State anxiety patterns for public speaking and the behavior inhibition system

Somatic Anxiety Patterns Before, During, and After Giving a Public Speech

“…Specifically, a drop of 43% in somatic responses was noted between the beginning and ending moments of the speech, lending empirical support for the oftenheard student comment, ''I was nervous at first, but it wasn't so bad once I got into the speech.'' Similarly, previous researchers observed a significant drop in the heart rates of student speakers between confrontation and adaptation (Sawyer & Behnke, 1999). Speakers in the present study also reported a substantial increase in gastrointestinal discomfort immediately after the speech ended.…”

“…In some cases, scholars have attempted to treat speech anxiety without a comprehensive understanding of its various state components. In particular, it is important to understand the patterns and magnitudes of various body sensation responses at the four public speaking milestones previously described (Behnke & Sawyer, 1998;Sawyer & Behnke, 1999). The present study, therefore, examined and measured speakers' body sensations before, during, and after a public speech to provide a more comprehensive understanding of body sensation patterns that may be useful for pedagogical and therapeutic intervention.…”

“…Until that study, ''most methods of anxiety reduction [had] focused on the confrontation stage, to the exclusion of other dimensions of state anxiety'' (Sawyer & Behnke, 1999, p. 38). By identifying and measuring the patterns of psychological state anxiety, researchers can adjust treatment protocols to include preperformance and other Somatic Anxiety Patterns 89 stages of anxiety, such as the targeted preperformance treatment studied by Sawyer and Behnke (1999).…”

“…Usually, the anticipatory stage produced the highest level of state anxiety, although for some speakers the confrontation phase was the most anxiety producing. In a follow-up study using this narrow-band measurement strategy, Sawyer and Behnke (1999) identified and measured several moments during anticipatory state anxiety. They noted that anticipatory anxiety dramatically declined when the opportunity to begin work on the speaking assignment was provided to students immediately after the assignment was announced.…”

A neurological representation of speech state anxiety: Mapping salivary cortisol levels of public speakers

“…Individuals with a highly reactive BIS experience greater anticipatory activation, autonomic reactivity, and physiological arousal during public speaking (Behnke & Sawyer, 2001b). Furthermore, Sawyer and Behnke (1999) have attributed habituation of psychological state anxiety to BIS activity during public speaking. Consequently, both psychological anxiety and physiological anxiety appear to be mediated by BIS activity.…”