Physical Symptoms of Discomfort Associated with Worry about Giving a Public Speech

While reports of anxiety about public speaking are common, the specific ways in which individual speakers are impacted varies considerably. Researchers of public speaking state anxiety have found support for the operation of Gray’s (1995a Gray, J. A. 1995a. The contents of consciousness: A neuropsychological conjecture. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 18: 659–722. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) comparator theory of emotion. The present study extends this perspective by examining the association of higher mental processes (worry) and body sensations. In the present study, conscious rumination and uncomfortable physical sensations were found to coincide during the anticipation milestone, i.e., approximately 1 minute before presenting a public speech. This finding supports the operation of Gray’s comparator theory. Recommendations for future research that focus on recursive patterns of body sensations and worry are advanced.