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This study evaluated the efficacy of remote video-based behavioral skills training (BST) on teaching public speaking behaviors to 4 participants. A multiple-baseline design across speech behaviors was used to evaluate the effects of the training. Remote video-based BST was effective at increasing public speaking behaviors for all participants. In addition, performance generalized to an increased audience size. An external expert in communications rated the participants as more effective public speakers following training. All participants reported satisfaction with the training and expressed greater comfort, confidence, overall ability, and less anxiety as a public speaker following training. We also measured potential collateral effects of teaching public speaking behaviors on speech disfluencies. Although remote video-based BST was effective for all participants, it did not produce a change in the rate of speech disfluencies. Our findings indicate that public speaking behaviors can be taught using a remote video-based BST package.

This study evaluated how speech disfluencies affect perceived speaker effectiveness. Speeches with filler sounds and filler words at different rates of disfluencies (i.e., 0, 2, 5, and 12 per minute) were created and evaluated by a crowdsourcing service for survey‐based research for the speaker's public speaking performance. Increased disfluencies, particularly filler sounds, significantly affected perceptions across most categories, notably at higher rates of filler sounds (i.e., 12 per minute). A low, but nonzero, rate of disfluencies (5 per minute) did not adversely affect perceived effectiveness. These findings suggest that although reducing filler sounds is crucial for optimizing perceived speaking effectiveness, a rate of five or fewer disfluencies per minute may be acceptable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employee training is an obvious need for business and industry. Although training has long been studied by behavioral scientists, important considerations have sometimes been neglected from the perspective of instructional design if one wants training to be both efficient and effective. The most critical outcome for the design of any training system is to efficiently ensure that the graduates from a training sequence can perform to the standards of behavior expected of an expert while facing conditions that an expert would likely encounter. As such, behavior-based instructional design places a strong focus on establishing various behavioral relations and the conditions necessary to assess trainee repertoires, which will be examined in detail. Furthermore, special consideration is necessary for design considerations with multimedia instruction, particularly within the context of computer-based training. Specializations and skills necessary for the success of a behavioral scientist working in instructional design will also be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the efficacy of (a) remote video‐based behavioral skills training (BST) with added speech outlines on teaching public speaking behaviors and (b) remote video‐based awareness training (AT) on speech‐disfluency rates. A multiple‐baseline design across speech behaviors was used to evaluate the training. Remote video‐based BST and AT were effective at teaching public speaking behaviors and reducing speech disfluencies, respectively, for both participants. In addition, performance generalized to increased audience size. Although expert ratings of perceived public speaking effectiveness improved following BST, the ratings did not improve and some worsened following AT. Both participants reported satisfaction with video‐based BST and AT. One participant reported greater comfort, confidence, overall ability, and less anxiety as a public speaker following BST. Both participants reported greater improvements in those categories following AT. Our results suggest that public speaking behaviors can be taught using remote video‐based BST and speech disfluencies can be reduced using remote video‐based AT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behavioral safety is one of the most mature and efficacious applications of organizational behavior management in industrial workplaces. Built on the foundation of behavior analysis, behavioral safety attempts to prevent harm and reduce human suffering by targeting risk and intervening upon environmental factors related to safe behaviors. The current paper will (a) review the core components of a behavioral safety process, (b) highlight the extension of modern OBM methodologies (e.g., behavioral systems analysis) in behavioral safety, and (c) review best practices from world-class behavioral safety programs accredited by the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies (CCBS). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]