Virtual reality with distractors to overcome public speaking anxiety in university students

 Emma Rodero, Barcelona (Spain)

 Olatz Larrea, Barcelona (Spain)

https://doi.org/10.3916/C72-2022-07

Keywords

Virtual reality, public speaking, anxiety, education, communication, university students

Abstract

The ability to communicate effectively is a crucial aspect of education. For college students, learning how to speak in public is essential for their academic and professional future. However, many students report fear of speaking in public, the so-called Public Speaking Anxiety (PSA). This study aims to implement a training program using Virtual Reality (VR) with distractors to reduce the college students' anxiety. Anxiety was measured with two methods: electrodermal activity and self-report. We also analyze gender differences. There were an experimental and a control group. Both groups had to deliver the same speech twice: pre-test (before training); and post-test (after the training program) while participants’ electrodermal activity was measured. Only the experimental group was trained with VR. Students also completed the Public Speaking Anxiety Scale and a survey to examine their experience. The results showed that the VR training reduced the anxiety levels significantly in the experimental group, but there were no significant differences in the control group. The data also revealed a higher level of anxiety in male than in female students. Finally, participants reported a positive impression of the VR training. These results showed the effectiveness of Virtual Reality software with distractors to reduce public speaking anxiety.

References

Bartholomay, E.M., & Houlihan, D.D. (2016). Public Speaking Anxiety Scale: Preliminary psychometric data and scale validation. Personality and Individual Differences, 94, 211-215. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2016.01.026

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Beatty, M.J., & Behnke, R.R. (1991). Effects of public speaking trait anxiety and intensity of speaking task on heart rate during performance. Human Communication Research, 18(2), 147-176. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2958.1991.tb00542.x

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Behnke, R.R., & Sawyer, C.R. (2001). Patterns of psychological state anxiety in public speaking as a function of anxiety sensitivity. Communication Quarterly, 49(1), 84-94. https://doi.org/10.1080/01463370109385616

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Boetje, J., & van-Ginkel, S. (2020). The added benefit of an extra practice session in Virtual Reality on the development of presentation skills: A randomized control trial. Journal of Computing Assisted Learning, 37(1),253-264. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12484/v1/review2

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Burnley, M.C.E., Cross, P.A., & Spanos, N.P. (1993). The effects of stress inoculation training and skills training on the treatment of speech anxiety. Imagination, Cognition and Personality, 12(4), 355-366. https://doi.org/10.2190/n6tk-ar8q-l4e9-0rj0

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Carrillo, E., Moya-Albiol, L., Gonzalez-Bono, E., Salvador, A., Ricarte, J., & Gomez-Amor, J. (2001). Gender differences in cardiovascular and electrodermal responses to public speaking task: the role of anxiety and mood states. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 42(3), 253-264. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0167-8760(01)00147-7

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Chan, V. (2011). Teaching oral communication in undergraduate science: are we doing enough and doing it right? Journal of Learning Design, 4(3), 71-79. https://doi.org/10.5204/jld.v4i3.82

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Davis, M.C., & Matthews, K.A. (1996). Do gender-relevant characteristics determine cardiovascular reactivity? Match versus mismatch of traits and situation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 71(3), 527–535. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.71.3.527

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Dawson, M., Schell, A., & Filion, D. (2016). The electrodermal system. In J.T. Cacioppo, L.G. Tassinary, & G. Berntson (Eds.), Handbook of psychophysiology (pp. 217-243). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/cbo9780511546396.007

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

De-Bofarull, I. (2003). Everlasting teenagers and mediatic free time. [Adolescentes eternos y ocio mediático]. Comunicar, 21, 109-113. https://doi.org/10.3916/c21-2003-16

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

De-Grez, L., Valcke, M., & Roozen, I. (2009). The impact of an innovative instructional intervention on the acquisition of oral presentation skills in higher education. Computers & Education, 53(1), 112-120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2009.01.005

