Understanding the Influence of Self-Critical, Self-Managing, and Social-Assessing Self-Talk on Performance Outcomes in a Public Speaking Context

Abstract

This study examines how different types of self-talk (self-reinforcing, self-critical, self-managing, and social-assessing) influence speakers’ emotional experience of public speaking anxiety and actual performance outcomes. A total of 152 participants reported their speech-specific self-talk frequencies and emotional states of anxiety at two time periods. External raters scored each participant’s video-recorded speech. Results revealed that different types of self-talk exert influence on performance outcomes through distinct pathways. For example, self-managing self-talk had a direct positive impact on speakers’ performance qualities, whereas social assessing self-talk had both a direct and an indirect effect but with opposite operating mechanisms. The study found that self-reinforcing self-talk provides little benefit in overcoming anxiety. It appears that the frequent engagement of self-critical self-talk that contributes substantially to the experience of speech-related anxiety. Theoretical and practical implications for self-talk monitoring and public speaking interventions are discussed.