Sense of Timing

Abstract

Groups of high socially anxious, low socially skilled (socially incompetent), and low socially anxious, high socially skilled (socially competent) under-graduate males were selected using both a self-report measure of social anxiety and behavioral ratings of both skill and anxiety in a simulated role-play of a dating situation. Selected subjects were then requested to (1) listen to a ten-minute videotape of a female speaker discussing her life and (2) press a switch whenever they felt a response would communicate understanding or rapport. The hypothesis that socially incompetent and competent individuals would respond with the same frequency but would differ in the timing or distribution of their responses was affirmed. The results suggested timing of responses to be an important component of social skill and called into question the adequacy of using frequency counts of behaviors to investigate the specific nature of social skill. Implications for both assessment and treatment of social skill deficits are offered.

Analysis of social behavior in individuals with social phobia and nonanxious participants using a psychobiological model

“…These findings are also somewhat consistent with previous research on social anxiety. The failure of socially phobic participants to display cooperative or dominant behaviors is consistent with previous work suggesting innocuous social behavior (Leary, 1983;Leary et al, 1987), while inconsistent with suggestions of marked submissive behavior (Dow et al, 1985;Edelman, 1987;Fischetti et al, 1977;Schlenker, 1987). Hence, socially phobic behavior may be defined more by a lack of cooperative and dominant behaviors (i.e., passivity) than by an active attempt to be submissive.…”

“…Socially anxious participants tend to behave innocuously in social interactions (Leary, 1983;Leary, Knight, & Johnson, 1987) and make greater use of excuses and apologies (Edelman, 1987;Schlenker, 1987). Socially anxious participants also speak less and with longer pauses than nonanxious subjects (Dow, Biglan, & Glaser, 1985;Fischetti, Curran, & Wessberg, 1977). This suggests that socially anxious people tend to operate under Trower and Gilbert's second-level goal of the defense system, characterized by submission.…”

Systems of Psychotherapy

“…Clients may also use social conventions or symptom formation to disguise poor social skills. A significant body of research has linked psychopathology to poor skills in responding to social conventions (Fischetti, Curran, & Wessberg, 1977;Klerman & Weissman, 1993).…”