{"id":646,"date":"2015-11-03T16:16:45","date_gmt":"2015-11-03T16:16:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.candelalearning.com\/zelixcst110\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=646"},"modified":"2015-11-03T16:16:45","modified_gmt":"2015-11-03T16:16:45","slug":"what-is-communication-apprehension","status":"web-only","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/zelicst110\/chapter\/what-is-communication-apprehension\/","title":{"raw":"What Is Communication Apprehension?","rendered":"What Is Communication Apprehension?"},"content":{"raw":"<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-highlight\">\n<h3>Learning Objectives<\/h3>\n<ul><li>Explain the nature of communication apprehension.<\/li>\n\t<li>List the physiological symptoms of communication apprehension.<\/li>\n\t<li>Identify different misconceptions about communication anxiety.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n\u201cSpeech is a mirror of the soul,\u201d commented Publilius Syrus, a popular writer in 42 BCE.<span id=\"wrench_1.0-fn03_002\" class=\"im_footnote\">[footnote]Bartlett, J. (comp.). (1919). <em class=\"im_emphasis\">Familiar quotations<\/em> (10th ed.). Rev. and enl. by Nathan Haskell Dole. Boston, MA: Little, Brown, and Company. Retrieved from Bartleby.com website: <a class=\"im_link\" href=\"http:\/\/www.bartleby.com\/100\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/www.bartleby.com\/100<\/a>[\/footnote]<\/span> Other people come to know who we are through our words. Many different social situations, ranging from job interviews to dating to public speaking, can make us feel uncomfortable as we anticipate that we will be evaluated and judged by others. How well we communicate is intimately connected to our self-image, and the process of revealing ourselves to the evaluation of others can be threatening whether we are meeting new acquaintances, participating in group discussions, or speaking in front of an audience.\n<div id=\"wrench_1.0-ch03_s01_s01\" class=\"im_section\">\n<h2 class=\"im_title im_editable im_block\">Definition of Communication Apprehension<\/h2>\nAccording to James McCroskey, <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">communication apprehension<\/span><\/span> is the broad term that refers to an individual\u2019s \u201cfear or anxiety associated with either real or anticipated communication with another person or persons.\u201d<span id=\"wrench_1.0-fn03_003\" class=\"im_footnote\">[footnote]McCroskey, J. C. (2001). <em class=\"im_emphasis\">An introduction to rhetorical communication<\/em>. Boston, MA: Allyn &amp; Bacon, p. 40.[\/footnote]<\/span> At its heart, communication apprehension is a psychological response to evaluation. This psychological response, however, quickly becomes physical as our body responds to the threat the mind perceives. Our bodies cannot distinguish between psychological and physical threats, so we react as though we were facing a Mack truck barreling in our direction. The body\u2019s circulatory and adrenal systems shift into overdrive, preparing us to function at maximum physical efficiency\u2014the \u201cflight or fight\u201d response.<span id=\"wrench_1.0-fn03_004\" class=\"im_footnote\">[footnote]Sapolsky, R. M. (2004). <em class=\"im_emphasis\">Why zebras don\u2019t get ulcers<\/em> (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Henry Holt.[\/footnote]<\/span> Yet instead of running away or fighting, all we need to do is stand and talk. When it comes to communication apprehension, our physical responses are often not well adapted to the nature of the threat we face, as the excess energy created by our body can make it harder for us to be effective public speakers. But because communication apprehension is rooted in our minds, if we understand more about the nature of the body\u2019s responses to stress, we can better develop mechanisms for managing the body\u2019s misguided attempts to help us cope with our fear of social judgment.\n\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"wrench_1.0-ch03_s01_s02\" class=\"im_section\">\n<h2 class=\"im_title im_editable im_block\">Physiological Symptoms of Communication Apprehension<\/h2>\nThere are a number of physical sensations associated with communication apprehension. We might notice our heart pounding or our hands feeling clammy. We may break out in a sweat. We may have \u201cstomach butterflies\u201d or even feel nauseated. Our hands and legs might start to shake, or we may begin to pace nervously. Our voices may quiver, and we may have a \u201cdry mouth\u201d sensation that makes it difficult to articulate even simple words. Breathing becomes more rapid and, in extreme cases, we might feel dizzy or light-headed. Anxiety about communicating is profoundly disconcerting because we feel powerless to control our bodies. Furthermore, we may become so anxious that we fear we will forget our name, much less remember the main points of the speech we are about to deliver.