Anticipatory Speech Anxiety as a Function of Public Speaking Assignment Type

Abstract

This investigation included two studies relating anticipatory public speaking anxiety to the nature of the speech assignment. Based on uncertainty reduction theory, which suggests that communicators are less comfortable in unfamiliar or unpredictable contexts, two hypotheses were advanced on the presumption that various types of assignments in a speech performance course do not produce the same levels of anticipatory anxiety. The hypotheses were supported in both trait and state anxiety studies, where certain differences in narrowband anticipatory speech anxiety were detected among different types of informative speeches: impromptu, extemporaneous, and manuscript reading. These findings extend the tenets of uncertainty reduction theory to the public speaking context and suggest implications for both therapeutic intervention and pedagogical application.

Keywords:

• Public speaking
• Speech anxiety
• State anxiety
• Trait anxiety
• Assignment type

Notes

An earlier version of this paper was presented at the 2005 convention of the National Communication Association in Boston

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Paul L. Witt

Paul L. Witt (PhD, University of North Texas, 2000) is Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Texas Christian University

Ralph R. Behnke

Ralph R. Behnke (PhD, University of Kansas, 1966) is Professor in the same department