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Docan-Morgan, T., & Nelson L. (2015). The benefits and necessity of public speaking education. In K. Vaidya (Ed), Public speaking for the curious. The Curious Academic Publishing. https://bit.ly/3iaYcTt

Link Google Scholar

Emanuel, R. (2011). Critical concerns for oral communication education in Alabama and beyond. Education Research International. https://doi.org/10.1155/2011/948138

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Ferreira A.C., Mesquita A., Côrtes A.C., & Caldas, L. (2017). Fear of public speaking: Perception of college students and correlates. Journal of Voice, 31(1), 7-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvoice.2015.12.012

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Gaibani, A., & Elmenfi, F. (2014). The role of gender in influencing public speaking anxiety. British Journal of English Linguistics, 2(3), 7-13.

Link Google Scholar

Girdler, S., Jamner, L.D., & Shapiro, D. (1997). Hostility, testosterone, and vascular reactivity to stress: Effects of sex. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 4, 242-263. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327558ijbm0403_4

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

González-Zamar, M.D., & Abad-Segura, E. (2020). Implications of virtual reality in arts education: Research analysis in the context of higher education. Education Sciences, 10(9), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci10090225

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Howard, M.C., & Gutworth, M.G. (2020). A meta-analysis of virtual reality training programs for social skill development. Computers & Education, 144, 103707. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2019.103707

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Hugdahl, K. (1995). Psychophysiology: The mind body perspective. Harvard University Press. https://bit.ly/3i9H1BI

Link Google Scholar

Intaraprasert, C. (2000). Language learning strategies employed by engineering students learning English at tertiary level in Thailand. [Doctoral Dissertation, School of Education, the University of Leeds, UK]. https://bit.ly/3I8J6It

Link Google Scholar

Kohler, T., Scherbaum, N., & Ritz, T. (1995). Psychophysiological responses of borderline hypertensives in two experimental situations. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 63, 44-53. https://doi.org/10.1159/000288936

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Lash, S.J., Eisler, R.M., & Southard, D.R. (1995). Sex differences in cardiovascular reactivity as a function of the appraised gender relevance of the stressor. Behavioral Medicine, 21(2), 86-94. https://doi.org/10.1080/08964289.1995.9933747

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

LeFebvre, L.E., LeFebvre, L., & Allen, M. (2020). “Imagine all the people:” Imagined interactions in virtual reality when public speaking. Imagination, Cognition and Personality, 40(3), 189-222. https://doi.org/10.1177/0276236620938310

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Levitt, E.E. (1980). The psychology of anxiety. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Link Google Scholar

Matsuda, S., & Gobel, P. (2004). Anxiety and predictors of performance in the foreign language classroom. System, 32(1), 21-36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2003.08.002

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Matthews, K.A., Davis, M.C., Stoney, C.M., Owens, J.F., & Caggiula, A.R. (1991). Does the gender relevance of the stressor influence sex differences in psychophysiological responses? Health Psychology, 10(2), 112-120. https://doi.org/10.1037/0278-6133.10.2.112

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Mejias, H., Applebaum, R.L., Applebaum S.J., & Trotter, R.T. (1991). Oral communication apprehension and Hispanics: An exploration of oral communication apprehension among Mexican American students in Texas. In E.K. Horwitz, & D.J. Young (Eds.), Language anxiety: From theory and research to classroom implications (pp. 87-97). Prentice Hall.

Link Google Scholar

Mills, S. (2006). Gender and performance anxiety at academic conferences. In J. Baxter (Ed), Speaking out (pp. 61-80). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230522435_4

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Mohamad, R.A., & Ab-Wahid, N.D. (2008). Anxiety and speaking English as second language among male and female business students in University Industry Selangor. [Conference]. AFBE 2008 Conference Papers, 296. https://bit.ly/3qcE5Zh

Link Google Scholar

North, M., & Rives, J. (2001). Virtual reality therapy in aid of public speaking. International Journal of Virtual Reality, 3, 2-7. https://doi.org/10.20870/IJVR.1998.3.3.2625

