Reasons for the Fear of Public Speaking

Actors, entertainers and professional speakers may very well be the bravest members of our species when compared to the number of people who dread performing in front of a group. Most everyone experiences some form of nervousness or anxiety when faced with the role of public speaker. The causes for this fear may depend on individual personality traits and performance expectations.

Identification

• The fear of public speaking is similar to any other fear as far as how it affects a person's sense of safety. Reactions can take the form of sweaty palms, trembling, a racing heartbeat or any number of symptoms. Like most other fears, it's more scary for some than others. While one person may be afraid of looking foolish, another may worry about being unable to speak or not being able to remember what to say. How a speaker approaches the task will affect her confidence level and determine how she experiences it.

Causes

• To better understand why people react differently to public speaking, Paul L Witt, Ph.D., an assistant professor at Texas Christian University, performed an experiment on a group of college students in April 2006. The students were required to take a series of psychological tests, both before and after doing a five-minute presentation to the class. One particular test involved filling out a self evaluation on the gastrointestinal symptoms experienced when speaking before a group. The final result of the study showed personality type determines the intensity of fear experienced when speaking in front of a group.

Habituators

• People who are typically calm and relaxed by nature carry a low anxiety trait within their personality make-ups. This means anxiety levels remain relatively low throughout a person's day. In the Texas Christian University study, college students who tested out as low-trait anxiety types experienced the least amount of fear when speaking in front of a group. They did experience nervousness at the start of their presentations but eventually became more relaxed and confident once the presentation was under way. This reaction is common for people who are habituaters. Once they get used to a situation, they're able to adjust accordingly.

Sensitizers

• Individuals who are generally nervous and anxious by nature carry a high anxiety trait within their personality make-ups. Anxiety levels tend to increase when someone like this is confronted with the task of public speaking. The college students in the study who had high anxiety traits experienced the most fear when giving their presentations. Not only were they nervous at the outset, but they became even more nervous throughout the speech and afterwards. This reaction is typical of sensitizers. These are individuals who focus on the negative aspects of a task or experience.

Prevention/Solution

• The concept of the "self-fulfilling prophecy" was first coined by sociologist Robert K. Merton in his book titled "Social Theory and Social Structure." Merton describes how self perceptions, and self expectations can influence how a particular situation turns out. In effect, someone who focuses on the negatives---nervousness, sweaty palms--when engaged in public speaking is bound to make a bad situation worse. Steps to take to overcome this fear involve focusing on the positive aspects of the experience. Thorough preparation and practice can provide a positive point of focus, as well as picturing--or visualizing--a successful presentation beforehand.