Shyness
Shyness (also called diffidence) is the feeling of
apprehension, lack of comfort, or awkwardness experienced when a person is in
proximity to, approaching, or being approached by other people, especially in
new situations or with unfamiliar people. Shyness may come from genetic traits,
the environment in which a person is raised and personal experiences. There are
many degrees of shyness. Stronger forms are usually referred to as social
anxiety or social phobia. Shyness may merely be a personality trait or can occur
at certain stages of development in children. The primary defining
characteristic of shyness is a largely ego-driven fear of what other people will
think of a person's behavior, which results in the person becoming scared of
doing or saying what he or she wants to, out of fear of negative reactions,
criticism, or rejection, and simply opting to avoid social situations instead.
Shyness also has strong cultural aspects, for example in China, if a student or
a peer is shy then that student is looked up to and praised
while in North America they will be seen as being a coward
The
initial causes of shyness vary. Scientists believe they have located genetic
data supporting the hypothesis that shyness is at least partially genetic.
However, there is also evidence that suggests the environment in which a person
is raised can also be responsible for his or her shyness. This includes child
abuse, particularly emotional abuse such as ridicule. Shyness can originate
after a person has experienced a physical anxiety reaction; at other times,
shyness seems to develop first and then later causes physical symptoms of
anxiety. Shyness differs from social anxiety, which is a broader, often
depression-related psychological condition including the experience of fear,
apprehension or worrying about being evaluated by others in social situations to
the extent of inducing
panic.
Genetics and heredity
Shyness is often seen as a hindrance on people and
their development. The cause of shyness is often disputed but it is found that
fear is positively related to shyness, suggesting that fearful children are much
more likely to develop being shy as opposed to less fearful children. Shyness
can also be seen on a biological level as a result of an excess of cortisol.
When cortisol is present in greater quantities it is known to suppress an
individual’s immune system, making them more susceptible to illness and disease.
The genetics of shyness is a relatively small area of research that has been
receiving an even smaller amount of attention, although papers on the biological
bases of shyness date back to 1988. Some research has indicated that shyness and
aggression are related—through long and short forms of the gene DRD4, though
considerably more research on this is needed. Further, it has been suggested
that shyness and social phobia (the distinction between the two is becoming ever
more blurred) are related to obsessive-compulsive disorder. As with other
studies of behavioral genetics, the study of shyness is complicated by the
number of genes involved in, and the confusion in defining, the phenotype.
Naming the phenotype – and translation of terms between genetics and psychology
— also causes problems.
Several genetic links to shyness are current areas
of research. One is the serotonin transporter promoter region polymorphism
(5-HTTLPR), the long form of which has been shown to be modestly correlated with
shyness in grade school children. Previous studies had shown a connection
between this form of the gene and both obsessive-compulsive disorder and
autism.[6] Mouse models have also been used, to derive genes suitable for
further study in humans; one such gene, the glutamic acid decarboxylase gene
(which encodes an enzyme that functions in GABA synthesis), has so far been
shown to have some association with behavioral
inhibition.
Another gene, the dopamine D4 receptor gene (DRD4)
exon III polymorphism, had been the subject of studies in both shyness and
aggression, and is currently the subject of studies on the "novelty seeking"
trait. A 1996 study of anxiety-related traits (shyness being one of these)
remarked that, "Although twin studies have indicated that individual variation
in measures of anxiety-related personality traits is 40-60% heritable, none of
the relevant genes has yet been identified," and that "10 to 15 genes might be
predicted to be involved" in the anxiety trait. Progress has been made since
then, especially in identifying other potential genes involved in personality
traits, but there has been little progress made towards confirming these
relationships. The long version of the 5-HTT gene-linked polymorphic region
(5-HTTLPR) is now postulated to be correlated with shyness, but in the 1996
study, the short version was shown to be related to anxiety-based
traits.
Technology has helped to pinpoint changes in
socially anxious brains. Using MRI scans, Dr. Murray Stein, of the University of
California, San Diego, found that when people with the disorder are shown
pictures of angry faces, their amygdala lights up with more activity than it
does in people without the
condition.
As symptom of mercury poisoning
Excessive shyness, embarrassment,
self-consciousness and timidity, social-phobia and lack of self-confidence are
also components of erethism, which is a symptom complex that appears in cases of
mercury poisoning. Mercury poisoning was common among hat makers in England in
the 18th and 19th centuries, who used mercury to stabilize wool into felt
fabric.
Prenatal development
The prevalence of shyness in some children can be
linked to day length during pregnancy, particularly during the midpoint of
prenatal development. An analysis of longitudinal data from children living at
specific latitudes in the United States and New Zealand revealed a significant
relationship between hours of day length during the midpoint of pregnancy and
the prevalence of shyness in children. "The odds of being classified as shy were
1.52 times greater for children exposed to shorter compared to longer day
lengths during gestation." In their analysis, scientists assigned conception
dates to the children relative to their known birth dates, which allowed them to
obtain random samples from children who had a mid-gestation point during the
longest hours of the year and the shortest hours of the year (June and December,
depending on whether the cohorts were in the United States or New
Zealand).
