Purpose:

Help people better understand their own and others fear

To expose the myth that exposure therapy is the best method to combat fear
Address potential treatments better than exposure therapy

Essential Question:
If exposure therapy is not completely effective in combating the fear of public speaking, are
there other methods and solutions that may increase or replace the therapys efficacy?
Thesis:
Treatments for fear can enhance exposure therapys positive effects or may also completely
replace the therapy to treat public speaking and social anxiety disorders among other fears.
Topic 1: Fear in general
Argument: Biological background
-

Brain- where fear develops, evolution, how/why

o Kyle MacDonald
Reactions- biological, emotional, physical
o Mikael Cho

Connection (how argument help proves thesis): understand what happens in the body
so we know how to which areas to target/treat, what happens to the brain during
performance
Argument: Nature v nurture
-

Twin Study
Age effects on fear
o Kenneth Kendler et al

Connection: See if fear is inherent or learned, does fear go away over time?, fear through
adolescence

Topic 2: Exposure therapy

Argument: Misconceptions- general public v medical/science field v administers of
therapy
-

What do psychologists/clinicians think?

o Emily Anderson et al
o Research tends to say that exposure therapy is effective, yet an
alarmingly low amount of medical officials use the treatment

Connection: we can compare expert opinions to see how and why exposure therapy
shouldnt be used
Argument: Do the pros or cons outweigh?
-

Interview
o First option didnt work out (Joseph Ledoux)
o New options?
Emily Anderson et al
Shawn Cahill et al

Connection: get first hand insight into fear and why/how exposure therapy could be
replaced
Topic 3:
Argument: Enhancing or replacing exposure therapy
-

Transition: Toward a Unified Treatment for Emotional Disorders

Medical: enhance, not replace the treatment
o D-Cycloserine: enhances the positive effects of exposure therapy
o Kerry Ressler et al
o Stefan Hofmann
Nontraditional: mindfulness/meditation may provide patients with a treatment
that actually alters the brain to decrease fear-producing parts
o Kyle MacDonald podcast- positive effects of mindfulness on the brain
o John Miller et al (three year follow up)

Connection: explore different treatments that arent well-known in the general public
Argument: Treatments for public speaking specifically
-

Emotional Reappraisal: can replace exposure therapy and is effective; turn

anxiety into excitement rather than calmness
o Alison Brooks
o Mikael Cho
o Jan H Kamphuis- guided threat reappraisal
Modern/technology: scientists are using new methods of technology to
explore new treatments; telepsychology allows patients to be in a safer
environment than exposure but still has the positive effects
o Mariano Alcaiz

Connection: explore new and modern treatments that are starting to take hold in science,
ultimately diminish the fear of public speaking (final goal)