Beyond “Think Positive”

Public speaking anxiety (PSA) remains a common challenge for students; yet, the methods used to manage it have changed little over time. Techniques such as systematic desensitization, cognitive modification, and visualization are widely endorsed in Communication Studies despite originating in psychology and lacking consistent empirical validation within public speaking contexts. This chapter argues that the discipline operates under a truth-default, a tendency to accept inherited techniques as effective without sufficient scrutiny. Drawing on truth-default theory, this examination explores how both instructors and students uncritically accept PSA management advice, thereby reinforcing outdated approaches. By tracing the historical borrowing of these methods and questioning their continued use, the chapter calls for communication-specific research and renewed focus on the lived experiences of speakers. Breaking this truth-default is essential for developing evidence-based, adaptable strategies that genuinely support diverse students facing PSA.