Comparisons of Speech Anxiety in Basic Public Speaking Courses: Are Intensive or Traditional Semester Courses Better?

Basic Communication Course Annual Volume 27 Article 13 2015 Comparisons of Speech Anxiety in Basic Public Speaking Courses: Are Intensive or Traditional Semester Courses Better? Mary Z. Ashlock University of Louisville William A. Brantley United States Office of Personnel Management Katherine B. Taylor University of Louisville Follow this and additional works at: http://ecommons.udayton.edu/bcca Part of the Higher Education Commons, Interpersonal and Small Group Communication Commons, Mass Communication Commons, Other Communication Commons, and the Speech and Rhetorical Studies Commons Recommended Citation Ashlock, Mary Z.; Brantley, William A.; and Taylor, Katherine B. (2015) "Comparisons of Speech Anxiety in Basic Public Speaking Courses: Are Intensive or Traditional Semester Courses Better?," Basic Communication Course Annual: Vol. 27 , Article 13. Available at: http://ecommons.udayton.edu/bcca/vol27/iss1/13 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of Communication at eCommons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Basic Communication Course Annual by an authorized editor of eCommons. For more information, please contact , . Ashlock et al.: Comparisons of Speech Anxiety in Basic Public Speaking Courses: A 117 Comparisons of Speech Anxiety in Basic Public Speaking Courses: Are Intensive or Traditional Semester Courses Better? Mary Z. Ashlock William A. Brantley Katherine B. Taylor The study of public speaking is considered by many to be the foundation upon which the discipline of communication was built; it has evolved into a vast literature of experimental and expositional studies (Bodie, 2010). Communication apprehension (CA) is defined as “an individual level of fear or anxiety associated with either real or anticipated communication with another person or persons” (McCroskey, 1977, p. 78) and is an integral part of the study of public speaking. This fear or anxiety is heightened when individuals go beyond basic communication interactions to deliver public speeches. A factor to consider in CA is whether intensive courses such as three- and five-week summer courses actually increase students’ CA instead of helping lower students’ apprehension. In order to address this factor, the authors reviewed the extant literature on intensive courses to build the rationale for this study. To begin, Scott and Conrad (1992) reviewed 50 studies of intensive courses and found mostly equal or superior learning outcomes in comparison to traditional-length courses. Since this groundbreaking study, intensive courses have been found to be rewarding for students and under favorable conditions can create a more focused, collegial, relaxed, motivating, concentrated, Volume 27, 2015 Published by eCommons, 2015 1 Basic Communication Course Annual, Vol. 27 [2015], Art. 13 118 Speech Anxiety in Public Speaking Courses memorable, and continuous learning experience compared to semester-length courses (Scott, 1995). Given these factors, it seems logical that students with moderate CA would respond favorably within an intensive course setting. This article seeks to explore how intensive basic public speaking courses may be as effective and in some cases may appeal more to higher CA students. Its goal is the development of an exploratory study that could be used to help explain a significant effect of the basic speech intensive course on reducing CA. To begin, the authors present historical data about CA and academic achievement, followed by information about physiological factors in communication and its relation to techniques to reduce CA. The authors then present primary data and further research on intensive courses that lead to the practical implications for basic course directors and administrators. COMMUNICATION APPREHENSION AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT Seamon (2004) found that students in intensive courses initially performed significantly better than students in the semester-length courses in posttests on content and questions on higher-order learning. Researchers reached a similar conclusion: intensive courses appeared to provide equivalent or superior longand short-term learning outcomes compared to traditional courses across a variety of disciplines (Daniel, 2000). In another study examining academic achievement, CA in the instructional environment was studied by considering three CA levels (high, moderate, and low) BASIC COMMUNICATION COURSE ANNUAL http://ecommons.udayton.edu/bcca/vol27/iss1/13 2 Ashlock et al.: Comparisons of Speech Anxiety in Basic Public Speaking Courses: A Speech Anxiety in Public Speaking Courses 119 relative to various performance situations in a basic communication course. Students were placed in a high CA, moderate CA, or low CA group based on their score on the Personal Report of Communication Apprehension. Correlational analysis indicated there were significant differences in achievement indices among all three CA groups on the first two of four performance assignments and on the final course grade (Powers & Smythe, 1980). Communication apprehension has also had profound effects on college student retention and success. A four-year longitudinal study found that CA has a substantial impact on the probability of high CA students’ survival in college, and this impact adds to the case favoring the provision of training programs to assist such students to overcome their anxiety (McCroskey, Booth-Butterfield, & Payne, 1989). In addition, it is important that the basic communication course offer consistent instruction so students do not receive disparate pedagogical experiences (Morreale, Hugenberg, & Worley, 2006). This could relate to students with CA because they could better grasp the concepts and techniques needed to be successful in public speaking courses. Information about physiological factors must also be considered when exploring effects of the basic speech intensive course on reducing CA. Physiological Factors in Communication Apprehension Physiological factors have helped researchers to identify signs of CA. Scholars have suggested that biological factors, such as temperament, influence human social behavior, particularly in the formation of traits Volume 27, 2015 Published by eCommons, 2015 3 Basic Communication Course Annual, Vol. 27 [2015], Art. 13 120 Speech Anxiety in Public Speaking Courses such as CA (Beatty, Heisel, Lewis, Pence, Reinhart, & Tian, 2011). The relationship between trait-like CA and resting alpha range asymmetry in the anterior cortex is also now being studied, and partial correlations have been revealed between CA and EEG scores. Although research in cognitive neuroscience suggests that asymmetry in the anterior cortex is a relatively stable, inborn, infrastructure of emotion, some studies indicate that asymmetry can be increased by temporary induced (Beatty et al., 2011). Heart rate as it relates to CA has also been examined. Results suggest that the heart rates of anxi (...truncated)