Self-talk is a psychological and cognitive product of humans that correlates with stress-related variables, such as anxiety and depression. The immediate effects of positive self-talk on stress (in terms of cortisol reactivity) and speech performance have yet to be investigated. Thus, the author examined the immediate effects of positive self-talk on stress and speech performance. The roles of dispositional and speech-related inner self-talk were also investigated. One hundred and forty participants were assigned to Control, Stress Alone, Positive Self-Talk, or Distraction conditions. A standardized stress-inducing task was used for the experimental groups. Participants in the Positive Self-Talk condition rehearsed a positive self-statement during the experiment, and a distraction task was completed by those in the Distraction condition. Saliva samples were collected for cortisol analysis, and questionnaires were administered to assess participant perceived stress levels and inner self-talk. Immediate effects of positive self-talk on cortisol reactivity, perceived stress, and speech performance were absent. Nevertheless, speech-related positive inner self-talk was inversely correlated with the perceived stress level. Furthermore, negative inner self-talk was also related to cortisol reactivity, perceived stress, and speech performance.

Advances in Applied Sport Psychology aims to bridge the gap between research and practice in contemporary sport psychology. Now available in paperback, the book draws together reviews of cutting edge research in key areas of applied sport psychology, assesses the implications of this research for current practice, and explores future avenues of research within each thematic area. This book surveys the scientific literature underpinning the most important skills and techniques employed in contemporary sport psychology, examining key topics such as: imagery goal setting self-talk stress management team building efficacy management attention control emotion regulation mental toughness. Representing the most up-to-date review of current scientific research, theory and practice in sport psychology, this book is a vital resource for all advanced students, researchers and practitioners working with athletes and sports performers.

ABSTRACTPublic speaking is considered a valuable and necessary skill in professional, academic, and social contexts. However, research shows that public speaking anxiety is the top social fear for most people. Whereas public speaking anxiety exists among physical, cognitive, and behavioral dimensions, psychological approaches to intervention typically target cognitions. Negative self-talk is a component of cognitive anxiety, and interventions to improve self-talk have been widely implemented in clinical and sports psychology disciplines. This study examined the effects of a novel online self-talk intervention on public speaking anxiety reduction and speech performance ratings. The study also explored participants' perceptions of the intervention on reducing speech anxiety, improving speech performance, improving speech self-talk, and increasing speech self-efficacy of students in the college public speaking classroom context. This quasi-experimental research study utilized a convenience sample of 149 students enrolled in the public speaking basic course at a small, rural, state college in the southeastern United States region. The study included experimental and control groups. Data were analyzed primarily using quantitative methods with a smaller qualitative component. Results showed no significant differences between experimental and control groups in speech anxiety reduction, as assessed by the Personal Report of Public Speaking Anxiety (PRPSA) (McCroskey, 1970) and the Speech Anxiety Thoughts Inventory (SATI) (Cho and others, 2004) when comparisons were made from the beginning of the semester until the end. Speech anxiety in both the experimental group, which received skills training and the online self-talk intervention, and the control group, which received skills training alone, decreased from pre-test to post-test. Hierarchical multi-regression analyses revealed no significant predictor variables in terms of groups (experimental or control), gender, ethnicity, or college classification; however, PRPSA and SATI pre-test scores were found to be significant predictors of speech anxiety reduction. Results suggested that the majority of participants in the experimental group perceived the intervention as at least somewhat beneficial in reducing their speech anxiety, improving their speech performance, improving their speech self-talk, and increasing their speech self-efficacy. The participants indicated that the intervention was particularly beneficial in improving their speech self-talk and increasing their speech self-efficacy. Future research should focus on extending investigations on self-talk interventions on cognitive speech related variables, as the results here have implications for benefits not only to students, but for society at large.

Athletes are naturally exposed to significant psychological challenges in sports, but do not wait helplessly for the assistance of sports psychologists or trainers. Instead, they practise one form or another of self-regulation. Self-talk in Sport explores one such self-regulatory strategy: self-talk, the inner voice that accompanies every human being throughout their lives. Over time, research has revealed many secrets of self-talk in sport, though many others remain unveiled. This book offers you the opportunity to discover the multiple identities of our self-talk, how the “inner coach” serves as a rational counterpart to the irrational self, and what we need to do to develop our inner voice to reach its maximum self-regulatory potential. There is a general need for concrete interventions in sport, exercise, and performance psychology. In addition, the autonomous functioning of people is a central aim of psychological interventions that align with positive psychology and focus on people’s strengths rather than weaknesses. In this volume, researchers and applied practitioners are shown how they can use self-talk interventions to strengthen people’s rational self-regulation in order to deal with a variety of situations that apply to both sport and other exercise and performance contexts. Since self-talk is a tangible result of cognitive processes and inner experiences that researchers and applied practitioners can barely access, Self-talk in Sport is a tool for sports psychologists to understand and interact with hidden parts within athletes that have a major impact on sport and exercise experiences and performance. A book demonstrating the diverse – both rational and irrational identities – of self-talk, as well as specific interventions to change the inner dialogue of athletes, is a fundamental piece in the education of sport scientists.

Inner Speech focuses on a familiar and yet mysterious element of our daily lives. In light of renewed interest in the general connections between thought, language, and consciousness, this anthology develops a number of important new theories about internal voices and raises questions about their nature and cognitive functions.

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Learn how to reverse the effects of negative self-talk and embrace a more positive, optimistic outlook on life