Responses of the Socially Anxious to the Prospect of Interpersonal Evaluation

Abstract

We predicted that socially anxious people who are faced with the prospect of an interpersonal evaluation will act in an inhibited and withdrawn way. Subjects who scored low or high on a measure of social anxiety told four stories about themselves to an interviewer. In the anticipated-evaluation condition, the subjects learned that after they had told their stories, the interviewer would tell them her impressions of them. In the control condition, no mention was made of an evaluation. Judges rated transcripts of the stories. As predicted, socially anxious subjects who thought they were going to be evaluated (relative to anxious subjects in the control condition and nonanxious subjects in both conditions) told shorter stories, and the events in their stories were commonplace rather than unique. Their stories were also less revealing about them as individuals, and less vivid. Contrary to a second prediction, socially anxious subjects who expected to be evaluated did not act any less inhibited or withdrawn when their interviewers were described as very trusting than when they were described as very wary. Implications are discussed.

Mobile voice communication and loneliness: Cell phone use and the social skills deficit hypothesis

“…In terms of social skills, anxious people are less likely to talk, talk in a less vivid way, and end conversations more quickly (DePaulo et al, 1990). Similarly, shy people tend to inhibit verbal and non-verbal behaviors and avoid social interaction (Buss, 1997).…”

“…Although there is firm evidence that shyness and social anxiety are closely related to the lack of social skills (e.g. DePaulo et al, 1990;Renshaw and Brown, 1993), we must be cautious when interpret the meaning of being less skillful.…”

“…Many studies have inquired why people feel lonely or how lonely people communicate (e.g. DePaulo et al, 1990;Kraus et al, 1993;Spitzberg and Canary, 1985). Not many studies, however, have tried to incorporate social skills, communication, and loneliness into an overarching theoretical framework.…”

Perceived stigma in functional somatic syndromes and comparable medical conditions

“…Stigmatized individuals report increased social anxiety and behavioural inhibition (DePaulo et al, 1990;Josephs et al, 1992;Schlenker & Leary, 1982). There is also a tendency for stigmatized individuals to identi:fy with stereotypes and avoid situations in which they may forgo opportunities to prove stereotypes wrong (Pinel, 1999).…”

Interpersonal consequences of social anxiety.

“…For example, studies have shown that anxious individuals disclose less in structured situations designed to elicit disclosure (DePaullo, Epstein, & LeMay, 1990;Meleshko & Alden, 1993), although naturalistic studies have failed to replicate the finding (Reno & Kenny, 1992;Thompson & Rapee, 2002). One reason for the discrepancy may be that shy or anxious individuals are less likely to direct conversation during naturalistic social interactions (Pilkonis, 1977).…”