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Title
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Performance Under Pressure: Exploring the Mind-Body Connection
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Creator
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Aubree Allison Reese
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Degree Name
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Master of Arts in Interpreting Studies
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Project Type
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action_research_project
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Date
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6/12/2026
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Abstract
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As a graduate interpreting student, I noticed frequent physiological manifestations
of anxiety in my interpreting work, such as head tremors, sweating, a racing heart, and
signing errors. These physical responses prompted me to explore their nature and
underlying causes more deeply. In this autobiographical action research project, I sought
to understand: When do these symptoms arise? How often do they occur? Under what
conditions do they manifest? What, if any, psychological factors contribute to them? The
research integrated concepts of physiological stress (Lobo, 2021), anxiety (American
Psychological Association, n.d.), and self-efficacy (Bandura, 1994) to analyze their
impact on my interpreting performance. The project used an inductive, exploratory
approach to encourage personal self-reflection and identify anxiety in interpreting.
Findings suggested that physiological activation did not consistently correspond with
performance disruption; rather, symptom type and perceived self-regulation were more
significant than symptom quantity. Qualitative analysis revealed themes of fear of
judgment and perfectionism, heightened awareness of the visibility of anxiety, and the
steadying presence of others. Together, these themes suggested that evaluation, visibility,
and interpersonal support influenced physiological intensity. This study highlights that
interpreter well-being cannot be separated from physiological and psychological
processes, and that bodily responses convey meaningful information rather than
representing challenges to eliminate.
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Keywords
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ASL/English Interpreting
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anxiety
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Lazarus’s cognitive-mediational theory of emotion
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Committee Member
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Erin Trine
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Elisa Maroney
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Rights
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Western Oregon University Library has determined, as of 07/27/2026, this item is in copyright, which is held by the author. Users may use the item in accordance with copyright limitations and exceptions, including fair use. For other uses, please ask permission from the author.
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https://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en
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Language
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eng
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Type
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text
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image;stillimage
