lic speaking anxiety and speech-makers with low levels of public speaking anxiety. Findings showed significant differences between the two groups in terms of public speaking skills, previous public speaking exposure, achievement motivation, self-esteem, cognitive set, and self-efficacy. However, no differences between groups were found on measures of intelligence, abstract reasoning, or other non public speaking related fears.
Some of the existing research has not been aimed so much as determining contributors to public fear of speaking as at determining the effectiveness of various strategies that can be used to decrease this fear. For example, Newburger and Hemphill (1991) examined the effect of successful and unsuccessful video modes on pre-performance public speaking anxiety of students enrolled in basic communication courses.
The researchers divided students into four groups: (1) students who were not exposed to the video models; (2) students who were exposed to a successful speech making video model; (3) students who were exposed to an unsuccessful model; and (4) students who viewed both successful and unsuccessful models.
Interestingly, Newburger and Hemphill found that exposure to models does not significantly reduce pre-performance anxiety in any of the four conditions. Indeed, the introduction of the video models (both successful and unsuccessful) increased students degree of communication apprehension. The authors concluded that:
Findings suggest that the narrower range of acceptable behavior produced by the video versus the audio models (reported in earlier studies) may result in heightened student concerns about evaluation, performance, and self-related issues. (p.10)
Regarding strategies to reduce communication anxieties, Allen, Hunter and Donohue (1989) report that a variety of psychological therapies have been found effective in reducing fear of public speaking. Indeed, in their comparative assessment...