The Behavioral Economics Of Stage Fright

A long while ago, I was mentoring a junior faculty member who, despite being a very knowledgeable and engaging speaker, was crippled by stage fright. She detested public speaking because it made her feel terrified. In part due to my urgings, she finally took beta blockers before giving presentations, and felt much better. Before taking the beta blockers, she would get nervous and her heart would begin racing. Feeling her heart pounding, she would get even more nervous, causing her heart to beat even faster and harder, a veritable feedback loop of anxiety. But the beta blockers prevented her heart from racing in response to her fears, and with her heart rate under control, so too were her fears.