CHAPTER 2
YOUR FIRST SPEECH
CHAPTER SUMMARY
In this chapter, we begin by explaining what scholars call “public speaking
apprehension” and what you might call “stage fright.” Then we discuss how careful
preparation can help you develop confidence when you speak. At the end of the
chapter, we consider the self-introduction speech, a common first speech assignment in
this course.
CHAPTER OUTLINE
Introduction (p. 23): Nervousness or stage fright is a normal reaction to public speaking.
This chapter focuses on explaining “public speaking apprehension.” It also discusses
how preparation can develop confidence and reduce some of the nervousness.
I. Understanding the nature of public speaking apprehension (p. 23).
A. Glossophobia is the technical term for public speaking apprehension, or
the level of fear a person experiences when anticipating or actually
speaking to an audience.
1.
Almost all of us have some level of public speaking apprehension, but
B. Symptoms of public speaking apprehension (p. 24).
1.
The signs of public speaking apprehension vary from individual to
3.
There are three phases.
a. Anticipation phase: the level of anxiety you experience prior to
giving the speech.
C. Causes of public speaking apprehension (p. 25).
1.
The most common cause tends to be negative self-talk, or what we
say to ourselves about perceived success or failure of a particular
situation.
2.
Biologically based temperament (p. 25).
3.
Previous experience (p. 25).
a. Speaking apprehension may also be a result of the reinforcement
4.
Level of skills (p. 26).
a. An important source of speech apprehension is having
underdeveloped speaking skills.
II. Managing public speaking apprehension (p. 26).
A. General methods (p. 26).
1.
Communication orientation motivation (COM): techniques designed
to reduce anxiety by helping the speaker adopt a “communication”
rather than a “performance” orientation toward the speech.
2.
Visualization: a method that reduces apprehension by helping
speakers develop a mental picture of themselves giving a masterful
speech.
a. Visualization helps us overcome the mental and emotional
symptoms of apprehension.
3.
Relaxation exercises: a method that reduces apprehension by using
breathing techniques and progressive muscle relaxation exercises to
release tension.
4.
Systematic desensitization: a method that reduces apprehension by
gradually having people visualize increasingly more frightening events.
5.
Cognitive restructuring: process designed to help you by replacing
anxiety-arousing negative self-talk with anxiety-reducing positive self-
talk. Involves four steps:
B. Specific techniques (p. 29).
1.
Allow sufficient time to prepare.
a. You can develop a schedule based on preparing each speech over
2.
Use presentational aids to direct your audience’s attention to
3.
Practice your speech aloud.
a. Get comfortable hearing yourself talk about your topic.
4.
Dress up to reduce anxiety about being stared at because you feel
good about how you look.
5.
Choose an appropriate time to speak. Choose to speak at the time that
is optimal for you.
6.
Use positive self-talk.
7.
Face the audience with confidence.
III. Developing an effective speech plan (p. 31).
A. Speech plan: a strategic method for achieving your goal.
1.
Keep the canons of rhetoric (invention, arrangement, style, delivery,
1.
Select a specific speech goal that is appropriate to the rhetorical
situation.
a. Speech goal: a statement of what you want your listeners to know,
2.
Understand your audience and adapt to it.
a. Audience adaptation means presenting ideas verbally, visually,
3.
Gather and evaluate information.
a. When you select a topic, although you already know something
4.
Organize ideas into a well-structured outline.
a. You begin the process of organizing your speech by identifying the
two to four major ideas you want your audience to remember.
b. Combine the major ideas and with your speech goal into a succinct
e. Most of us benefit from the discipline of organizing and developing
a complete speech outline.
5.
Choose, prepare, and use appropriate presentational aids.
a. You may decide to create a visual aid that will help clarify,
6.
Practice oral language and delivery style.
a. The goal of practice is to give you confidence that you can talk
comfortably with your audience and accomplish your speech goal
1.
Many humorous examples of speech apprehension can be found in films and
television. Show some examples in class and discuss how students deal with
their own speech apprehension. The following is short list of some examples:
2.
