Why So Tongue-Tied at Meetings? Neuroscience Might Have the Answer

Ever had a lot of ideas before walking into a meeting, and then effectively becoming a mute when it was time to contribute?

There might be a physiological basis for clamming up. Neuroscientists have a term, “expression of IQ,” which is an outward display of intelligence. The Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute conducted a study to see whether small group settings had any effect on people’s expressions of IQ.[1] And, boy, did they ever.

The methodology was simple. A standard intelligence test was given to 70 people individually. Then the test takers were put into groups of five, and were given the same questions in a different sequence. This time, however, participants saw how well they did in relation to others in the group, by being given a “ranking score.”

Initially everyone did worse than before. After a while, though, about half of the participants got the hang of it and eventually scored roughly the same as the first time. But the other half never bounced back.


Why People Stumble When They’re Being Watched

So what happened? The researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) on randomly selected participants during the ranked test. Brain scans revealed a hike of activity in the amygdala, the part of the brain associated with fear and emotional processing. That happened when everyone was doing more poorly.

The “high performers” who gradually did better experienced lower amygdala levels. But the low performers sustained higher activity in the amygdala, and lost an average of 17.4 IQ points—a very significant downturn.

It was concluded that the low performers were more sensitive to cues about status. This sensitivity triggered more emotion and fear, which hindered their problem-solving abilities.

The study also observed two striking patterns among the low performers:

• 79% of the low performers were women.
• The low performers had higher IQ scores than the high performers from the first test. This poses some implications on how clamming up causes groups and, ultimately, larger organizations to miss out on the contributions of bright individuals.

How to Speak Up in a Meeting

Don’t lose your nerve when it’s time to chip in your thoughts! Practice and asking for help will go a long way to boost your confidence. Here are a few tips:

• Talk to the meeting leader ahead of time. With just the two of you, you can mention ideas or discussion points that you would like to raise during the meeting. Be direct in saying that you would like a chance to speak up on these matters.
• Hitch your wagon to a “show horse.” Using the same principle as the second tip, talk to another meeting attendee who is more outgoing or who has a higher position. This partner in crime can introduce you to the group, back up your opinion, or pitch in during pauses.
• Rehearse a speech or read an authoritative text aloud. Record yourself while doing this. Play back and listen to your voice for tone, inflection, volume, and clarity. When you do muster the courage to speak, make sure your voice is strong and clear. 

--Joanna Kim

Joanna Kim is a Writer/Content Strategist for Harris, Rothenberg International Inc., and sympathizes with the IQ test subjects as she occasionally gets a case of the heebie jeebies during meetings.

References

[1] Kishida et. al. “Implicit signals in small group settings and their impact on the expression of cognitive capacity and associated brain responses.” Philosophical Transactions of The Royal Society B. 2012.