Shyness
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Mr. Simon
Mar 6, 2012, 2:37:53 PM3/6/12
to Sperry AP Psych
Step 1: Read the following articles.
1) https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6CRJQ_uKl8QdjlvYzZzZ1BUY2UzQnNNb3Ay...
2) https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6CRJQ_uKl8QcXZhWXhwbWJUUXUyMWYwcjNN...
Step 2: Choose your own adventure.
-Option 1: Using your research resources, locate another article that
discusses shyness from a scholarly resource. The article must be at
least two pages long and contribute to your understanding of shyness.
Summarize the article in a short paragraph, then include a subsequent
paragraph that evaluates the two positions of the opposing articles.
-Option 2: Read both provided articles thoroughly, then formulate a
research study to test or evaluate the concepts of shyness with your
own hypothesis. You should include a short paragraph about how you
arrived at your hypothesis and another short paragraph that describes
how you would test your hypothesis. You should include references to
at least TWO social psych terms in your write up.
Step 3: ???
Step 4: Profit... if you submit your ASSIGNMENT BY WEDNESDAY
NIGHT
AT 11:59PM.
1) https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6CRJQ_uKl8QdjlvYzZzZ1BUY2UzQnNNb3Ay...
2) https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6CRJQ_uKl8QcXZhWXhwbWJUUXUyMWYwcjNN...
Step 2: Choose your own adventure.
-Option 1: Using your research resources, locate another article that
discusses shyness from a scholarly resource. The article must be at
least two pages long and contribute to your understanding of shyness.
Summarize the article in a short paragraph, then include a subsequent
paragraph that evaluates the two positions of the opposing articles.
-Option 2: Read both provided articles thoroughly, then formulate a
research study to test or evaluate the concepts of shyness with your
own hypothesis. You should include a short paragraph about how you
arrived at your hypothesis and another short paragraph that describes
how you would test your hypothesis. You should include references to
at least TWO social psych terms in your write up.
Step 3: ???
Step 4: Profit... if you submit your ASSIGNMENT BY WEDNESDAY
NIGHT
AT 11:59PM.
katestewart
Mar 6, 2012, 9:18:59 PM3/6/12
to Sperry AP Psych
This article, "Shyness: A Mental Disorder or Personality Quirk? When
and how should shyness be treated?" explores the spectrum of shyness
in children. Consistent with themes from the other two articles, it is
recommended that children be supported and nudged to overcome their
hesitance in new situations. It also suggests that "shyness" is a
broad, overused label that can only hinder less outgoing children. It
also rejects the stereotype that only children tend to be more shy
than children from larger families. Furthermore, this article examines
the effectiveness of different therapies and medications for social
phobias and extreme shyness. It cautiously describes and advocates for
cognitive therapy and pharmaceutical treatments, claiming that
research shows it to be helpful. However, the article disclaims the
need for therapy in many of the mild cases of shyness, common in
nearly half of all people. Although it recognizes a quote claiming
that "acute shyness is one of the most under-recognized mental health
problems of the mental age," this article supports the idea that
shyness is more often than not, a biologically influenced spectrum of
personalities rather than a dire disease.
The assigned two articles examine the gravity and implications of
shyness in the human population. While the first article claims that
shyness is a biologically and environmentally influenced personality
trait, there are common, mundane techniques to become more comfortable
in one's surroundings and social situations. It also suggests that
shyness can be traced back to learned behavior and the association of
unpleasant feelings with social interactions. Both Article agree that
psychological and physiological reactions if shy people can be easily
traced in the body, including perspiration, elevated heart rate and
heightened activity in certain sections of the brain, similar to a
fear or anxiety response. The first article also upholds an optimistic
view towards shyness, explaining that social discomfort can be
overcome and replaced with relaxation and enjoyment in social
participation. However, the second, Zimbardo article, suggests that
shyness results in an internal battle, painful and routinely
unbearable for the victim. This outlook also claims that the social
inhibition caused by shyness is degrading and requires a lot more
therapy and psychological treatment than the trivial exercises
provided by the first article.
and how should shyness be treated?" explores the spectrum of shyness
in children. Consistent with themes from the other two articles, it is
recommended that children be supported and nudged to overcome their
hesitance in new situations. It also suggests that "shyness" is a
broad, overused label that can only hinder less outgoing children. It
also rejects the stereotype that only children tend to be more shy
than children from larger families. Furthermore, this article examines
the effectiveness of different therapies and medications for social
phobias and extreme shyness. It cautiously describes and advocates for
cognitive therapy and pharmaceutical treatments, claiming that
research shows it to be helpful. However, the article disclaims the
need for therapy in many of the mild cases of shyness, common in
nearly half of all people. Although it recognizes a quote claiming
that "acute shyness is one of the most under-recognized mental health
problems of the mental age," this article supports the idea that
shyness is more often than not, a biologically influenced spectrum of
personalities rather than a dire disease.
