suggestions will help you
reduce it, as well as any communication apprehension you might have in small group and
interpersonal communication situations (Beatty, 1988; Wrench, McCroskey, & Richmond, 2008).
● Gain experience. New situations such as public speaking are likely to make you anxious,
so try to reduce their newness. The best way to do this is to get as much public speaking
experience as you can. With experience, your initial fears and anxieties will give way to
feelings of control, comfort, and pleasure. Experience will show you that the feelings of
accomplishment in public speaking are rewarding and will outweigh any initial anxiety.
● Think positively. When you see yourself as inferior—for example, when you feel that
others are better speakers or that they know more than you do—anxiety increases. To
gain greater confidence, think positive thoughts and be especially thorough in your
preparation. Visualize success; dismiss thoughts of failure.