Week 3: Embarrassment, Shyness, and Social Anxiety

Question 1

What do shyness and embarrassment belong to?

Answer 1

a ‘family’ of social anxieties that also includes the concepts of shame and fearfulness

Question 2

Why is it important to study individual differences in the contexts of the concepts of social anxieties?

Answer 2

to understand why, when and how some people are more prone to certain detrimental traits than others and whether there are ways to overcome such tendencies

Question 3

What is Social Anxiety Disorder (simply)? How does studying it help psychologists?

Answer 3

an extreme form of social anxiety - it has helped psychologists to understand how shyness and embarrassment can have a multitude of detrimental effects on the individuals

Question 4

What is social anxiety (complex)?

Answer 4

used to describe individuals who fear failing to do their best in front of others, in social situations and events

they mostly fear being negatively judged by others - specifically, they fear the high amount of anxiety and negative self-appraisal experienced before, during, and after a social event

it influences and encompasses all areas of a person’s life

the term is more clear and precise than “social phobia”

Question 5

What is social phobia?

Answer 5

individual feeling anxiety and fear at the prospect of being observed by others - particularly when the individual experiences and expresses distress while undertaking certain activities in the presence of others

Question 6

What is social interaction anxiety?

Answer 6

distress that a person may feel when meeting and talking to other people, regardless of status of those people

fear of being inarticulate, sounding stupid, boring, being ignored, not knowing what to do or say, not knowing how to respond

Question 7

What do Leitenberg & Hoffman (1990) argue?

Answer 7

although people suffer from various degrees of anxiety when interacting with others, certain aspects of social interaction often incapacitate individuals with social anxiety disorder - impacts possible success in education and careers, as well as personal relationships

Question 8

Why might social anxiety have been necessary in ancient times?

Answer 8

served the function of keeping people bonded and close to the group - lowered chances of death

Question 9

Would a certain degree of social anxiety be useful today?

Answer 9

yes - could be considered normal, functional, and beneficial. Lack of anxiety about not having others around us could be a concern

Question 10

What are the symptoms of social anxiety disorder according to the DSM-IV? F.R.P.A

Answer 10

• show significant and persistent fear of social situations in which embarrassment or rejection may occur (F)
• Experience immediate anxiety-driven, physical reactions to feared social situations (R)
• realise that their fears are greatly exaggerated by feel powerless to do anything about them (P)
• Avoid the dreaded situation at any cost (Often) (A)

Question 11

What is generalised social anxiety disorder?

Answer 11

• feels fear towards a wide range of social situations

* issues of shyness likely for entire life up to that point

Question 12

What is non-generalised (performance) social anxiety disorder?

Answer 12

• anxiety response to one two or three identified situations and affects individuals performing in front of others e.g. performance anxiety

Question 13

What is avoidant personality disorder?

Answer 13

• most severe form of social anxiety
• detached personality pattern
• avoids people due to fears of humiliation and rejection
• usually starts at an early age
• common in males
  behaviours include:
• reluctance to become involved with people
• having no close friends
• exaggerating potential difficulties
• avoiding activities / occupations involving close contact with others

Question 14

What are the cognitive symptoms of Social Anxiety disorder?

Answer 14

• negative thoughts focusing on then fear of rejection/disapproval
• spend time looking for signs of affirmation of these thoughts
• severe consequences may arise including low-self esteem/feelings of inferiority

Question 15

What are the physical reactions to SAD?

Answer 15

panic attacks, dizziness, shaking, sweating, shortness of breath, an increase in heartbeat, tightness/pain in the chest, numbness, nausea

• note that the fear is concentrated on the fact that people may witness the panic attack and humiliation will follow
• note that some people may not have panic attacks at all
• Physical toll? constant alert = chronic fatigue, muscle tension, sleep disturbances

Question 16

What does behavioural avoidance within SAD involve?

Answer 16

• avoid pain and suffering = part of human nature, flee potential situations that are believed to cause harm/may cause harm
• consequences = having few friends, intimate relationships, being employed below capabilities
• limit choices out of fear
• make life choices out of comfort as opposed to basing them on actual desires
• subtle avoidance behaviours = drink alcohol

Question 17

How do avoidance behaviours make SAD worse?

Answer 17

By avoiding threatening situations, individuals may never feel that they CAN manage their anxiety and cope with their fears.

Question 18

What causes SAD?

Answer 18

• complex issue, many defining factors genetic + biological influences, developmental theories, chemical imbalances…

Question 19

What are the genetic and biological influences on SAD?

Answer 19

• inhibited behaviour in childhood -> introverted and cautious
• 10 - 15% babies in a study were considered irritable -> went on to show signs of shyness + fearfulness -> quiet, introverted, cautious in early school years -> high % of these children presented a rate of social anxiety disorder that was much higher than expected (Kagan study)
• Higher than normal resting heart rate: even higher in the presence of stresses/anxieties. new situations = quiet/restrained, avoidant, withdrawn.
  ^^High % of these parents had SAD or other ADs (Kagan).