Investigating Gender Differences in Speech Rate During Formal English Presentations: A Processing Speed Theory Approach

The present research study investigates gender variation in speech rate in formal English presentations and explores the impact of stress and anxiety on presentation performance. A sample of 20 undergraduate students (10 males, 10 females) from Degree College of Distract Karak was selected to present formal presentations, which were recorded and analyzed to quantify speech rate in words per minute (WPM). Quantitative research design was used for this study. SPSS, a statistical software, was used to analyze the data. An independent samples t-test was conducted to identify the difference in speech rates for male and female presenters. A five-point Likert questionnaire was employed to measure their stress and anxiety levels concerning their presentations. The questionnaire was analyzed through a Pearson correlation test on SPSS. Findings showed that the male presenters had a greater mean speech rate (120.60 WPM) than female presenters (103.50 WPM); however, this difference did not prove to be statistically significant, t (18) = 1.663, p = .114. In addition, a Pearson correlation analysis indicated that there was a significant negative correlation (r = -0.65, p < .05) between the level of stress and anxiety and speech rate, which implies that more stress and anxiety are linked with slower speech production. These results support the idea that affective aspects, such as those assumed in Processing Speed Theory, are important in determining cognitive performance during formal presentations. Implications for training in public speaking and directions for future research are considered.