The longitudinal survey data included measurements
of shyness on a five-point scale based on interviews with the families being
surveyed, and children in the top 25th percentile of shyness scores were
identified. The data revealed a significant co-variance between the children who
presented as being consistently shy over a two-year period, and shorter day
length during their mid-prenatal development period. "Taken together, these
estimates indicate that about one out of five cases of extreme shyness in
children can be associated with gestation during months of limited
daylength."
Low birth weights in relation to
shyness
In recent years correlations between birth weight
and shyness have been studied. Findings suggest that those born at low birth
weights are more likely to be shy, risk-aversive and cautious compared to those
born at normal birth weights. These results do not however imply a
cause-and-effect relationship.
Personality trait
Shyness is most likely to occur during unfamiliar
situations, though in severe cases it may hinder an individual in his or her
most familiar situations and relationships as well. Shy people avoid the objects
of their apprehension in order to keep from feeling uncomfortable and inept;
thus, the situations remain unfamiliar and the shyness perpetuates itself.
Shyness may fade with time; e.g., a child who is shy towards strangers may
eventually lose this trait when older and become more socially adept. This often
occurs by adolescence or young adulthood (generally around the age of 13). In
some cases, though, it may become an integrated, lifelong character trait.
Longitudinal data suggests that the three different personality types evident in
infancy easy, slow-to-warm-up, and difficult tend to change as children mature.
Extreme traits become less pronounced, and personalities evolve in predictable
patterns over time. What has been proven to remain constant is the tendency to
internalize or externalize problems. This relates to individuals with shy
personalities because they tend to internalize their problems, or dwell on their
problems internally instead of expressing their concerns, which leads to
disorders like depression and anxiety. Humans experience shyness to different
degrees and in different areas. In addition, shyness may manifest when one is in
the company of certain people and completely disappear when with others— one may
be outgoing with friends and family, but experience love-shyness toward
potential partners, even if strangers are generally not an
obstacle.
Shyness can also be seen as an academic
determinant. It has been determined that there is a negative relationship
between shyness and classroom performance. As the shyness of an individual
increased, classroom performance was known to decrease, and vice
versa.
The condition of true shyness may simply involve
the discomfort of difficulty in knowing what to say in social situations, or may
include crippling physical manifestations of uneasiness. Shyness usually
involves a combination of both symptoms, and may be quite devastating for the
sufferer, in many cases leading them to feel that they are boring, or exhibit
bizarre behavior in an attempt to create interest, alienating them further.
Behavioral traits in social situations such as smiling, easily producing
suitable conversational topics, assuming a relaxed posture and making good eye
contact, may not be second nature for a shy person. Such people might only
affect such traits by great difficulty, or they may even be impossible to
display.
Those who are shy are actually perceived more
negatively, in cultures that value sociability, because of the way they act
towards others. Shy individuals are often distant during conversations, which
may cause others to create poor impressions of them. People who are not shy may
be too up-front, aggressive, or critical towards shy people in an attempt "to
get them out of their shell." This may actually make a shy person feel worse, as
it can draw attention to them (making them more self-conscious and
uncomfortable) or cause them to think there is something very wrong with
themselves.
Misconceptions and negative aspects
Many misconceptions/ stereotypes about shy
individuals exist in western culture and negative peer reactions to "shy"
behavior abound. This takes place because individualistic cultures don't value
quietness and meekness, and more often reward outgoing behaviors. Some
misconceptions include viewing introversion and social phobia synonymous with
shyness, and believing that shy people are less
intelligent.
intelligence
No correlation (positive or negative) exists
between intelligence and shyness but data collected leans toward a positive
rather than negative correlation between intelligence and shyness, though it
isn't statistically significant. The stereotype exists that shy people are less
intelligent and peers initially perceive them this way. The data supporting this
hypothesis falsely identifies a cause and effect relationship between low
academic standing and high levels of shyness, when in fact a third factor,
academic engagement (verbally expressing knowledge) accounts for this
correlation. Research indicates that shy children have a harder time expressing
their knowledge in social situations (which many academic curriculum utilize)
and because they do not engage actively in discussions, teachers view them as
less intelligent. Test scores, however, prove that shyness is unrelated to
actual academic knowledge, and therefore only academic engagement. Depending on
the level of a teacher's own shyness, more indirect (vs. socially oriented)
strategies are used with shy individuals to assess knowledge in the classroom,
and accommodations are made. Observed peer evaluations of shy people during
initial meeting and social interactions thereafter found that peers evaluate shy
individuals as less intelligent during the first encounter. During subsequent
interactions, however, peers perceived shy individuals' intelligence more
positively.
Shyness vs. introversion
The term shyness may be implemented as a lay
blanket-term for a family of related and partially overlapping afflictions,
including timidity (apprehension in meeting new people), bashfulness and
diffidence (reluctance in asserting oneself), apprehension and anticipation
(general fear of potential interaction), or intimidation (relating to the object
of fear rather than one's low confidence). Apparent shyness, as perceived by
others, may simply be the manifestation of reservation or introversion,
character traits which cause an individual to voluntarily avoid excessive social
contact or be terse in communication, but are not motivated or accompanied by
discomfort, apprehension, or lack of
confidence.
