Public Speaking Attitudes: Does Curriculum Make a Difference? 出處： Presenter：Bi-Ying Chan 詹璧瑛 Instructor：Kate Chen 陳姿青 Date：December 14,2009

Abstract..1 The purpose of this study was to compare changes in scores on measures of self-perceived confidence, competence, and apprehension associated with public speaking after two types of courses.

Public speaking anxiety Fear of public speaking is resulting in an extreme avoidance of speaking in front of people because of fear of embarrassment or humiliation. Reported prevalence rates women often reporting more public speaking anxiety compared to men .

Treatment Several cognitive-behavioral treatment methods are applied in public speaking anxiety and phobia treatment and are effective.

University public speaking courses Voice and Diction and Fundamental Speech courses were selected for comparison in this study . Voice and Diction (at the GWU) focuses on how to use the speech mechanism to produce desired speech and voice quality . Fundamental Speech (at the FSU) includes lectures on how to organize, outline, and deliver a variety of speech types and discusses interpersonal and smaller group communication.

Rationale and research questions The specific purposes of this study are to : Compare scores on measures with public speaking before and after the courses. Compare changes in these same measures across two pedagogical approaches to teach ‘‘communication competency.’’

METHODS ～Participants

METHODS ～Questionnaires According to McCroskey’s (1982) normative study . The students were invited to complete three questionnaires: SPCC, PRCS, and PRCA-24.

METHODS ～Procedures Mean PRCA Score FIGURE1.Mean(+SD)Presonal Report of Communication Apprehension (PRCA) scores pre and post two public speaking courses. Note: Lower PRCA score indicates less apprehension.

Note: Lower PRCS score indicates more confidence . FIGURE2.Mean(+SD)Presonal Report of Confidence as a speaker (PRCS) scores pre and post two public speaking courses. Note: Lower PRCS score indicates more confidence .

Note: Lower SPCC score indicates less self- perceived competence. FIGURE3.Mean(+SD)Self-Perceived Communicative Competence (SPCC) scores pre and post two public speaking courses. Note: Lower SPCC score indicates less self- perceived competence.

RESULTS Directions of mean scores indicate less apprehension, more confidence, and more feelings of competency reported post courses. Public speaking attitudes of students enrolled in these two courses improved by similar degrees.

DISCUSSION 1 Future studies could add ‘‘reduce public speaking anxiety’’. Treatment was most effective when the skills training approach was preceded by either of the more cognitive approaches.

DISCUSSION 2 Future studies could compare self-perception of competence to actual increased competence. Future studies could measure treatment effects of practice alone. Potential for virtual reality applications in public speaking treatment and curriculum should be explored as a means to include the power of practice.

CONCLUSION A variety of approaches to address self-perceptions and beliefs about public speaking are available and effective. The method reported will be useful in curriculum assessment of public speaking courses in the development of treatments to indirectly affect public speaking attitudes via specialized speech or performance instruction.

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