Public Speaking Anxiety: A Look at the Sources

Public Speaking Anxiety (PSA) is widely known as an apprehension affecting individuals of different groups, especially people involved in education. It ranges from simple age factors to the differences of professional backgrounds. PSA stemming from various factors such as physiology, behaviour and cognitive may negatively impact confidence and performance in speech delivery. Thus, this study analysed the relationship between physiological, behavioural and cognitive components as the core theoretical framework. This quantitative study was conducted among 128 students from a local university in Malaysia using a structured questionnaire survey. Data were collected via a 5-point Likert scale survey to identify the three main components using 17 specific items as the instrument adapted from Bartholomay & Houlihan (2016). The general findings portray a positive relationship between all three theoretical constructs, highlighting the behavioural factor as the key determinant. Hence, this study is important for students and educators to explore strategies in minimising the effects of PSA by understanding the three crucial sources.