Rather, according to Bernardo J. Carducci,
director of the Shyness Research Institute, introverts choose to avoid social
situations because they derive no reward from them, or may find surplus sensory
input overwhelming. Conversely, shy people may fear such situations and feel
that they "should" avoid them. This generally poor reception of shyness may be
misinterpreted by the suffering individual as aversion related to his or her
personality, rather than simply to his or her shyness. Both conditions can lead
to a compounding of a shy individual's low
self-confidence.
Both shyness and introversion (unsociability) can
be classified as personalities that lead to socially withdrawn behaviors
(behavioral tendencies to avoid social situations, especially when they are
unfamiliar). A variety of research has been done suggesting that these two
personalities possess clearly distinct motivational forces and lead to uniquely
different personal and peer reactions and therefore cannot be described as
theoretically the same.
Research done suggests that no unique
physiological response, such as an increased heart beat, accompanies socially
withdrawn behavior in familiar compared with unfamiliar social situations. But
unsociability leads to decreased exposure to unfamiliar social situations and
shyness causes a lack of response in such situations, suggesting that shyness
and unsociability affect two different aspects of sociability and are distinct
personality traits. In addition, different cultures perceive unsociability and
shyness in different ways, leading to either positive or negative individual
feelings of self-esteem. Collectivist cultures view shyness as a more positive
trait related to compliance with group ideals and self-control, while perceiving
chosen isolation (introverted behavior) negatively, as a threat to group
harmony. Because society accepts shyness and rejects unsociability, shy
individuals develop higher self-esteem than introverted individuals. On the
other hand, individualistic cultures perceive shyness as a weakness and a
character flaw, while unsociable personality traits (preference to spend time
alone) are accepted because they uphold the value of autonomy. So, in contrast,
shy individuals develop low self-esteem in Western cultures while unsociable
individuals develop high self-esteem. Psychological methods and pharmaceutical
drugs are commonly used to treat shyness in individuals who feel crippled
because of low self-esteem and psychological symptoms, such as depression or
loneliness. According to research, early intervention methods that expose shy
children to social interactions involve working team work, especially team
sports, decrease their anxiety in social interactions and increase their all
around self-confidence later on. Implementing such tactics could prove to be an
important step in combating the psychological effects of shyness that make
living normal life difficult for anxious
individuals.
Shyness vs. social
phobia
An extreme case of shyness is identified as a
psychiatric illness, which made its debut as "social phobia" in DSM-III in 1980,
but was then described as rare. By 1994, however, when DSM-IV was published, it
was given a second, alternative name in parentheses (social anxiety disorder)
and was now said to be relatively common, affecting between 3 and 13% of the
population at some point during their lifetime. This process has been seen as a
case study of "disease-mongering" in
psychiatry.
Shyness affects people mildly in unfamiliar social
situations where one feels anxiety about interacting with new people. Social
anxiety disorder, on the other hand, is a strong irrational fear of interacting
with people, or being in situations which may involve public scrutiny, because
one feels overly concerned about being criticized if one embarrasses oneself.
Two types of social phobia exist, generalized social phobia, the fear of most
social situations, and specific social phobia, the fear of one or several kinds
of social situations (such as public speaking). The generalized form of this
condition can interfere with normal living because people who feel this way may
avoid social situations as much as possible. Physical symptoms of social phobia
can include shortness of breath, trembling, increased heart rate, and sweating;
in some cases, these symptoms are intense enough and numerous enough to
constitute a panic attack. Shyness, on the other hand, may incorporate many of
these symptoms, but at a lower intensity, infrequently, and does not interfere
tremendously with normal living.
Positive points of shyness and sociological
perspectives
Being shy can have its advantages as well,
according to Thomas Benton in his article "Shyness and Academe", published in
May 2004. The author says that because shy people "have a tendency toward
self-criticism, they are often high achievers, and not just in solitary
activities like research and writing. Perhaps even more than the drive toward
independent achievement, shy people long to make connections to others often
through altruistic behavior. Susan Cain, in her article "Shyness: Evolutionary
Tactic?", describes the benefits that shy people bring to society that western
views devalue. Without characteristics that shy people bring to social
interactions, such as sensitivity to the emotions of others, contemplation of
ideas, and valuable listening skills, there would be no balance to society. In
earlier generations, such as the 1950s, society perceived shyness as a more
socially attractive trait, especially in women. This indicates that views on
shyness vary with the culture. Sociologist Susie Scott, in her book Shyness and
Society (2007), is one expert who has sought to challenge the pathological
interpretation and treatment of shyness. "By treating shyness as an individual
pathology, ... we forget that this is also a socially oriented state of mind
that is socially produced and managed." She explores the idea that "shyness is a
form of deviance: a problem for society as much as for the individual", and
concludes that, to some extent, "we are all impostors, faking our way through
social life". One of her interview subjects (self-defined as shy) puts this
point of view even more
strongly:
"Sometimes I want to take my cue from the militant
disabled lobbyists and say, 'hey, it's not MY problem, it's society's'. I want
to be proud to be shy: on the whole, shys are probably more sensitive, and nicer
people, than 'normals'. I shouldn't have to change: society should adapt to meet
my needs."