Most acting texts have an extensive discussion on the various physical and
mental techniques for overcoming stage fright. It can be useful to incorporate
these ideas into this chapter.
3.
Many instructors find it useful to include a short explanation of the criteria for
4.
It can be useful to help the student “visualize” the speech preparation steps by
using a timeline. Break the action steps into specific days of the week to clarify
1.
Have students watch the film clip of the speech “Me and My Aunt Barb” and/or read
2.
Many people begin a speech by apologizing for their nervousness or lack of
experience. Many other people promise to be brief. What do you think of these
behaviors in public speaking? Do they build sympathy and audience support? If so,
why? Are there any reasons why individuals should not do this to begin a speech?
3.
Discuss the need for audience analysis. Why must we analyze the audience? How
CLASS ACTIVITIES
Activity 2.1: Understanding the First Assignment
Before assigning the next chapter, ask students the following questions for oral
responses in class. The first three questions apply only if you are using the self–
introduction assignment. If you have a different assignment, you can develop similar
questions to start students thinking about the nature of the assignment.
1.
When you hear a lecture in a class, which part do you enjoy and remember the
longest? (Someone is bound to say “stories or anecdotes or case studies.”)
Activity 2.2: Assessing Public Speaking Apprehension
As a homework assignment, have each student write a few paragraphs explaining what
kind and how much speaking experience they have had and how nervous they are
Activity 2.3: Practice in Front of an Audience
Set aside a few minutes at the beginning or end of each class period. On the board list
three or four questions, including the student’s name, age, major, or year in school.
Name Major
What is your favorite movie?
Do you like dogs or cats?
Activity 2.4: More Practice in Front of an Audience
Form the class into random pairs (the odd student may pair with the instructor). Have
students interview each other to find out some basic information. They could ask
questions such as: What is your major? Where are you from? Which dorm do you live
in? What type of music do you like? What career do you want after graduation? What
student groups are you in? How many siblings do you have?
Activity 2.5: Public Speaking Apprehension Internet Resources
For homework, have each student search the Internet using the InfoTrac database for
articles on dealing with speech apprehension and/or tips on reducing speech anxiety.
GLOSSARY OF KEY TERMS
audience adaptation: the process of tailoring a speech to the needs, interests, and
expectations of listeners
glossophobia: the fear of public speaking
performance orientation: believing in the need to impress a hypercritical audience
with knowledge and delivery
relaxation exercises: the use of breathing techniques and progressive muscle
relaxation to reduce anxiety
self-talk: intrapersonal communication regarding perceived success or failure in a
particular situation
TEST QUESTIONS
CHAPTER 2
Multiple Choice
1.
Public speaking apprehension is .
a.
extreme speech anxiety
b.
fear experienced when anticipating or actually speaking to an audience
c.
not a problem for most people
d.
fear experienced after the speech
2.
The technical term for public speaking apprehension, speech anxiety, or fear of
public speaking is:
a.
fearfulness
b.
anxiousness
c.
claustrophobia
d.
glossophobia
3.
Public speaking apprehension gradually as we speak.
a.
decreases
b.
increases
c.
stays the same
d.
none of the above
ANS: a SEE PAGE 24
4.
The three phases of reaction are .
a.
visualization, desensitization, and adaptation
b.
anticipation, confrontation, and adaptation
c.
apprehension, performance orientation, and communication orientation
d.
confrontation, visualization, and apprehension
5.
The anticipation phase is .
a.
the surge in your anxiety as you begin your speech
b.
the level of anxiety during your speech
c.
the gradual decline of speech anxiety about 1 minute into the speech
d.
the level of anxiety you experience before your speech
6.
The confrontation phase is .
a.
the level of anxiety during your speech
b.
the level of anxiety you experience before your speech
c.
the surge in your anxiety as you begin delivering your speech
d.
the gradual decline of speech anxiety about 1 minute into the speech
7.
Which of the following is NOT a type of breathing and relaxation exercise?
a.
abdominal breathing
b.
systematic desensitization
c.
progressive muscle relaxation exercises
d.
sighing
8.
