Glossophobia – School Terror

 

 

Public speaking in school at any grade was a terrorizing experience for most people.  Yes, the  dreaded oral report.

Glossophobia is the fear of speaking in public.

Sadly, grade school is where most people solidify their fear of speaking in public.  Glossophobia is essentially the fear of social rejection while speaking in public.  What could be more threatening and traumatizing than being potentially socially rejected and mocked by your school peer group?

To exacerbate matters, you have one of the most important authority figures in your life, your teacher, judging and grading your performance.

In my personal situation, my public speaking experiences in grade school were not supportive exercises. My experiences did not build my self esteem or self confidence.  They had the exact opposite effect of  making me more fearful of speaking in public.

It is amazing to me that schools do not activity encourage students to develop public speaking skills. Perhaps so many educators themselves do not have strong public speaking skills themselves. 

- Posted by Andy Paultanis

Glossophobia – Social Conditioning

We are taught as little children to fear speaking in public.

Glossophobia is the fear of speaking in public. 

Humans are social beings who place enormous value upon what they think other people think about them.  Human babies immediately begin to assess social situations.

Children are taught to avoid social rejection.  What will your parents say?  What will your mother think?  What will your dad think? What will your teacher think?  What do your friends feel?

We are conditioned early in life to value the opinions of others and avoid any form social rejection. Many children are taught to fear the opinions of others especially those in positions of authority.  There is a difference between respect and fear.

If we fear the opinion of one person then there can be nothing worse than a room full of people who might reject us in a public speaking situation.  They might even laugh at me or make fun of me.     

For many people, the thought of this is worse than death.  Numerous statistical studies support this observation.

Glossophobia can be a high cost for any society.  The fear of speaking in public can translate into a fear of failure and risk avoidance.  Innovation, creativity and personal growth require risk taking and willingness to accept failure.

It’s okay to wonder what other people may think but never at the cost of our personal growth.    

- Posted by Andy Paultanis

Glossophobia – Evolutionary Theory

If you believe in the Theory of Evolution then it is interesting to try to speculate why modern humans are afraid of public speaking.

Glossophobia is the fear of speaking in public. 

I personally believe human evolution is a social phenomena not a biological process. Biological evolution is the process of natural selection sometimes termed the survival of the strongest and fittest. Human evolution has been the survival of the most sociable.  Humans are the most social beings of all living species on earth.

Humans have lost animalistic traits such as a keen sense of smell, night vision and enormous physical strength compared to other animals because these traits were culled out of early human societies in favor of more desirable social traits.  Every living organism on earth fears and runs from fire except humans. Humans trying to harness fire was a social phenomena not a biological event.

Early humans depended upon each other for survival and social ostracism of the clan was certain death.  Social rejection meant death.  Today, solitary confinement  is a stern form of punishment in modern societies.

The root public speaking fear is the fear of social rejection which began hundreds of thousands or years ago on the savannahs of East Africa and the plains of Western Europe.  It seems modern humans have an innate fear of social rejection which becomes magnified in public speaking situations.   
 

An interesting article “The Thing We Fear More Than Death” by Dr. Glenn Croston, Ph.D. can be found at the link below:

Public Speaking Death for Cavepeople 

- Posted by Andy Paultanis

 

Glossophobia

“According to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that seem right? That means to the average person, if you have to go

to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.” – Jerry Seinfeld

Gloassophobia is the fear of speaking in public.

Speaking in public ranks number one and far behind is the fear of heights, insects and bugs, financial problems, deep water, sickness, death, flying, loneliness, dogs, driving/riding in a car, darkness, elevators and escalators.  Where’s the snakes and lizards, rats, lice and bubonic plague?

So why are people afraid of speaking in public?

REJECTION.

My personal belief is the primary reason why people are afraid to speak in public is the fear of rejection, ridicule and mocking from other people.

People are afraid of speaking in public because of what other people might think.

 

In Toastmasters, people are supported by members for trying to develop their self confidence to speak in public. 

 

- Posted by Andy Paultanis