Author and broadcaster Garrison Keillor has
similarly, tongue-in-cheek but sympathetically, published a manifesto of "shy
rights":
shyness is not a disability or disease to be
'overcome'. It is simply the way we are. And in our own quiet way, we are
secretly proud of it."
Social inhibition versus behavioral
inhibition
Those considered shy are also said to be socially
inhibited. Social inhibition is the conscious or unconscious constraint of a
process or behavior that a person considers objectionable in a social setting.
In other words, social inhibition is that which holds one back. There are
different levels of social inhibition, from mild to severe. Being socially
inhibited is good when preventing one from harming another and bad when causing
one to refrain from participating in class discussions. Behavioral inhibition is
a temperament or personality style that predisposes a person to become fearful,
distressed and withdrawn in novel
situations.
Different cultural views on
shyness
In cultures that value outspokenness and overt
confidence, shyness can be perceived as weakness. To an unsympathetic observer,
a shy individual may be mistaken as cold, distant, arrogant or aloof, which can
be frustrating for the shy individual. However, in other cultures, shy people
may be perceived as being thoughtful, intelligent, as being good listeners, and
as being more likely to think before they speak. Furthermore, boldness, the
opposite of shyness, may cause its own problems, such as impertinence or
inappropriate behavior.
In cultures that value autonomy, shyness is often
analyzed in the context of being a social dysfunction, and is frequently
contemplated as a personality disorder or mental health issue. It should be
noted that such analyses are conducted from a Western cultural perspective, and
often do not consider shyness as having any potential utility in a social
framework, either outside or within Western culture. Some researchers are
beginning to study comparisons between individualistic and collectivistic
cultures, to examine the role that shyness might play in matters of social
etiquette and achieving group-oriented goals. "Shyness is one of the emotions
that may serve as behavioral regulators of social relationships in
collectivistic cultures. For example, social shyness is evaluated more
positively in a collectivistic society, but negatively evaluated in an
individualistic society."
in a cross-cultural study of Chinese and Canadian
school children, researchers sought to measure several variables related to
social reputation and peer relationships, including "shyness-sensitivity." Using
peer nomination questionnaire, students evaluated their fellow students using
positive and negative playmate nominations. "Shyness-sensitivity was
significantly and negatively correlated with measures of peer acceptance in the
Canadian sample. Inconsistent with Western results, it was found that items
describing shyness-sensitivity were separated from items assessing isolation in
the factor structure for the Chinese sample. Shyness-sensitivity was positively
associated with sociability-leadership and with peer acceptance in the Chinese
sample."
Perceptions of Western cultures on
shyness-inhibition
In Western cultures shyness-inhibition plays an
important role in psychological and social adjustment. It has been found that
shyness-inhibition is associated with a variety of mal-adaptive behaviors. Being
shy or inhibited in Western cultures causes for a host of issues such as,
rejection by peers, isolation and being viewed as socially incompetent by
adults. Such attitudes pertaining to shyness and inhibition cause individuals in
Western cultures to exhibit higher rates of depression and social
dissatisfaction.
Perceptions of Eastern cultures on
shyness-inhibition
Individuals who are shy and inhibited in Eastern
cultures do not share the same issues as those in Western cultures.
Shyness-inhibition is seen as positive and those that exhibit these traits are
viewed well by peers and are accepted, also, they have high competence in
education and show high psychological well-being. Shy individuals are also more
likely to attain leadership status in school. Being shy or inhibited does not
correlate with loneliness or depression as those in the West do. In Eastern
cultures' being shy and inhibited is a sign of politeness, respectfulness, and
thoughtfulness.
Examples of cultural views on shyness and
inhibition
In Hispanic cultures shyness and inhibition with
authority figures is common. For instance, Hispanic students may feel shy
towards being praised by teachers in front of others, this is because in
Hispanic cultures students are rewarded with a touch, a smile, or spoken word of
praise in private. A student's shyness may not be exactly that, it is considered
rude to excel over peers and siblings; therefore it is common for Hispanic
students to be reserved in classroom settings. Adults also show reluctance to
share personal matters about themselves to authority figures such as nurses and
doctors.
Cultures in which the community is closed and
based on agriculture (Kenya, India, etc.) experience lower social engagement
than those in more open communities (United States, Okinawa, etc.) where
interactions with peers is encouraged. Children in Mayan, Indian, Mexican, and
Kenyan cultures are less expressive in social styles during interactions and
spend little time engaged in socio-dramatic activities, they are also less
assertive in social situations. Self-expression and assertiveness in social
interactions are related to shyness and inhibition in that when one is shy or
inhibited he or she exhibits little or no expressive tendencies. Assertiveness
is demonstrated in the same way, being shy and inhibited lessen ones' chances of
being assertive because of a lack of
confidence.
In the Italian culture emotional expressiveness
during interpersonal interaction is encouraged. From a young age children engage
in debates or discussions that encourage and strengthen social assertiveness.