\n\nThe physiological changes produced in the body at critical moments are designed to contribute to the efficient use of muscles and expand available energy. Circulation and breathing become more rapid so that additional oxygen can reach the muscles. Increased circulation causes us to sweat. Adrenaline rushes through our body, instructing the body to speed up its movements. If we stay immobile behind a lectern, this hormonal urge to speed up may produce shaking and trembling. Additionally, digestive processes are inhibited so we will not lapse into the relaxed, sleepy state that is typical after eating. Instead of feeling sleepy, we feel butterflies in the pit of our stomach. By understanding what is happening to our bodies in response to the stress of public speaking, we can better cope with these reactions and channel them in constructive directions.\n\nAny conscious emotional state such as anxiety or excitement consists of two components: a primary reaction of the central nervous system and an intellectual interpretation of these physiological responses. The physiological state we label as communication anxiety does not differ from ones we label rage or excitement. Even experienced, effective speakers and performers experience some communication apprehension. What differs is the mental label that we put on the experience. Effective speakers have learned to channel their body\u2019s reactions, using the energy released by these physiological reactions to create animation and stage presence.\n\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"wrench_1.0-ch03_s01_s03\" class=\"im_section\">\n<h2 class=\"im_title im_editable im_block\">Myths about Communication Apprehension<\/h2>\nA wealth of conventional wisdom surrounds the discomfort of speaking anxiety, as it surrounds almost any phenomenon that makes us uncomfortable. Most of this \u201cfolk\u201d knowledge misleads us, directing our attention away from effective strategies for thinking about and coping with anxiety reactions. Before we look in more detail at the types of communication apprehension, let\u2019s dispel some of the myths about it.\n<ol id=\"wrench_1.0-ch03_s01_s03_l01\" class=\"im_orderedlist im_editable im_block\"><li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">People who suffer from speaking anxiety are neurotic.<\/strong> As we have explained, speaking anxiety is a normal reaction. Good speakers can get nervous just as poor speakers do. Winston Churchill, for example, would get physically ill before major speeches in Parliament. Yet he rallied the British people in a time of crisis. Many people, even the most professional performers, experience anxiety about communicating. Such a widespread problem, Dr. Joyce Brothers contends, \u201ccannot be attributed to deep-seated neuroses.\u201d<span id=\"wrench_1.0-fn03_005\" class=\"im_footnote\">[footnote]Brothers, J. (2008, July 1). Public speaking among people\u2019s top fears. <em class=\"im_emphasis\">Seattle Pi<\/em>. Retrieved from <a class=\"im_link\" href=\"http:\/\/www.seattlepi.com\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/www.seattlepi.com<\/a>[\/footnote]<\/span><\/li>\n\t<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Telling a joke or two is always a good way to begin a speech.<\/strong> Humor is some of the toughest material to deliver effectively because it requires an exquisite sense of timing. Nothing is worse than waiting for a laugh that does not come. Moreover, one person\u2019s joke is another person\u2019s slander. It is extremely easy to offend when using humor. The same material can play very differently with different audiences. For these reasons, it is not a good idea to start with a joke, particularly if it is not well related to your topic. Humor is just too unpredictable and difficult for many novice speakers. If you insist on using humor, make sure the \u201cjoke\u201d is on you, not on someone else. Another tip is never to pause and wait for a laugh that may not come. If the audience catches the joke, fine. If not, you\u2019re not left standing in awkward silence waiting for a reaction.<\/li>\n\t<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Imagine the audience is naked.<\/strong> This tip just plain doesn\u2019t work because imagining the audience naked will do nothing to calm your nerves. As Malcolm Kushner noted, \u201cThere are some folks in the audience I wouldn\u2019t want to see naked\u2014especially if I\u2019m trying <em class=\"im_emphasis\">not<\/em> to be frightened.\u201d<span id=\"wrench_1.0-fn03_006\" class=\"im_footnote\">[footnote]Kushner, M. (1999). <em class=\"im_emphasis\">Public speaking for dummies<\/em>. New York, NY: IDG Books Worldwide, p. 242.[\/footnote]<\/span> The audience is not some abstract image in your mind. It consists of real individuals who you can connect with through your material. To \u201cimagine\u201d the audience is to misdirect your focus from the real people in front of you to an \u201cimagined\u201d group. What we imagine is usually more threatening than the reality that we face.<\/li>\n\t<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Any mistake means that you have \u201cblown it.\u201d<\/strong> We all make mistakes. What matters is not whether we make a mistake but how well we recover. One of the authors of this book was giving a speech and wanted to thank a former student in the audience. Instead of saying \u201cformer student,\u201d she said, \u201cformer friend.\u201d After the audience stopped laughing, the speaker remarked, \u201cWell, I guess she\u2019ll be a <em class=\"im_emphasis\">former<\/em> friend now!