Attentional training interventions may improve public speaking performance for speech-anxious individuals¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · 4 claims (4 for) · 1 study (1 associational), q3 · 1 of 1 report an effect size · 4 claims rest on one study

Description¶

The authors suggest that "interventions aimed at improving public speaking might focus on the role of attention." They review evidence that attentional training can improve emotion regulation through meditative techniques, auditory attentional training, and dot probe tasks that train focus toward or away from information of particular valence. Because these techniques appear to influence the alerting system of attention, which functions highly automatically, training could help meet the self-regulatory demands of public speaking without requiring effortful implementation during the speech itself.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Training procedures such as dot probe tasks, meditation, or auditory attentional training must be completed before the speaking task; the article notes future research should address whether and how attentional training improves speech performance.

Constraints¶

• Prior training studies (e.g., Amir et al., 2008) did not examine individual differences in attentional control or fear of public speaking as predictors, and the present study did not itself test training.

Target Learners¶

• speech-anxious students and professionals who must give presentations

Target Learning Goals¶

• improving speech performance and emotional self-regulation during public speaking

Claims¶

• Public speaking anxiety is associated with poorer judged speech performance only among individuals low in attentional control [+W]
• Attentional shifting, but not focusing, significantly moderates the effect of speech anxiety on judged quality [+W]
• Speech length mediates the anxiety-to-judged-quality link only for individuals low in attentional control [+W]
• Greater public speaking anxiety correlates with shorter and more poorly received speeches [+W]

Related Strategies¶

• Reframe Anxiety as Excitement
• Positive Self Talk Instruction
• Mindfulness Techniques
• Mindfulness Practice

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Jones Christopher R., Fazio Russell H., Vasey Michael W. (2012). Attentional Control Buffers the Effect of Public Speaking Anxiety on Performance. Social Psychological and Personality Science. https://doi.org/10.1177/1948550611430166