Puzzling Patterns: Exploring the Relationship between Confidence and Filler Words in Teenage Speech

The present study investigates whether an adolescent’s confidence in their knowledge correlates to the frequency of filler words speech. High school participants (N=31) were presented with two mazes, Maze A evoke more and obstacle-ridden B less confidence. Participants submitted Likert Scales regarding completing each maze, then completed mazes. They recorded while discussing maze. Finally, speech was transcribed annotated for words, marking distinctions between filled pauses discourse markers. Using this data, a Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficient test paired t-test conducted strength correlation word results implied negligible variables, r(29) = -.1, p .184. t-test, using accepted significance level 0.05, indicated no difference means data before is decreased (M=5.5, SD=2.8) after (M=5.7, SD=3.1), t(30) .3, .740). Additional tests t-tests on pause marker usage variation that does not influence type they use. Due sample size limitations, these conclusions cannot be generalized, so further research needed, but lays foundation adaptations curriculums societal perceptions adolescents.