| Type of Document |
Dissertation |
| Author |
Hannesdottir, Dagmar Kristin
|
| Author's Email Address |
dkh@vt.edu |
| URN |
etd-09112007-171749 |
| Title |
Reduction of fear arousal in young adults with speech anxiety through elicitation of positive emotions |
| Degree |
PhD |
| Department |
Psychology |
| Advisory Committee |
| Advisor Name |
Title |
| Ollendick, Thomas H. |
Committee Chair |
| Bell, Martha Ann |
Committee Member |
| Clum, George A. Jr. |
Committee Member |
| Dunsmore, Julie C. |
Committee Member |
| Scarpa-Friedman, Angela |
Committee Member |
|
| Keywords |
- positive emotions
- speech anxiety
- Emotion regulation
- college students
|
| Date of Defense |
2007-08-31 |
| Availability |
unrestricted |
Abstract
A research study was conducted to examine Fredrickson’s Broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions in a speech anxious sample of undergraduate students. Experimental elicitation of positive emotions has previously been shown to speed cardiovascular recovery, increase attention, and broaden thought-action repertoires compared to elicitation of negative or neutral emotions (Fredrickson et al., 2000). 88 undergraduate students were selected from a screening process based on their reported speech anxiety on the Personal Report of Confidence as a Speaker (PRCS). Students who reported low or high speech anxiety completed an anxiety provoking task and were subsequently exposed to either a neutral emotion condition (“Pipes” film) or one of two positive emotion conditions (“Puppy” film or thinking of a happy memory task). Fredrickson’s theory was not supported since results showed no differences in cardiovascular recovery, thought-action repertoires, or global thinking for either groups or conditions. However, differences were found for broadened scope of attention on a modified Stroop task where the low anxiety group responded faster to threat words in the neutral and happy memory conditions than after viewing a positive film. Results of the study are discussed in light of attribution theory of emotion and previous studies on the effects of positive emotions.
|
| Files |
| Filename |
Size |
Approximate Download Time
(Hours:Minutes:Seconds)
|
| 28.8 Modem |
56K Modem |
ISDN (64 Kb) |
ISDN (128 Kb) |
Higher-speed Access |
| |
abstract.pdf |
54.90 Kb |
00:00:15 |
00:00:07 |
00:00:06 |
00:00:03 |
< 00:00:01 |
| |
dissertation.pdf |
2.19 Mb |
00:10:07 |
00:05:12 |
00:04:33 |
00:02:16 |
00:00:11 |
|
