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2.6: Conclusion and Exercises

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    241507
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    Conclusion

    This chapter focused on building confidence in public speaking by addressing communication apprehension, its types, causes, and strategies for managing fears.Communication apprehension refers to the fear or anxiety people experience at the thought of being evaluated by others. Some anxiety is a normal part of the communication process. The psychological threat individuals perceive in the communication situation prompts physiological changes designed to help the body respond. These physical reactions to stress create the uncomfortable feelings of unease called speech anxiety and may include sweaty palms, shaking, butterflies in the stomach, and dry mouth.

    There are many steps you can take during the speech preparation process to manage your communication apprehension, including thinking positively, analyzing your audience, clearly organizing your ideas, adapting your language to the oral mode, and practicing. You can employ a variety of techniques while you are speaking to reduce your apprehension, such as anticipating your body’s reactions, focusing on the audience, and maintaining your sense of humor. Stress management techniques, including cognitive restructuring and systematic desensitization, can also be helpful. Plan ahead for how to cope with unexpected difficulties such as forgetting part of your speech content, having technical trouble with visual aids, or being interrupted by external distractions.

    Exercises

    1. Create an inventory of the physiological symptoms of communication apprehension you experience when engaged in public speaking. Which ones are you most interested in learning to manage?
    2. With a partner or in a small group, discuss which myths create the biggest problems for public speakers. Why do people believe in these myths?
    3. Make a list of sources of your communication apprehension. What factors contribute most to your anxiety about public speaking?
    4. Go to www.hypknowsis.com(opens in new window) and practice a few of the simple beginning visualization exercises presented there.
    5. Make a plan for managing your anxiety before and during your speech that includes specific techniques you want to try before your next public speaking assignment.
    6. Talk to people who engage in public speaking regularly (e.g., teachers and professionals) and find out what unexpected events have happened when they were giving speeches. What did they do to deal with these unexpected happenings?
    7. Fill out the Personal Report of Communication Apprehension (PRCA24). The measure can be found at wwww.jamesmccroskey.com(opens in new window) [www.jamescmccroskey.com].
    8. Complete the exercise below to test you understanding of key concepts from this chapter.

    Test Your Knowledge of Communication Apprehension

    Table 3.1 Myths or Facts about Communication Apprehension
    Instructions: For each of the following questions, check either “myth” or “fact.” Myth Fact
    1. Audiences will be able to tell how nervous you feel.    
    2. Some stage fright might be a good thing, as you can channel it to make your delivery more energetic.    
    3. Most audiences are basically hostile, looking to see you make a fool of yourself.    
    4. Experienced speakers don’t feel any stage fright.    
    5. Most speakers tend to relax as they progress through their speeches.    
    6. Moving around the front of the room during your speech will make you less nervous.    
    7. Most audiences would rather see a speaker do well.    
    8. Focusing on yourself rather than the audience is an effective way to reduce your stage fright.    
    9. The positive or negative label you ascribe to the public speaking situation will influence how nervous you feel.    
    10. Telling a joke in your introduction is guaranteed to get the audience on your side.    
    Scoring: Myths: 1, 3, 4, 8, and 10; Facts: 2, 5, 6, 7, and 9

    This page titled 2.6: Conclusion and Exercises is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Nichole Ary.