The effectiveness of verbal self‐guidance as a transfer of training intervention: its impact on presentation performance, self efficacy and anxiety1

A preliminary version of this paper was presented at the 2000 IFSAM‐ASAC Conference. The authors would like to thank Gary P. Latham and the anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments on earlier drafts of this paper.

Abstract

We developed a verbal self‐guidance (VSG) training program as a transfer of training intervention (i.e., an intervention designed to enhance the application and usage of skills learned in a training session post‐training). We then assessed the impact of this training on presentation performance, self‐efficacy (i.e., task‐specific confidence) and anxiety. Results indicated that participants trained in VSG (n = 33) had significantly higher self‐efficacy concerning their presentation performance relative to those in the comparison group (n = 32), who took part in a lecture and discussion activity. Self‐efficacy was significantly and positively correlated with presentation performance such that self‐efficacy increased as performance increased. Anxiety was shown to be negatively and significantly correlated with presentation performance and self‐efficacy such that anxiety increased as performance and self‐efficacy decreased. Overall, the results suggest that verbal self‐guidance is an effective training technique for helping students with presentations.

Notes

* Corresponding author: Faculty of Business Administration, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St John's, Newfoundland, Canada, A1B 3X5. Email: [email protected]

A preliminary version of this paper was presented at the 2000 IFSAM‐ASAC Conference. The authors would like to thank Gary P. Latham and the anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments on earlier drafts of this paper.

M = mean SD = standard deviation.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Travor Brown *

* Corresponding author: Faculty of Business Administration, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St John's, Newfoundland, Canada, A1B 3X5. Email: [email protected]