Gremlins in My Head: Predicting Stage Fright in Elite Actors

Abstract

The presence of others can create a social phobia often called “stage fright,” yet surprisingly few studies have examined stage fright at its literal, namesake level—acting—and why even professional actors sometimes experience inhibiting anxiety in front of audiences. In this study, 151 “Pro-c” (i.e., elite professional) actors were given a brief measure of the Big Five personality factors as well as measures for locus of control and self-efficacy. In addition, the performance anxiety index was adapted to focus specifically on acting and therefore serve as a measure of stage fright. Using a stepwise regression, three significant predictive variables for stage fright emerged: emotional stability, gender, and locus of control. Although stage fright is an issue a majority of actors experience, female actors with low emotional stability and an external locus of control would seem to be the most at risk. Controllability rather than efficacy may be a variable to pursue in future anxiety research.