The ECHO Effect: Public Speaking Techniques and Their Effect on Audience Emotion

Public speaking research and subsequent speaking models have long revolved around the needs of the speaker: how to overcome anxiety and build confidence, project credibility, craft persuasive arguments, and master delivery techniques to command attention. This capstone instead explores the audience experience; specifically, how public speaking can become a deliberate tool for co-creating moments of connection and human flourishing. Drawing on broaden-and-build theory, emotional contagion, and narrative immersion, it introduces the ECHO model: a framework for enhancing emotional resonance through Expression, Connection, Human Story, and Orchestration. The project also includes a structured five-session workshop designed for semi-experienced speakers, guiding them to amplify positive emotional impact, deepen audience connection, and improve message retention. While the ECHO model underscores the speaker’s power to shape emotional climates, it equally highlights the responsibility to do so transparently and with care through ethical orchestration. This work suggests that when speakers design their delivery with intention and authenticity through the lens of positive psychology, they build relational bridges that can inspire, elevate, and resonate long after the final words are spoken.

• Capt. Donnell Brown

• Other (Non-IAC) Department