Independence and social competence during childhood is also promoted. Being
inhibited is looked down upon and those who show this characteristic are viewed
negatively by their parents and peers. Like other cultures where shyness and
inhibition is viewed negatively, peers of shy and inhibited Italian children
reject the socially fearful, cautious and withdrawn. These withdrawn and
socially fearful children express loneliness and believe themselves to be
lacking the social skills needed in social
interactions.
apprehension, lack of comfort, or awkwardness experienced when a person is in
proximity to, approaching, or being approached by other people, especially in
new situations or with unfamiliar people. Shyness may come from genetic traits,
the environment in which a person is raised and personal experiences. There are
many degrees of shyness. Stronger forms are usually referred to as social
anxiety or social phobia. Shyness may merely be a personality trait or can occur
at certain stages of development in children. The primary defining
characteristic of shyness is a largely ego-driven fear of what other people will
think of a person's behavior, which results in the person becoming scared of
doing or saying what he or she wants to, out of fear of negative reactions,
criticism, or rejection, and simply opting to avoid social situations instead.
Shyness also has strong cultural aspects, for example in China, if a student or
a peer is shy then that student is looked up to and praised
while in North America they will be seen as being a coward
The
initial causes of shyness vary. Scientists believe they have located genetic
data supporting the hypothesis that shyness is at least partially genetic.
However, there is also evidence that suggests the environment in which a person
is raised can also be responsible for his or her shyness. This includes child
abuse, particularly emotional abuse such as ridicule. Shyness can originate
after a person has experienced a physical anxiety reaction; at other times,
shyness seems to develop first and then later causes physical symptoms of
anxiety. Shyness differs from social anxiety, which is a broader, often
depression-related psychological condition including the experience of fear,
apprehension or worrying about being evaluated by others in social situations to
the extent of inducing
panic.
Genetics and heredity
Shyness is often seen as a hindrance on people and
their development. The cause of shyness is often disputed but it is found that
fear is positively related to shyness, suggesting that fearful children are much
more likely to develop being shy as opposed to less fearful children. Shyness
can also be seen on a biological level as a result of an excess of cortisol.
When cortisol is present in greater quantities it is known to suppress an
individual’s immune system, making them more susceptible to illness and disease.
The genetics of shyness is a relatively small area of research that has been
receiving an even smaller amount of attention, although papers on the biological
bases of shyness date back to 1988. Some research has indicated that shyness and
aggression are related—through long and short forms of the gene DRD4, though
considerably more research on this is needed. Further, it has been suggested
that shyness and social phobia (the distinction between the two is becoming ever
more blurred) are related to obsessive-compulsive disorder. As with other
studies of behavioral genetics, the study of shyness is complicated by the
number of genes involved in, and the confusion in defining, the phenotype.
Naming the phenotype – and translation of terms between genetics and psychology
— also causes problems.
Several genetic links to shyness are current areas
of research. One is the serotonin transporter promoter region polymorphism
(5-HTTLPR), the long form of which has been shown to be modestly correlated with
shyness in grade school children. Previous studies had shown a connection
between this form of the gene and both obsessive-compulsive disorder and
autism.[6] Mouse models have also been used, to derive genes suitable for
further study in humans; one such gene, the glutamic acid decarboxylase gene
(which encodes an enzyme that functions in GABA synthesis), has so far been
shown to have some association with behavioral
inhibition.
Another gene, the dopamine D4 receptor gene (DRD4)
exon III polymorphism, had been the subject of studies in both shyness and
aggression, and is currently the subject of studies on the "novelty seeking"
trait. A 1996 study of anxiety-related traits (shyness being one of these)
remarked that, "Although twin studies have indicated that individual variation
in measures of anxiety-related personality traits is 40-60% heritable, none of
the relevant genes has yet been identified," and that "10 to 15 genes might be
predicted to be involved" in the anxiety trait. Progress has been made since
then, especially in identifying other potential genes involved in personality
traits, but there has been little progress made towards confirming these
relationships. The long version of the 5-HTT gene-linked polymorphic region
(5-HTTLPR) is now postulated to be correlated with shyness, but in the 1996
study, the short version was shown to be related to anxiety-based
traits.
Technology has helped to pinpoint changes in
socially anxious brains. Using MRI scans, Dr. Murray Stein, of the University of
California, San Diego, found that when people with the disorder are shown
pictures of angry faces, their amygdala lights up with more activity than it
does in people without the
condition.
As symptom of mercury poisoning
Excessive shyness, embarrassment,
self-consciousness and timidity, social-phobia and lack of self-confidence are
also components of erethism, which is a symptom complex that appears in cases of
mercury poisoning. Mercury poisoning was common among hat makers in England in
the 18th and 19th centuries, who used mercury to stabilize wool into felt
fabric.
Prenatal development
The prevalence of shyness in some children can be
linked to day length during pregnancy, particularly during the midpoint of
prenatal development. An analysis of longitudinal data from children living at
specific latitudes in the United States and New Zealand revealed a significant
relationship between hours of day length during the midpoint of pregnancy and
the prevalence of shyness in children. "The odds of being classified as shy were
1.52 times greater for children exposed to shorter compared to longer day
lengths during gestation." In their analysis, scientists assigned conception
dates to the children relative to their known birth dates, which allowed them to
obtain random samples from children who had a mid-gestation point during the
longest hours of the year and the shortest hours of the year (June and December,
depending on whether the cohorts were in the United States or New
Zealand).