\u201d\u2014which got more laughter from the audience. A speech does not have to be perfect. You just have to make an effort to relate to the audience naturally and be willing to accept your mistakes.<\/li>\n\t<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Avoid speaking anxiety by writing your speech out word for word and memorizing it.<\/strong> Memorizing your speech word for word will likely make your apprehension worse rather than better. Instead of remembering three to five main points and subpoints, you will try to commit to memory more than a thousand bits of data. If you forget a point, the only way to get back on track is to start from the beginning. You are inviting your mind to go blank by overloading it with details. In addition, audiences do not like to listen to \u201ccanned,\u201d or memorized, material. Your delivery is likely to suffer if you memorize. Audiences appreciate speakers who talk naturally to them rather than recite a written script.<\/li>\n\t<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Audiences are out to get you.<\/strong> With only a few exceptions, which we will talk about in Section 3.2 \"All Anxiety Is Not the Same: Sources of Communication Apprehension\", the natural state of audiences is empathy, not antipathy. Most face-to-face audiences are interested in your material, not in your image. Watching someone who is anxious tends to make audience members anxious themselves. Particularly in public speaking classes, audiences want to see you succeed. They know that they will soon be in your shoes and they identify with you, most likely hoping you\u2019ll succeed and give them ideas for how to make their own speeches better. If you establish direct eye contact with real individuals in your audience, you will see them respond to what you are saying, and this response lets you know that you are succeeding.<\/li>\n\t<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">You will look to the audience as nervous as you feel.<\/strong> Empirical research has shown that audiences do not perceive the level of nervousness that speakers report feeling.<span id=\"wrench_1.0-fn03_007\" class=\"im_footnote\">[footnote]Clevenger, T. J. (1959). A synthesis of experimental research in stage fright. <em class=\"im_emphasis\">Quarterly Journal of Speech<\/em>, <em class=\"im_emphasis\">45<\/em>, 135\u2013159. See also Savitsky, K., &amp; Gilovich, T. (2003). The illusion of transparency and the alleviation of speech anxiety. <em class=\"im_emphasis\">Journal of Experimental Social Psychology<\/em>, <em class=\"im_emphasis\">39<\/em>, 601\u2013625.[\/footnote]<\/span> Most listeners judge speakers as less anxious than the speakers rate themselves. In other words, the audience is not likely to perceive accurately the level of anxiety you might be experiencing. Some of the most effective speakers will return to their seats after their speech and exclaim they were <strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">so<\/strong> nervous. Listeners will respond, \u201cYou didn\u2019t look nervous.\u201d Audiences do not necessarily perceive our fears. Consequently, don\u2019t apologize for your nerves. There is a good chance the audience will not notice if you do not point it out to them.<\/li>\n\t<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">A little nervousness helps you give a better speech.<\/strong> This \u201cmyth\u201d is true! Professional speakers, actors, and other performers consistently rely on the heightened arousal of nervousness to channel extra energy into their performance. People would much rather listen to a speaker who is alert and enthusiastic than one who is relaxed to the point of boredom. Many professional speakers say that the day they stop feeling nervous is the day they should stop speaking in public. The goal is to control those nerves and channel them into your presentation.<\/li>\n<\/ol><div class=\"bcc-box bcc-success\">\n<h3>KEY TAKEAWAYS<\/h3>\n<ul><li>Communication apprehension refers to the fear or anxiety people experience at the thought of being evaluated by others. Some anxiety is a normal part of the communication process.<\/li>\n\t<li>The psychological threat individuals perceive in the communication situation prompts physiological changes designed to help the body respond. These physical reactions to stress create the uncomfortable feelings of unease called speech anxiety and may include sweaty palms, shaking, butterflies in the stomach, and dry mouth.<\/li>\n\t<li>A great deal of conventional advice for managing stage fright is misleading, including suggestions that speech anxiety is neurotic, that telling a joke is a good opening, that imagining the audience naked is helpful, that any mistake is fatal to an effective speech, that memorizing a script is useful, that audiences are out to get you, and that your audience sees how nervous you really are.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-info\">\n<h3>EXERCISES<\/h3>\n<ol><li>Create an inventory of the physiological symptoms of communication apprehension you experience when engaged in public speaking. Which ones are you most interested in learning to manage?<\/li>\n\t<li>With a partner or in a small group, discuss which myths create the biggest problems for public speakers. Why do people believe in these myths?