shyness
Sign in to savethumb |upright=1.6| Shyness is a personality trait distinct from Extraversion and introversion|introversion and [[social anxiety disorder.]]
AI overview
Shyness is a personality trait that is separate from being introverted or extroverted, and it's also different from social anxiety disorder. Understanding this distinction matters because shyness describes a specific pattern of behavior or temperament, rather than simply preferring solitude or experiencing clinical anxiety in social situations.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Article
22 sectionsContents
- Origins
- Genetics and heredity
- As a symptom of mercury poisoning
- Prenatal development
- Low birth weights
- Personality trait
- Concepts
- Versus introversion
- Versus social phobia (social anxiety disorder)
- Social versus behavioral inhibition
- Misconceptions and negative aspects
- Intelligence
- Benefits
- Different cultural views
- Western perceptions
- Eastern perceptions
- Examples of shyness and inhibition
- Intervention and treatment
- See also
- References
- Further reading
- External links
thumb |upright=1.6| Shyness is a personality trait distinct from Extraversion and introversion|introversion and [[social anxiety disorder.]]
Shyness (also called diffidence) is the feeling of apprehension, lack of comfort, or awkwardness especially when a person is around other people. This commonly occurs in new situations or with unfamiliar people; a shy person may simply opt to avoid these situations. Although shyness can be a characteristic of people who have low self-esteem, the primary defining characteristic of shyness is a fear of what other people will think of a person's behavior. This fear of negative reactions such as being mocked, humiliated or patronized, criticized or rejected can cause a shy person to retreat. Stronger forms of shyness can be referred to as social anxiety or social phobia.