Abstract

Introduction

Fearful and self-conscious shyness

Children's conceptions of shyness

Discussion and Conclusion

References

Discussion
Board

Self-consciousness is at the core of the experience of shyness among adults. Evidence supporting this assertion comes from a number of sources including the Stanford Shyness Survey. In important respects shyness is a self-conscious emotion like shame and embarrassment. Self-consciousness is an aversive state involving comparison between self and standards, and may itself have effects upon information processing and behavior. This raises questions about the relationship between shyness and anxiousness and about the role of the elaboration of the self-concept in childhood in the development of shyness. These questions have been addressed by Buss's distinction between fearful (or early appearing) shyness and self-conscious (or late appearing) shyness. The paper summarizes findings from some studies of self-conscious shyness in childhood but also draws attention to the lack of any substantial evidence on individual differences in these different types of shyness. The paper raises issues about the development of individual differences in shyness from infancy into childhood. At what age does self-conscious shyness emerge? What factors are associated with its emergence? Do developments that take place in the self-concept mean that new members are recruited into the ranks of the shy or is self-consciousness simply one form that shyness takes whenever these developments have occurred?

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Presentation Number SAcrozier0450
Keywords: shyness, self-consciousnes, childhood