Jessica 12/ 10/ 2013 Critique #2 (on experiment) Critique an experimental study of an example of An Experiment on Public Speaking Anxiety in Response to Three Different Types of Virtual Audience Introduction An experimental study is an orderly procedure carried out with the study of verifying and refuting. In simply saying is to examine the validity of a hypothesis. The purpose of the experiment was to investigate if the type of virtual audience (static, friendly, or hostile) would affect the emotional response of the speaker. Summary People are fear of speaking in public in different degrees of anxiety. In this experiment research is using three types of virtual audience to assess anxiety of speaking in public. The result turned out in differently. In short, for subjects who spoke to the neutral or positive audiences, their response could be predicted from their normal level of anxiety about speaking in public. On the other hand, for the subjects speaking to the negative audience, their response tended to higher anxiety than the other subjects. Strengths and Weaknesses The strengths of the experiment would be using virtual avatars. Using high technology in this experiment is truly cut down the budget, which is no needing to pay for respondents and easy to implement the hypothesis. Speakers fear to address speeches on public were treated by virtual reality exposure therapy; the avatar audience in the positive and negative responded to the speakers using two types of communications (verbal, non-verbal). Two types of expression were programmed and in exactly time to give responses. It is perfect to record and rate the anxiety degree due to the avatars gave reaction of responses on spot. This virtual reality exposure therapy has appeared the subjects, who have reduced some degrees of fears. Indeed, some of them did sustain six months less fear addressing in public. The weaknesses in this experimental study would be using machinery to speak to a monitor in darker room which was locked. The speaker probably feels safe in concealed room to deliver a five-minute long talk while watching and communication with the avatars from the virtual environment. The speakers left the virtual environment to the reality, and they need to face people from real society as well. However, they are not just hiding behind the scenes. Humans are not robots which press the buttons and implement the mission. Besides, people who fear to give a speech or presentation in public are not only facing fake reaction, but also needing practicing with real life. In different circumstances, uncontrollable potential questions or problems need people’s knowledge to define and feedback. Use virtual reality exposure therapy from the beginning of the experiment (include verbal and non verbal reactions), and then the subjects need to move to next step (in front of small scale of people), after that subjects can experience in public. Any experiment, the idea is a big element, and time is the great issue.