The intrapersonal communication regarding perceived success or failure in a
particular situation is called
a.
self-talk
b.
inner-talk
c.
interference
d.
inexperience
9.
people experience lower levels of public speaking apprehension.
a.
introverted
b.
secure
c.
alpha
d.
extroverted
10.
The most common cause of public speaking apprehension is .
a.
fear of laughter
b.
negative self-talk
c.
anxiety
d.
none of the above
11.
The theory that suggests that most of us become apprehensive because we don’t
know how to plan or prepare effectively for a public presentation is
.
a.
the speech apprehension theory
b.
the communibiological theory
c.
the skill deficit theory
d.
structuration theory
ANS: c SEE PAGE 26
12.
Observing how your friends and family members react to speaking in public is
known as .
a.
modeling
b.
performing
c.
reinforcing
d.
confrontation
13.
According to communication orientation motivation (COM) techniques, in
performance orientation, the speaker views the audience as .
a.
good listeners
b.
hypercritical
c.
inferior
d.
not worthy
14.
Using presentational aids and dressing up for your speech are two specific
techniques your book gives for .
a.
achieving your speech goal
b.
training public speaking skills
c.
reducing speech anxiety
d.
sharing your ideas
15.
helps reduce anxiety by assisting you in picturing yourself giving a masterful
speech, and helps you overcome cognitive and emotional symptoms of
apprehension.
a.
Communication orientation motivation (COM)
b.
Visualization
c.
Systematic desensitization
d.
Cognitive restructuring
16.
The technique can help reduce anxiety as you gradually visualize and
then engage in increasingly more frightening speaking events while remaining calm.
a.
communication orientation motivation (COM)
b.
visualization
c.
systematic desensitization
d.
cognitive restructuring
17.
The approach to public speaking where speaking is viewed as an opportunity to
engage in conversation with topics of importance and focuses on getting your
message across is called:
a.
communication orientation
b.
visualization
c.
relaxation
d.
cognitive restructuring
18.
You should choose a topic that you .
a.
think is funny
b.
do not care about
c.
relevant to your needs
d.
know something about
19.
A specific statement of what you want your audience to know, believe, or do, is
called the:
a.
speech plan
b.
canons of rhetoric
c.
speech goal
d.
summation
20.
Presenting your main points in order from first to last will help your
audience understand and remember them.
a.
topical
b.
chronological
c.
ascending
d.
descending
ANS: b SEE PAGE 35
21.
The process of involves tailoring the information in your speech to the needs,
interests, and expectations of your listeners.
a.
audience analysis
b.
listener analysis
c.
audience adaptation
d.
listener respect
True-False
21.
T F Public speaking apprehension is uncommon and only affects a few people.
22.
T F If speakers do not practice their speech and various ways of phrasing key
ideas, they run the risk of missing a major opportunity for communicating
effectively.
23.
T F Performance orientation views public speaking as a special technique that
works to impress audiences with their posture.
24.
T F Public speaking apprehension is most commonly caused by negative self–
talk.
25.
T F Using positive self-talk before your speech is a good technique to reduce
speech anxiety.
26.
T F You should choose a speech topic that you know nothing about, so that you
can learn from your research.
27.
T F There are four canons of rhetoric.
ANS: F SEE PAGE 31
28.
T F A speech goal states what you want your audience to know, believe, or
do.
ANS: T SEE PAGE 31
29.
T F Having some speech apprehension is quite normal.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Daly, J. A., Vangelisti, A. L., & Weber, D. J. (1995). Speech anxiety affects how
people prepare speeches: A protocol analysis of the preparation processes of
speakers. Communication Monographs, 62(4), 383–398.
Jones, C. R., Fazio, R. H, & Vasey, M. W. (2012). Attentional control buffers the
effect of public-speaking anxiety on performance. Social Psychology and
Personality Science, 3(5), 556–561.
MacIntyre, P. D., & MacDonald J. R. (1998). Public speaking anxiety: Perceived
competence and audience congeniality. Communication Education, 47(4),
359– 366.
Sawyer, C. R., & Behnke, R. R. (2002a). Behavioral inhibition and the