<\/li>\n<\/ol><\/div><\/div>","rendered":"<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-highlight\">\n<h3>Learning Objectives<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Explain the nature of communication apprehension.<\/li>\n<li>List the physiological symptoms of communication apprehension.<\/li>\n<li>Identify different misconceptions about communication anxiety.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cSpeech is a mirror of the soul,\u201d commented Publilius Syrus, a popular writer in 42 BCE.<span id=\"wrench_1.0-fn03_002\" class=\"im_footnote\"><a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Bartlett, J. (comp.). (1919). Familiar quotations (10th ed.). Rev. and enl. by Nathan Haskell Dole. Boston, MA: Little, Brown, and Company. Retrieved from Bartleby.com website: http:\/\/www.bartleby.com\/100\" id=\"return-footnote-646-1\" href=\"#footnote-646-1\" aria-label=\"Footnote 1\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[1]<\/sup><\/a><\/span> Other people come to know who we are through our words. Many different social situations, ranging from job interviews to dating to public speaking, can make us feel uncomfortable as we anticipate that we will be evaluated and judged by others. How well we communicate is intimately connected to our self-image, and the process of revealing ourselves to the evaluation of others can be threatening whether we are meeting new acquaintances, participating in group discussions, or speaking in front of an audience.<\/p>\n<div id=\"wrench_1.0-ch03_s01_s01\" class=\"im_section\">\n<h2 class=\"im_title im_editable im_block\">Definition of Communication Apprehension<\/h2>\n<p>According to James McCroskey, <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">communication apprehension<\/span><\/span> is the broad term that refers to an individual\u2019s \u201cfear or anxiety associated with either real or anticipated communication with another person or persons.\u201d<span id=\"wrench_1.0-fn03_003\" class=\"im_footnote\"><a class=\"footnote\" title=\"McCroskey, J. C. (2001). An introduction to rhetorical communication. Boston, MA: Allyn &amp; Bacon, p. 40.\" id=\"return-footnote-646-2\" href=\"#footnote-646-2\" aria-label=\"Footnote 2\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[2]<\/sup><\/a><\/span> At its heart, communication apprehension is a psychological response to evaluation. This psychological response, however, quickly becomes physical as our body responds to the threat the mind perceives. Our bodies cannot distinguish between psychological and physical threats, so we react as though we were facing a Mack truck barreling in our direction. The body\u2019s circulatory and adrenal systems shift into overdrive, preparing us to function at maximum physical efficiency\u2014the \u201cflight or fight\u201d response.<span id=\"wrench_1.0-fn03_004\" class=\"im_footnote\"><a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Sapolsky, R. M. (2004). Why zebras don\u2019t get ulcers (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Henry Holt.\" id=\"return-footnote-646-3\" href=\"#footnote-646-3\" aria-label=\"Footnote 3\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[3]<\/sup><\/a><\/span> Yet instead of running away or fighting, all we need to do is stand and talk. When it comes to communication apprehension, our physical responses are often not well adapted to the nature of the threat we face, as the excess energy created by our body can make it harder for us to be effective public speakers. But because communication apprehension is rooted in our minds, if we understand more about the nature of the body\u2019s responses to stress, we can better develop mechanisms for managing the body\u2019s misguided attempts to help us cope with our fear of social judgment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"wrench_1.0-ch03_s01_s02\" class=\"im_section\">\n<h2 class=\"im_title im_editable im_block\">Physiological Symptoms of Communication Apprehension<\/h2>\n<p>There are a number of physical sensations associated with communication apprehension. We might notice our heart pounding or our hands feeling clammy. We may break out in a sweat. We may have \u201cstomach butterflies\u201d or even feel nauseated. Our hands and legs might start to shake, or we may begin to pace nervously. Our voices may quiver, and we may have a \u201cdry mouth\u201d sensation that makes it difficult to articulate even simple words. Breathing becomes more rapid and, in extreme cases, we might feel dizzy or light-headed. Anxiety about communicating is profoundly disconcerting because we feel powerless to control our bodies. Furthermore, we may become so anxious that we fear we will forget our name, much less remember the main points of the speech we are about to deliver.<\/p>\n<p>The physiological changes produced in the body at critical moments are designed to contribute to the efficient use of muscles and expand available energy. Circulation and breathing become more rapid so that additional oxygen can reach the muscles. Increased circulation causes us to sweat. Adrenaline rushes through our body, instructing the body to speed up its movements. If we stay immobile behind a lectern, this hormonal urge to speed up may produce shaking and trembling. Additionally, digestive processes are inhibited so we will not lapse into the relaxed, sleepy state that is typical after eating. Instead of feeling sleepy, we feel butterflies in the pit of our stomach. By understanding what is happening to our bodies in response to the stress of public speaking, we can better cope with these reactions and channel them in constructive directions.