Anticipatory anxiety patterns for male and female public speakers

In previous research, physiological and psychological anxiety patterns have been established for public speakers. In a recent study (Behnke & Sawyer, 1999) reported state and trait patterns of anticipatory anxiety for public speakers for two weeks preceding the actual presentation. In the present study, gender differences in anticipatory state anxiety and narrowband trait anxiety patterns were investigated. Significant gender‐based pattern differences were discovered with higher anxiety patterns reported by female speakers. Both female and male speaker groups exhibited the hypothesized quadratic v‐shaped pattern of mean anxiety scores for the anticipatory period. Theoretical and pedagogical implications of the findings are discussed.