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Pertaub, D.P., Slater, M., & Barker, C. (2001). An experiment on fear of public speaking in virtual Reality. Studies in Health Technology and Informatics, 81, 372-8. https://doi.org/10.1037/e705412011-025

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Pertaub, D.P., Slater, M., & Barker, C. (2002). An experiment on public speaking anxiety in response to three different types of virtual audience. Presence Teleoperators Virtual Environment, 11(1), 68-78. https://doi.org/10.1162/105474602317343668

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Potter, R.E., & Bolls, P. (2012), Psychophysiological measurement and meaning: Cognitive and emotional processing of media. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203181027

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Radianti, J., Majchrzak, T.A., Fromm, J., & Wohlgenannt, I. (2020). A systematic review of immersive virtual reality applications for higher education: Design elements, lessons learned, and research agenda. Computers & Education, 147. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2019.103778

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Reeves, R., Elliott, A., Curran, D., Dyer, K., & Hanna, D. (2021). 360° Video virtual reality exposure therapy for public speaking anxiety: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2021.102451

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Schacter, S., & Singer, J.F. (1962). Cognitive, social and physiological determinants of emotional state. Psychological Review, 69, 379-399. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0046234

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Smith, C.M., & Sodano, T.M. (2011). Integrating lecture capture as a teaching strategy to improve student presentation skills through self-assessment. Active Learning in Higher Education, 12(3), 151-162. https://doi.org/10.1177/1469787411415082

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Steptoe, A., Fieldman, G., Evans, O., & Perry, L. (1996). Cardiovascular risk and responsivity to mental stress: The influence of age, gender and risk factors. Journal of Cardiovascular Risk, 3, 83-93. https://doi.org/10.1097/00043798-199602000-00012

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Strand, E.A. (1999). Uncovering the role of gender stereotypes in speech perception. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 18(1), 86-100. https://doi.org/10.1177/0261927x99018001006

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Söyler, E., Gunaratne, C., & Akbas, M.?. (2016). Towards a comprehensive simulator for public speaking anxiety treatment. In V. Duffy (Eds.), Advances in applied digital human modeling and simulation. Advances in intelligent systems and computing (pp. 195-205). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-41627-4_18

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

van-Ginkel, S., Gulikers, J., Biemans, H., Noroozi, O., Roozen, M., Bos, T., van-Tilborg, R., van-Halteren, M., & Mulder, M. (2019). Fostering oral presentation competence through a virtual reality-based task for delivering feedback. Computers & Education, 134, 78-97. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2019.02.006

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Wang, T. (2010). Speaking anxiety: More of a function of personality than language achievement. Chinese Journal of Applied Linguistics, 33(5), 95-109. https://bit.ly/3if7Nso

Link Google Scholar

Yadav, M., Sakib, M.N., Feng, K., Chaspari, T., & Behzadan, A. (2019). Virtual reality interfaces and population-specific models to mitigate public speaking anxiety. [Conference]. 8th International Conference on Affective Computing and Intelligent Interaction (ACII), Cambridge. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACII.2019.8925509

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Fundref

This project has been funded by the Universitat Pompeu Fabra of Barcelona (Spain). Thanks to Psious for giving us access to the software to use in this study.

Crossmark

Technical information

Received: 20-12-2021

Revised: 24-01-2022

Accepted: 02-03-2022

OnlineFirst: 15-05-2022

Publication date: 01-07-2022

Article revision time: 35 days | Average time revision issue 72: 31 days

Article acceptance time: 72 days | Average time of acceptance issue 72: 75 days

Preprint editing time: 147 days | Average editing time preprint issue 72: 150 days

Article editing time: 192 days | Average editing time issue 72: 195 days

Metrics

Metrics of this article

Views: 22769

Abstract readings: 20532

PDF downloads: 2237

Full metrics of Comunicar 72

Views: 256588

Abstract readings: 232266

PDF downloads: 24322

Cited by