<\/p>\n<p>Any conscious emotional state such as anxiety or excitement consists of two components: a primary reaction of the central nervous system and an intellectual interpretation of these physiological responses. The physiological state we label as communication anxiety does not differ from ones we label rage or excitement. Even experienced, effective speakers and performers experience some communication apprehension. What differs is the mental label that we put on the experience. Effective speakers have learned to channel their body\u2019s reactions, using the energy released by these physiological reactions to create animation and stage presence.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"wrench_1.0-ch03_s01_s03\" class=\"im_section\">\n<h2 class=\"im_title im_editable im_block\">Myths about Communication Apprehension<\/h2>\n<p>A wealth of conventional wisdom surrounds the discomfort of speaking anxiety, as it surrounds almost any phenomenon that makes us uncomfortable. Most of this \u201cfolk\u201d knowledge misleads us, directing our attention away from effective strategies for thinking about and coping with anxiety reactions. Before we look in more detail at the types of communication apprehension, let\u2019s dispel some of the myths about it.<\/p>\n<ol id=\"wrench_1.0-ch03_s01_s03_l01\" class=\"im_orderedlist im_editable im_block\">\n<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">People who suffer from speaking anxiety are neurotic.<\/strong> As we have explained, speaking anxiety is a normal reaction. Good speakers can get nervous just as poor speakers do. Winston Churchill, for example, would get physically ill before major speeches in Parliament. Yet he rallied the British people in a time of crisis. Many people, even the most professional performers, experience anxiety about communicating. Such a widespread problem, Dr. Joyce Brothers contends, \u201ccannot be attributed to deep-seated neuroses.\u201d<span id=\"wrench_1.0-fn03_005\" class=\"im_footnote\"><a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Brothers, J. (2008, July 1). Public speaking among people\u2019s top fears. Seattle Pi. Retrieved from http:\/\/www.seattlepi.com\" id=\"return-footnote-646-4\" href=\"#footnote-646-4\" aria-label=\"Footnote 4\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[4]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Telling a joke or two is always a good way to begin a speech.<\/strong> Humor is some of the toughest material to deliver effectively because it requires an exquisite sense of timing. Nothing is worse than waiting for a laugh that does not come. Moreover, one person\u2019s joke is another person\u2019s slander. It is extremely easy to offend when using humor. The same material can play very differently with different audiences. For these reasons, it is not a good idea to start with a joke, particularly if it is not well related to your topic. Humor is just too unpredictable and difficult for many novice speakers. If you insist on using humor, make sure the \u201cjoke\u201d is on you, not on someone else. Another tip is never to pause and wait for a laugh that may not come. If the audience catches the joke, fine. If not, you\u2019re not left standing in awkward silence waiting for a reaction.<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Imagine the audience is naked.<\/strong> This tip just plain doesn\u2019t work because imagining the audience naked will do nothing to calm your nerves. As Malcolm Kushner noted, \u201cThere are some folks in the audience I wouldn\u2019t want to see naked\u2014especially if I\u2019m trying <em class=\"im_emphasis\">not<\/em> to be frightened.\u201d<span id=\"wrench_1.0-fn03_006\" class=\"im_footnote\"><a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Kushner, M. (1999). Public speaking for dummies. New York, NY: IDG Books Worldwide, p. 242.\" id=\"return-footnote-646-5\" href=\"#footnote-646-5\" aria-label=\"Footnote 5\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[5]<\/sup><\/a><\/span> The audience is not some abstract image in your mind. It consists of real individuals who you can connect with through your material. To \u201cimagine\u201d the audience is to misdirect your focus from the real people in front of you to an \u201cimagined\u201d group. What we imagine is usually more threatening than the reality that we face.<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Any mistake means that you have \u201cblown it.\u201d<\/strong> We all make mistakes. What matters is not whether we make a mistake but how well we recover. One of the authors of this book was giving a speech and wanted to thank a former student in the audience. Instead of saying \u201cformer student,\u201d she said, \u201cformer friend.\u201d After the audience stopped laughing, the speaker remarked, \u201cWell, I guess she\u2019ll be a <em class=\"im_emphasis\">former<\/em> friend now!\u201d\u2014which got more laughter from the audience. A speech does not have to be perfect. You just have to make an effort to relate to the audience naturally and be willing to accept your mistakes.