Visualization: Reducing speech anxiety and enhancing performance

Abstract

This study was designed to determine if visualization could be used to enhance public speaking performance as well as reduce speech anxiety, and how visualization techniques compared with other interventions. The study compared a no treatment group with a standard visualization group and with a performance visualization group. Both forms of visualization reduced negative thinking, state CA, and trait CA. However, those receiving performance visualization displayed fewer disfluencies, less rigidity, and less inhibition than did the control or standard visualization groups. Meta‐analysis was used to compare these data with previous research. Results revealed that standard and performance visualization were generally more effective than other interventions for reducing self reported negative thinking and state CA. Performance visualization also was found to be more effective for reducing observed rigidity than other procedures. These results are the bases for the discussion.

Notes

Joe Ayres is Professor and Tim Hopf is Associate Professor at Washington State University, Pullman, WA. We extend our appreciation to Frances Ayres, the members of Com 535 for their assistance with this investigation, and to an anonymous reviewer for suggesting and detailing the use of the meta‐analysis procedures employed.