The longitudinal survey data included measurements
of shyness on a five-point scale based on interviews with the families being
surveyed, and children in the top 25th percentile of shyness scores were
identified. The data revealed a significant co-variance between the children who
presented as being consistently shy over a two-year period, and shorter day
length during their mid-prenatal development period. "Taken together, these
estimates indicate that about one out of five cases of extreme shyness in
children can be associated with gestation during months of limited
daylength."
Low birth weights in relation to
shyness
In recent years correlations between birth weight
and shyness have been studied. Findings suggest that those born at low birth
weights are more likely to be shy, risk-aversive and cautious compared to those
born at normal birth weights. These results do not however imply a
cause-and-effect relationship.
Personality trait
Shyness is most likely to occur during unfamiliar
situations, though in severe cases it may hinder an individual in his or her
most familiar situations and relationships as well. Shy people avoid the objects
of their apprehension in order to keep from feeling uncomfortable and inept;
thus, the situations remain unfamiliar and the shyness perpetuates itself.
Shyness may fade with time; e.g., a child who is shy towards strangers may
eventually lose this trait when older and become more socially adept. This often
occurs by adolescence or young adulthood (generally around the age of 13). In
some cases, though, it may become an integrated, lifelong character trait.
Longitudinal data suggests that the three different personality types evident in
infancy easy, slow-to-warm-up, and difficult tend to change as children mature.
Extreme traits become less pronounced, and personalities evolve in predictable
patterns over time. What has been proven to remain constant is the tendency to
internalize or externalize problems. This relates to individuals with shy
personalities because they tend to internalize their problems, or dwell on their
problems internally instead of expressing their concerns, which leads to
disorders like depression and anxiety. Humans experience shyness to different
degrees and in different areas. In addition, shyness may manifest when one is in
the company of certain people and completely disappear when with others— one may
be outgoing with friends and family, but experience love-shyness toward
potential partners, even if strangers are generally not an
obstacle.
Shyness can also be seen as an academic
determinant. It has been determined that there is a negative relationship
between shyness and classroom performance. As the shyness of an individual
increased, classroom performance was known to decrease, and vice
versa.
The condition of true shyness may simply involve
the discomfort of difficulty in knowing what to say in social situations, or may
include crippling physical manifestations of uneasiness. Shyness usually
involves a combination of both symptoms, and may be quite devastating for the
sufferer, in many cases leading them to feel that they are boring, or exhibit
bizarre behavior in an attempt to create interest, alienating them further.
Behavioral traits in social situations such as smiling, easily producing
suitable conversational topics, assuming a relaxed posture and making good eye
contact, may not be second nature for a shy person. Such people might only
affect such traits by great difficulty, or they may even be impossible to
display.
Those who are shy are actually perceived more
negatively, in cultures that value sociability, because of the way they act
towards others. Shy individuals are often distant during conversations, which
may cause others to create poor impressions of them. People who are not shy may
be too up-front, aggressive, or critical towards shy people in an attempt "to
get them out of their shell." This may actually make a shy person feel worse, as
it can draw attention to them (making them more self-conscious and
uncomfortable) or cause them to think there is something very wrong with
themselves.
Misconceptions and negative aspects
Many misconceptions/ stereotypes about shy
individuals exist in western culture and negative peer reactions to "shy"
behavior abound. This takes place because individualistic cultures don't value
quietness and meekness, and more often reward outgoing behaviors. Some
misconceptions include viewing introversion and social phobia synonymous with
shyness, and believing that shy people are less
intelligent.
intelligence
No correlation (positive or negative) exists
between intelligence and shyness but data collected leans toward a positive
rather than negative correlation between intelligence and shyness, though it
isn't statistically significant. The stereotype exists that shy people are less
intelligent and peers initially perceive them this way. The data supporting this
hypothesis falsely identifies a cause and effect relationship between low
academic standing and high levels of shyness, when in fact a third factor,
academic engagement (verbally expressing knowledge) accounts for this
correlation. Research indicates that shy children have a harder time expressing
their knowledge in social situations (which many academic curriculum utilize)
and because they do not engage actively in discussions, teachers view them as
less intelligent. Test scores, however, prove that shyness is unrelated to
actual academic knowledge, and therefore only academic engagement. Depending on
the level of a teacher's own shyness, more indirect (vs. socially oriented)
strategies are used with shy individuals to assess knowledge in the classroom,
and accommodations are made. Observed peer evaluations of shy people during
initial meeting and social interactions thereafter found that peers evaluate shy
individuals as less intelligent during the first encounter. During subsequent
interactions, however, peers perceived shy individuals' intelligence more
positively.
Shyness vs. introversion
The term shyness may be implemented as a lay
blanket-term for a family of related and partially overlapping afflictions,
including timidity (apprehension in meeting new people), bashfulness and
diffidence (reluctance in asserting oneself), apprehension and anticipation
(general fear of potential interaction), or intimidation (relating to the object
of fear rather than one's low confidence). Apparent shyness, as perceived by
others, may simply be the manifestation of reservation or introversion,
character traits which cause an individual to voluntarily avoid excessive social
contact or be terse in communication, but are not motivated or accompanied by
discomfort, apprehension, or lack of
confidence.