<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Avoid speaking anxiety by writing your speech out word for word and memorizing it.<\/strong> Memorizing your speech word for word will likely make your apprehension worse rather than better. Instead of remembering three to five main points and subpoints, you will try to commit to memory more than a thousand bits of data. If you forget a point, the only way to get back on track is to start from the beginning. You are inviting your mind to go blank by overloading it with details. In addition, audiences do not like to listen to \u201ccanned,\u201d or memorized, material. Your delivery is likely to suffer if you memorize. Audiences appreciate speakers who talk naturally to them rather than recite a written script.<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Audiences are out to get you.<\/strong> With only a few exceptions, which we will talk about in Section 3.2 &#8220;All Anxiety Is Not the Same: Sources of Communication Apprehension&#8221;, the natural state of audiences is empathy, not antipathy. Most face-to-face audiences are interested in your material, not in your image. Watching someone who is anxious tends to make audience members anxious themselves. Particularly in public speaking classes, audiences want to see you succeed. They know that they will soon be in your shoes and they identify with you, most likely hoping you\u2019ll succeed and give them ideas for how to make their own speeches better. If you establish direct eye contact with real individuals in your audience, you will see them respond to what you are saying, and this response lets you know that you are succeeding.<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">You will look to the audience as nervous as you feel.<\/strong> Empirical research has shown that audiences do not perceive the level of nervousness that speakers report feeling.<span id=\"wrench_1.0-fn03_007\" class=\"im_footnote\"><a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Clevenger, T. J. (1959). A synthesis of experimental research in stage fright. Quarterly Journal of Speech, 45, 135\u2013159. See also Savitsky, K., &amp; Gilovich, T. (2003). The illusion of transparency and the alleviation of speech anxiety. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 39, 601\u2013625.\" id=\"return-footnote-646-6\" href=\"#footnote-646-6\" aria-label=\"Footnote 6\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[6]<\/sup><\/a><\/span> Most listeners judge speakers as less anxious than the speakers rate themselves. In other words, the audience is not likely to perceive accurately the level of anxiety you might be experiencing. Some of the most effective speakers will return to their seats after their speech and exclaim they were <strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">so<\/strong> nervous. Listeners will respond, \u201cYou didn\u2019t look nervous.\u201d Audiences do not necessarily perceive our fears. Consequently, don\u2019t apologize for your nerves. There is a good chance the audience will not notice if you do not point it out to them.<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">A little nervousness helps you give a better speech.<\/strong> This \u201cmyth\u201d is true! Professional speakers, actors, and other performers consistently rely on the heightened arousal of nervousness to channel extra energy into their performance. People would much rather listen to a speaker who is alert and enthusiastic than one who is relaxed to the point of boredom. Many professional speakers say that the day they stop feeling nervous is the day they should stop speaking in public. The goal is to control those nerves and channel them into your presentation.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-success\">\n<h3>KEY TAKEAWAYS<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Communication apprehension refers to the fear or anxiety people experience at the thought of being evaluated by others. Some anxiety is a normal part of the communication process.<\/li>\n<li>The psychological threat individuals perceive in the communication situation prompts physiological changes designed to help the body respond. These physical reactions to stress create the uncomfortable feelings of unease called speech anxiety and may include sweaty palms, shaking, butterflies in the stomach, and dry mouth.<\/li>\n<li>A great deal of conventional advice for managing stage fright is misleading, including suggestions that speech anxiety is neurotic, that telling a joke is a good opening, that imagining the audience naked is helpful, that any mistake is fatal to an effective speech, that memorizing a script is useful, that audiences are out to get you, and that your audience sees how nervous you really are.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-info\">\n<h3>EXERCISES<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>Create an inventory of the physiological symptoms of communication apprehension you experience when engaged in public speaking. Which ones are you most interested in learning to manage?<\/li>\n<li>With a partner or in a small group, discuss which myths create the biggest problems for public speakers. Why do people believe in these myths?