Page 94 - Between One and Many The Art and Science of Public Speaking

Chapter 3 Managing Speech Anxiety 61

The difference be-
tween a “thrill ride”
and a “chill ride” is a
matter of perception,
as is speech anxiety.

Pessimistic Attitude

Though actual physical arousal is neither positive nor negative in itself, your
perception of it can be either positive or negative. The box Thumbs Up, Thumbs
Down shows that if you perceive and react to a situation positively, the arousal
you feel will be perceived as a pleasant rather than an aversive sensation. What’s
more, it is not likely to exceed its optimal level. Conversely, if you perceive a sit-
uation negatively, you will perceive the arousal you feel as an unpleasant, even
worrisome sensation. This increases the chances of arousal exceeding the opti-
mal level for performance.
Research shows that the difference between being positively excited or anx-
ious about a situation such as public speaking is not a matter of arousal per se.
It is a matter of how the arousal is initially interpreted. Consider riding a roller
coaster. Some people fi nd it exciting; others fi nd it a source of anxiety. If you
were to measure arousal while people actually rode a roller coaster, however,
you would fi nd, in the beginning, very little difference in their level of physical
arousal. But as the ride progressed and their positive or negative interpretation of
the experience began to kick in, differences in arousal would begin to appear. So
it is with public speaking. If we perceive it as an exciting opportunity to become
a more skilled communicator, chances are we will be able to maintain an optimal
level of arousal before, during, and following our speeches. Of course, the reverse
is also true. If we perceive public speaking as a task we prefer to avoid, or as an
imagined threat to our well-being, we may begin to experience mental and physi-
cal signs of anxiety well in advance of speaking.

Unrealistic Goals

Another common source of anxiety for beginning speakers involves the goals
they set for themselves. Though it is important to set high goals, they should
also be realistic. Unrealistic goals can lead to irrational fears about the speaking