Rather, according to Bernardo J. Carducci,
director of the Shyness Research Institute, introverts choose to avoid social
situations because they derive no reward from them, or may find surplus sensory
input overwhelming. Conversely, shy people may fear such situations and feel
that they "should" avoid them. This generally poor reception of shyness may be
misinterpreted by the suffering individual as aversion related to his or her
personality, rather than simply to his or her shyness. Both conditions can lead
to a compounding of a shy individual's low
self-confidence.
Both shyness and introversion (unsociability) can
be classified as personalities that lead to socially withdrawn behaviors
(behavioral tendencies to avoid social situations, especially when they are
unfamiliar). A variety of research has been done suggesting that these two
personalities possess clearly distinct motivational forces and lead to uniquely
different personal and peer reactions and therefore cannot be described as
theoretically the same.
Research done suggests that no unique
physiological response, such as an increased heart beat, accompanies socially
withdrawn behavior in familiar compared with unfamiliar social situations. But
unsociability leads to decreased exposure to unfamiliar social situations and
shyness causes a lack of response in such situations, suggesting that shyness
and unsociability affect two different aspects of sociability and are distinct
personality traits. In addition, different cultures perceive unsociability and
shyness in different ways, leading to either positive or negative individual
feelings of self-esteem. Collectivist cultures view shyness as a more positive
trait related to compliance with group ideals and self-control, while perceiving
chosen isolation (introverted behavior) negatively, as a threat to group
harmony. Because society accepts shyness and rejects unsociability, shy
individuals develop higher self-esteem than introverted individuals. On the
other hand, individualistic cultures perceive shyness as a weakness and a
character flaw, while unsociable personality traits (preference to spend time
alone) are accepted because they uphold the value of autonomy. So, in contrast,
shy individuals develop low self-esteem in Western cultures while unsociable
individuals develop high self-esteem. Psychological methods and pharmaceutical
drugs are commonly used to treat shyness in individuals who feel crippled
because of low self-esteem and psychological symptoms, such as depression or
loneliness. According to research, early intervention methods that expose shy
children to social interactions involve working team work, especially team
sports, decrease their anxiety in social interactions and increase their all
around self-confidence later on. Implementing such tactics could prove to be an
important step in combating the psychological effects of shyness that make
living normal life difficult for anxious
individuals.
Shyness vs. social
phobia
An extreme case of shyness is identified as a
psychiatric illness, which made its debut as "social phobia" in DSM-III in 1980,
but was then described as rare. By 1994, however, when DSM-IV was published, it
was given a second, alternative name in parentheses (social anxiety disorder)
and was now said to be relatively common, affecting between 3 and 13% of the
population at some point during their lifetime. This process has been seen as a
case study of "disease-mongering" in
psychiatry.
Shyness affects people mildly in unfamiliar social
situations where one feels anxiety about interacting with new people. Social
anxiety disorder, on the other hand, is a strong irrational fear of interacting
with people, or being in situations which may involve public scrutiny, because
one feels overly concerned about being criticized if one embarrasses oneself.
Two types of social phobia exist, generalized social phobia, the fear of most
social situations, and specific social phobia, the fear of one or several kinds
of social situations (such as public speaking). The generalized form of this
condition can interfere with normal living because people who feel this way may
avoid social situations as much as possible. Physical symptoms of social phobia
can include shortness of breath, trembling, increased heart rate, and sweating;
in some cases, these symptoms are intense enough and numerous enough to
constitute a panic attack. Shyness, on the other hand, may incorporate many of
these symptoms, but at a lower intensity, infrequently, and does not interfere
tremendously with normal living.
Positive points of shyness and sociological
perspectives
Being shy can have its advantages as well,
according to Thomas Benton in his article "Shyness and Academe", published in
May 2004. The author says that because shy people "have a tendency toward
self-criticism, they are often high achievers, and not just in solitary
activities like research and writing. Perhaps even more than the drive toward
independent achievement, shy people long to make connections to others often
through altruistic behavior. Susan Cain, in her article "Shyness: Evolutionary
Tactic?", describes the benefits that shy people bring to society that western
views devalue. Without characteristics that shy people bring to social
interactions, such as sensitivity to the emotions of others, contemplation of
ideas, and valuable listening skills, there would be no balance to society. In
earlier generations, such as the 1950s, society perceived shyness as a more
socially attractive trait, especially in women. This indicates that views on
shyness vary with the culture. Sociologist Susie Scott, in her book Shyness and
Society (2007), is one expert who has sought to challenge the pathological
interpretation and treatment of shyness. "By treating shyness as an individual
pathology, ... we forget that this is also a socially oriented state of mind
that is socially produced and managed." She explores the idea that "shyness is a
form of deviance: a problem for society as much as for the individual", and
concludes that, to some extent, "we are all impostors, faking our way through
social life". One of her interview subjects (self-defined as shy) puts this
point of view even more
strongly:
"Sometimes I want to take my cue from the militant
disabled lobbyists and say, 'hey, it's not MY problem, it's society's'. I want
to be proud to be shy: on the whole, shys are probably more sensitive, and nicer
people, than 'normals'. I shouldn't have to change: society should adapt to meet
my needs."