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t <section class=\"citations-section\" role=\"contentinfo\">\n\t\t\t <h3>Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t <div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <div id=\"citation-list-646\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <div class=\"licensing\"><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Shared previously<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Public Speaking: Practice and Ethics. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Anonymous. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Anonymous. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/2012books.lardbucket.org\/books\/public-speaking-practice-and-ethics\/\">http:\/\/2012books.lardbucket.org\/books\/public-speaking-practice-and-ethics\/<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/4.0\/\">CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t <\/section><hr class=\"before-footnotes clear\" \/><div class=\"footnotes\"><ol><li id=\"footnote-646-1\">Bartlett, J. (comp.). (1919). <em class=\"im_emphasis\">Familiar quotations<\/em> (10th ed.). Rev. and enl. by Nathan Haskell Dole. Boston, MA: Little, Brown, and Company. Retrieved from Bartleby.com website: <a class=\"im_link\" href=\"http:\/\/www.bartleby.com\/100\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/www.bartleby.com\/100<\/a> <a href=\"#return-footnote-646-1\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 1\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-646-2\">McCroskey, J. C. (2001). <em class=\"im_emphasis\">An introduction to rhetorical communication<\/em>. Boston, MA: Allyn &amp; Bacon, p. 40. <a href=\"#return-footnote-646-2\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 2\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-646-3\">Sapolsky, R. M. (2004). <em class=\"im_emphasis\">Why zebras don\u2019t get ulcers<\/em> (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Henry Holt. <a href=\"#return-footnote-646-3\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 3\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-646-4\">Brothers, J. (2008, July 1). Public speaking among people\u2019s top fears. <em class=\"im_emphasis\">Seattle Pi<\/em>. Retrieved from <a class=\"im_link\" href=\"http:\/\/www.seattlepi.com\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/www.seattlepi.com<\/a> <a href=\"#return-footnote-646-4\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 4\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-646-5\">Kushner, M. (1999). <em class=\"im_emphasis\">Public speaking for dummies<\/em>. New York, NY: IDG Books Worldwide, p. 242. <a href=\"#return-footnote-646-5\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 5\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-646-6\">Clevenger, T. J. (1959). A synthesis of experimental research in stage fright. <em class=\"im_emphasis\">Quarterly Journal of Speech<\/em>, <em class=\"im_emphasis\">45<\/em>, 135\u2013159. See also Savitsky, K., &amp; Gilovich, T. (2003). The illusion of transparency and the alleviation of speech anxiety. <em class=\"im_emphasis\">Journal of Experimental Social Psychology<\/em>, <em class=\"im_emphasis\">39<\/em>, 601\u2013625. <a href=\"#return-footnote-646-6\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 6\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/div>","protected":false},"author":277,"menu_order":3,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Public Speaking: Practice and Ethics\",\"author\":\"Anonymous\",\"organization\":\"Anonymous\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/2012books.lardbucket.org\/books\/public-speaking-practice-and-ethics\/\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by-nc-sa\",\"license_terms\":\"\"}]","CANDELA_OUTCOMES_GUID":"","pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-646","chapter","type-chapter","status-web-only","hentry"],"part":644,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/zelicst110\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/646","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/zelicst110\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/zelicst110\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/zelicst110\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/277"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/zelicst110\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/646\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":749,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/zelicst110\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/646\/revisions\/749"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/zelicst110\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/644"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/zelicst110\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/646\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/zelicst110\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=646"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/zelicst110\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=646"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/zelicst110\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=646"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/zelicst110\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=646"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}