Milestones of anticipatory public speaking anxiety

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the levels of anticipatory public speaking state and trait anxiety at three pre‐performance milestones or significant events: (1) the moment when the public speech was assigned in class, (2) the mid‐point of a laboratory session during which the speeches were being prepared, and (3) the moment immediately preceding formal presentation of the speech to the class. The results indicate that both state and trait anxiety levels during these events were ordered in a quadratic, v‐shaped episodic pattern as follows: the highest level of anticipatory anxiety occurred just before speaking, the second highest level occurred at the time the assignment was announced and explained, and the lowest level was measured during the time students were preparing their speeches.