Gender and stage fear in English communication: A study based on the first year commerce undergraduates in selected private and state Universities in Colombo District, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Background: Stage fear is a common challenge in English communication, influenced by psychological, social, and cultural factors. With English proficiency playing a crucial role in academic and professional success, it is a requisite to understand the factors that contribute to speaking anxiety. However, the extent to which it varies by gender remains unexplored, as men and women may differ in verbal confidence and cultural expectations. This study aimed to investigate whether stage fear in English communication is a gender-specific issue among Commerce undergraduates from selected private and state universities in the Colombo district by examining its underlying causes. Method: A mixed-method research design was employed with a sample of 150 first-year undergraduates from the Faculty of Commerce at one state university and two private universities in the Colombo district. The data was collected using speaking tests, observations, and semi-structured interviews and analyzed using SPSS and thematic analysis. Results: The quantitative results revealed that only one private university, with a 0.001 p-value, had a significant gender-based difference in performance, where male students outperformed their female counterparts. In contrast, the differences in scores between female and male students were not statistically significant in the remaining private and state universities, as the analysis carried P values of 0.579 and 0.381. However, the qualitative data indicated that several factors, such as fear of judgement and performance anxiety, self-confidence and self-esteem differences across genders, and social expectations of males versus females in public speaking, cultural conditioning, and gender roles in communication, impact English communication. Conclusion: Gender-inclusive approaches can help ensure equal opportunities in English communication, while further studies should explore the relationship between gender, confidence, and linguistic anxiety to refine training methods.