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Towards a Comprehensive Simulator for Public Speaking Anxiety Treatment

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Advances in Applied Digital Human Modeling and Simulation

Part of the book series: Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing ((AISC,volume 481))

Abstract

Public speaking anxiety (PSA) is often cited as the most common social phobia. Virtual reality enables us to overcome PSA with life-like scenarios. This paper first reviews the state-of-the-art in virtual environments as an emerging treatment for public speaking anxiety and presents a comprehensive Virtual Environment (VE). In most of the studies there is a lack in the inclusion of physical and vocal cues. Physical and vocal cues generated by the audience are crucial contributors to PSA. We design a virtual auditorium with an audience exhibiting these physical and vocal cues; a comprehensive VE, helping overcome PSA. Additionally, participants are subjected to the three phases of speech: Anticipation, Performance and Recovery [Cornwell et al. in Biol Psychiatry 59(7):664–666, 2006 1]. The resulting simulator can then be used for training and eventual treatment of PSA in addition to being used as a tool for identifying cues to which speakers are more sensitive to.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Simulation and Training, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA

    Esin Söyler & Chathika Gunaratne

  2. Complex Adaptive Systems Laboratory, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA

    Mustafa İlhan Akbaş

Authors
  1. Esin Söyler
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  2. Chathika Gunaratne
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  3. Mustafa İlhan Akbaş
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Chathika Gunaratne .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Purdue University, West Lafayette, USA

    Vincent G. Duffy

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Söyler, E., Gunaratne, C., Akbaş, M.İ. (2017). Towards a Comprehensive Simulator for Public Speaking Anxiety Treatment. In: Duffy, V. (eds) Advances in Applied Digital Human Modeling and Simulation. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 481. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-41627-4_18

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-41627-4_18

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-41626-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-41627-4

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