1,000 People have participated CRC's VR practice for glossophobia correction
Over the past two years, more than 1,000 people have participated in a practice to overcome the fear of public speaking (glossophobia) using VR technologies. The developed five-step methodology, which combines virtual exposure with voice practices, has proven to be highly effective: 84% of participants reported a significant reduction in anxiety levels, confirmed by objective psychophysiological indicators.
Practical Application and Reach
Sergey Stepanov, a researcher and co-founder of the Center for Cognitive Research, has been conducting practical seminars aimed at correcting glossophobia for two years. During this time, the methodology has been successfully tested on more than 1,000 participants in dozens of organizations and teams, including venues such as HSE University, RANEPA, ROSTECH, and Yandex.
Methodology:
The research is based on a five-stage protocol that ensures comprehensive and consistent work with anxiety.
- Initial Diagnosis. A psychological questionnaire is conducted to determine the initial level of anxiety and identify individual fear triggers.
- Baseline Marker Registration. The participant records a short one-minute speech, during which objective stress indicators are recorded: heart rate and acoustic characteristics of the voice (tempo, timbre, frequency).
- Vocal-Respiratory Preparation. Under the guidance of a voice expert, participants learn diaphragmatic breathing and somatic regulation techniques to manage the physiological manifestations of anxiety. (CRC's expert partner - Valeria Ustinova, stage coach at ETCetera, Professor at HSE, with practice including artists from the Bolshoi Theatre, Teatro alla Scala).
- In-Virtuo Exposure. The central stage, where the participant repeatedly speaks on a virtual stage using a VR headset. This allows the brain to re-evaluate the situation in a safe environment and gradually extinguish the conditioned fear response.
- Analysis and Feedback. After each VR session, a joint analysis of objective data and video recordings is conducted, allowing the participant to track progress and consciously correct their behavior.
Frontiers: "Virtual-Reality Exposure Therapy for Public-Speaking Anxiety"
A Dual Approach
- Working with cognitive triggers through VR
- Working with somatic manifestations through voice
This allows for the formation of a comprehensive and stable self-regulation skill.
Measurable Results:
A comparison of psychophysiological markers before and after the course showed statistically significant improvements.
- Heart Rate Stabilization. The amplitude of peak heart rate values before and during the speech decreased.
- Normalization of Vocal Characteristics. Speech became smoother, and a decrease in the variability of the fundamental frequency indicated a reduction in tension on the vocal cords.
- Reduction of Kinesic Stress Indicators. Participants demonstrated more open postures, natural gestures, and confident eye contact with the audience.
These results prove that the cyclical application of VRET combined with voice practices forms a stable self-regulation skill at the physiological level.
The Future of the Method: Integration with Neurointerfaces
The sessions conducted confirm that VRET (Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy) is a valid and scalable tool for developing "cognitive immunity" to social phobias.
The next step in the development of the methodology is the integration of VR systems with non-invasive neurointerfaces (EEG).
This will allow a shift from recording indirect stress markers to direct monitoring of the neural correlates of anxiety in real time. Such an approach will open up the possibility of creating adaptive VR environments that dynamically adjust to the user's psycho-emotional state, implementing personalized therapy protocols at a fundamentally new technological level. And while this technological future is becoming a reality, proven VR techniques are already solving pressing problems in educational and corporate environments.
The key question is the readiness of organizations to integrate these tools to enhance the communicative competence and psychological resilience of their teams.
