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- [Presenter] Public speaking.

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It's an act that can cause[br]paralyzing fear and panic.

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It consistently ranks at the[br]top of our list of fears,

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alongside death, heights, and snakes.

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Comedian Jerry Seinfeld once joked

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about the absurdity of this fear.

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In a standup, he said,[br]"To the average person,

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if you go to a funeral,

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you're better off in the[br]casket than doing the eulogy."

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But why do we fear public speaking?

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It's not like you're in actual danger.

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So to better understand the[br]multitude of possible reasons,

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we turn to psychology.

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In this PSYCHademia episode,

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I explore psychology's[br]seven modern perspectives,

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a set of approaches used[br]to explain why people think

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and act the way they do,

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and in this case, fear.

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(bright upbeat music)

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Psychology tells us[br]that there are many ways

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to think about human behavior.

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Psychologists use a variety of approaches

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or perspectives to[br]explain why people think

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and act the way they do.

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In no particular order,

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these perspectives are[br]behavioral, humanistic, cognitive,

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psychodynamic, biological,[br]sociocultural, and evolutionary.

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These perspectives are used to explain

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all of human behavior,

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like why do some people[br]enjoy extreme activities?

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Why do people develop phobias?

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And even why do people[br]feel certain emotions,

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like sadness or anger?

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These questions, and many[br]more, can be answered

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through the lens of each perspective.

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Let's explore each[br]perspective using our example

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from the start of this[br]PSYCHademia episode,

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why do people fear public speaking?

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The answer: It depends on[br]which perspective you follow.

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The behavioral perspective[br]explains human behavior

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in terms of conditioning[br]and reinforcement.

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It focuses on how we[br]learn certain behaviors.

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Think about humans as passive[br]animals, like this dog,

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only responding to simple[br]environmental stimuli.

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The behavioral perspective argues

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that we are more likely to do things

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because of positive outcomes

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and less likely to do things[br]because of negative ones.

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From this perspective, there[br]really is no difference

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between a dog being rewarded[br]with a treat for good behavior

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and a student being rewarded

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with verbal praise for good behavior.

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A behaviorist may argue

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that a person was conditioned[br]to fear public speaking

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because they associate this experience

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with negative responses,

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like the audience chuckling[br]after misspeaking.

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People may avoid public speaking[br]for fear of embarrassment,

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which in this case is[br]a form of punishment.

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The cognitive perspective

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is a counterargument to behaviorism.

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This approach contends that[br]our behavior is influenced

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by more than simple[br]rewards and punishments,

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rather, our behavior is[br]influenced by how we think

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and interpret a situation.

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We are not just headless[br]zombies walking around,

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instead, we make decisions

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based on our interpretation[br]of a situation.

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A cognitive theorist may argue a person

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has a fear of public speaking

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because of irrational[br]or obsessive thoughts.

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Thoughts like, "What if they see me fall?

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What if my zipper is open?

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What if they see me sweating?"

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This is a constant worrier,[br]a critic of themselves.

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In my opinion, the[br]psychodynamic perspective

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is one of the most[br]controversial perspectives,

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but also one of the most fascinating.

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It is also one of the oldest.

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The psychodynamic perspective argues

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that the unconscious mind[br]controls our thoughts and actions.

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Like an iceberg, our behavior is guided

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by a large part of our mind[br]we cannot see or control.

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Our unconscious mind is filled

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with memories from our[br]childhood that are too traumatic

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or distressing to think about,

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so we repress them or push[br]them down into the abyss.

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Our unconscious mind is[br]filled with primitive drives

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that are in conflict with[br]societal norms and morals.

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A psychodynamic theorist

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may argue a person has a[br]fear of public speaking

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because of a deeper underlying[br]issue in the unconscious:

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the fear of rejection.

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A person may fear public speaking

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because of a repressed[br]memory of being belittled

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or rejected by an overbearing[br]parent or a teacher.

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The humanistic perspective was[br]developed as an alternative

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to the behavioral and[br]psychodynamic perspectives

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because it offered more[br]of a positive approach

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to human behavior.

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This is why humanism is often[br]considered the third wave.

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In this perspective,

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our behavior is not determined by our past

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or simplistic rewards and punishments.

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Instead, we choose our paths.

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We make individual choices and[br]strive for personal growth.

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Quite simply, the glass is[br]half full, not half empty.

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A humanist may argue that[br]experiencing fear is a motivator.

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Fear is not seen as a weakness.

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People purposely seek out difficult tasks

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to overcome their fears[br]and triumph over adversity.

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There's an old saying in psychology:

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Everything psychological is[br]simultaneously biological.

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In the biological perspective,

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the key idea is that biological processes

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control our thoughts and actions,

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including hormones,[br]neurotransmitters, and genes.

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A psychologist from the[br]biologic perspective

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may focus on the parts of[br]the brain that are key actors

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in the production of fear and[br]anxiety while public speaking.

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They may focus on the[br]amygdala, for an example,

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an almond-shaped structure[br]deep within the brain

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that alerts the rest of the brain

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and body a threat is present.

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A biological psychologist may also focus

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on what specifically causes[br]physiological changes

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in the human body, like[br]norepinephrine and cortisol.

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The sociocultural perspective argues

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that people's thoughts[br]and actions are influenced

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by cultural factors,

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like stereotypes, cultural norms, media,

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and racial differences.

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From the sociocultural perspective,

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fear of public speaking may[br]be caused by cultural norms.

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Every culture has implicit societal rules,

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also known as folk ways,

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on eye contact when talking,[br]use of hand gestures,

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or how much emotion you express in public.

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Another explanation is that people

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from individualistic cultures,

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like North America and Europe,

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as opposed to collectivist[br]cultures like Asia,

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may feel more pressure[br]to succeed on their own.

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Lastly, the evolutionary[br]perspective argues

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that people's thoughts and actions

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are advantageous for survival.

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These ideas were developed from[br]the work of Charles Darwin.

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Evolutionary psychologists may argue

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that fear of public speaking is caused

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by our brain perceiving this event

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as actual, real-life danger.

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Our brain interprets public speaking

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as a life or death situation,

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same as being chased by[br]a saber-toothed tiger,

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sending our body into[br]fight-or-flight mode.

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The seven perspectives I just covered

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are vital to know when[br]taking any psychology course.

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They reappear in multiple units.

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The key idea to understanding them

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is to look for specific words

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and apply them to new scenarios.

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Let's take a look at the[br]seven key words on the left.

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Can you match them to the[br]perspectives on the right?

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Pause the video here and[br]take a moment to match them.

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How'd you do?

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Continue to brainstorm key[br]words for each perspective.

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Lastly, on a separate sheet of paper,

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explain each scenario above

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through the lens of each perspective.

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This will give you a better sense

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of your overall understanding.

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(bright music)