Author and broadcaster Garrison Keillor has
similarly, tongue-in-cheek but sympathetically, published a manifesto of "shy
rights":
shyness is not a disability or disease to be
'overcome'. It is simply the way we are. And in our own quiet way, we are
secretly proud of it."
Social inhibition versus behavioral
inhibition
Those considered shy are also said to be socially
inhibited. Social inhibition is the conscious or unconscious constraint of a
process or behavior that a person considers objectionable in a social setting.
In other words, social inhibition is that which holds one back. There are
different levels of social inhibition, from mild to severe. Being socially
inhibited is good when preventing one from harming another and bad when causing
one to refrain from participating in class discussions. Behavioral inhibition is
a temperament or personality style that predisposes a person to become fearful,
distressed and withdrawn in novel
situations.
Different cultural views on
shyness
In cultures that value outspokenness and overt
confidence, shyness can be perceived as weakness. To an unsympathetic observer,
a shy individual may be mistaken as cold, distant, arrogant or aloof, which can
be frustrating for the shy individual. However, in other cultures, shy people
may be perceived as being thoughtful, intelligent, as being good listeners, and
as being more likely to think before they speak. Furthermore, boldness, the
opposite of shyness, may cause its own problems, such as impertinence or
inappropriate behavior.
In cultures that value autonomy, shyness is often
analyzed in the context of being a social dysfunction, and is frequently
contemplated as a personality disorder or mental health issue. It should be
noted that such analyses are conducted from a Western cultural perspective, and
often do not consider shyness as having any potential utility in a social
framework, either outside or within Western culture. Some researchers are
beginning to study comparisons between individualistic and collectivistic
cultures, to examine the role that shyness might play in matters of social
etiquette and achieving group-oriented goals. "Shyness is one of the emotions
that may serve as behavioral regulators of social relationships in
collectivistic cultures. For example, social shyness is evaluated more
positively in a collectivistic society, but negatively evaluated in an
individualistic society."
in a cross-cultural study of Chinese and Canadian
school children, researchers sought to measure several variables related to
social reputation and peer relationships, including "shyness-sensitivity." Using
peer nomination questionnaire, students evaluated their fellow students using
positive and negative playmate nominations. "Shyness-sensitivity was
significantly and negatively correlated with measures of peer acceptance in the
Canadian sample. Inconsistent with Western results, it was found that items
describing shyness-sensitivity were separated from items assessing isolation in
the factor structure for the Chinese sample. Shyness-sensitivity was positively
associated with sociability-leadership and with peer acceptance in the Chinese
sample."
Perceptions of Western cultures on
shyness-inhibition
In Western cultures shyness-inhibition plays an
important role in psychological and social adjustment. It has been found that
shyness-inhibition is associated with a variety of mal-adaptive behaviors. Being
shy or inhibited in Western cultures causes for a host of issues such as,
rejection by peers, isolation and being viewed as socially incompetent by
adults. Such attitudes pertaining to shyness and inhibition cause individuals in
Western cultures to exhibit higher rates of depression and social
dissatisfaction.
Perceptions of Eastern cultures on
shyness-inhibition
Individuals who are shy and inhibited in Eastern
cultures do not share the same issues as those in Western cultures.
Shyness-inhibition is seen as positive and those that exhibit these traits are
viewed well by peers and are accepted, also, they have high competence in
education and show high psychological well-being. Shy individuals are also more
likely to attain leadership status in school. Being shy or inhibited does not
correlate with loneliness or depression as those in the West do. In Eastern
cultures' being shy and inhibited is a sign of politeness, respectfulness, and
thoughtfulness.
Examples of cultural views on shyness and
inhibition
In Hispanic cultures shyness and inhibition with
authority figures is common. For instance, Hispanic students may feel shy
towards being praised by teachers in front of others, this is because in
Hispanic cultures students are rewarded with a touch, a smile, or spoken word of
praise in private. A student's shyness may not be exactly that, it is considered
rude to excel over peers and siblings; therefore it is common for Hispanic
students to be reserved in classroom settings. Adults also show reluctance to
share personal matters about themselves to authority figures such as nurses and
doctors.
Cultures in which the community is closed and
based on agriculture (Kenya, India, etc.) experience lower social engagement
than those in more open communities (United States, Okinawa, etc.) where
interactions with peers is encouraged. Children in Mayan, Indian, Mexican, and
Kenyan cultures are less expressive in social styles during interactions and
spend little time engaged in socio-dramatic activities, they are also less
assertive in social situations. Self-expression and assertiveness in social
interactions are related to shyness and inhibition in that when one is shy or
inhibited he or she exhibits little or no expressive tendencies. Assertiveness
is demonstrated in the same way, being shy and inhibited lessen ones' chances of
being assertive because of a lack of
confidence.
In the Italian culture emotional expressiveness
during interpersonal interaction is encouraged. From a young age children engage
in debates or discussions that encourage and strengthen social assertiveness.
Independence and social competence during childhood is also promoted. Being
inhibited is looked down upon and those who show this characteristic are viewed
negatively by their parents and peers. Like other cultures where shyness and
inhibition is viewed negatively, peers of shy and inhibited Italian children
reject the socially fearful, cautious and withdrawn. These withdrawn and
socially fearful children express loneliness and believe themselves to be
lacking the social skills needed in social
interactions.
