Psychology says fear of public speaking does not mean you lack confidence

For some people, standing in front of a crowd and speaking clearly can feel surprisingly difficult. They may know exactly what they want to say, understand the subject well and even feel confident while speaking to one person, yet suddenly struggle when dozens of eyes are on them. Psychology suggests that this does not automatically mean a person is less intelligent, incapable or poorly prepared. The difficulty can be linked to public speaking anxiety, a form of fear associated with speaking before an audience and the possibility of being judged negatively. The American Psychological Association describes public speaking anxiety as fear of giving a speech or presentation because of an expectation of negative evaluation or humiliation. Research has also found that public speaking fears are common.