The assigned two articles examine the gravity and implications of
shyness in the human population. While the first article claims that
shyness is a biologically and environmentally influenced personality
trait, there are common, mundane techniques to become more comfortable
in one's surroundings and social situations. It also suggests that
shyness can be traced back to learned behavior and the association of
unpleasant feelings with social interactions. Both Article agree that
psychological and physiological reactions if shy people can be easily
traced in the body, including perspiration, elevated heart rate and
heightened activity in certain sections of the brain, similar to a
fear or anxiety response. The first article also upholds an optimistic
view towards shyness, explaining that social discomfort can be
overcome and replaced with relaxation and enjoyment in social
participation. However, the second, Zimbardo article, suggests that
shyness results in an internal battle, painful and routinely
unbearable for the victim. This outlook also claims that the social
inhibition caused by shyness is degrading and requires a lot more
therapy and psychological treatment than the trivial exercises
provided by the first article.
Tess Harrington
Mar 7, 2012, 3:01:42 PM3/7/12
to Sperry AP Psych
The article, “Shyness: Evolutionary Tactic?” discusses the danger of
treating shyness like a disease. To begin, the article first displays
the 2003 advertisement for the pill Zoloft, a SSRI. The advertisement
displays a woman, with the caption “Is she just shy? Or is it a Social
Anxiety Disorder?” In addition, the article states that the DSM-IV is
vague and ambiguous in their opinion of shyness, just like the
advertisement. Apparently, in the DSM-IV, “shyness in social
situations” is not necessarily an illness, yet a diagnosis is
recommended when one’s shyness interferes with work performance. Thus,
the article claims that the DSM-IV must, in fact, think of shyness as
an illness; a sign that something is wrong. Through it’s mistrust of
the DSM-IV and SSRI’s meant for “social anxiety,” the article,
“Shyness: Evolutionary Tactic?” displays how shyness, or, “careful,
sensitive temperate” is something to value, not cover up.
The two given articles, “Shyness, Self-Confidence, and Social
Interaction,” and “Are You Shy?” differ in their take on shyness,
though they both seem to agree that shyness plays a powerful role in
society. The first article, “Are You Shy,” defines shyness at the top
of the page, so there will be no confusion, as “an over generalized
response to fear, and it’s easy to beat once you understand this.”
However, the second article given claims that shyness is hard to
define, giving other researcher’s and psychologist’s definitions
instead, such as “the tendency to feel tense, worried or awkward
during social interactions, especially with unfamiliar people.”
Despite their trivial differences, both articles given convey shyness
as an illness, just as “Shyness: Evolutionary Tactic?” warned against.
In the first article, the symptoms and problems are given like it is
an illness, and the second article’s “Research Design” displays that
anyone who scores an 85 or above on the PRCA is shy, as if shyness can
be diagnosed like a disease. It appears that when "Shyness:
Evolutionary Tactic?" stated that researchers “…don’t focus on what is
right. Ridding people of social unease need not involve pathologizing
their fundamental nature, but rather urging them to use it’s gifts,”
the article was addressing researchers like those in the two given
articles
On Mar 6, 2:37 pm, "Mr. Simon" <jsimon...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Step 1: Read the following articles.
> 1)https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6CRJQ_uKl8QdjlvYzZzZ1BUY2UzQnNNb3Ay...
> 2)https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6CRJQ_uKl8QcXZhWXhwbWJUUXUyMWYwcjNN...
treating shyness like a disease. To begin, the article first displays
the 2003 advertisement for the pill Zoloft, a SSRI. The advertisement
displays a woman, with the caption “Is she just shy? Or is it a Social
Anxiety Disorder?” In addition, the article states that the DSM-IV is
vague and ambiguous in their opinion of shyness, just like the
advertisement. Apparently, in the DSM-IV, “shyness in social
situations” is not necessarily an illness, yet a diagnosis is
recommended when one’s shyness interferes with work performance. Thus,
the article claims that the DSM-IV must, in fact, think of shyness as
an illness; a sign that something is wrong. Through it’s mistrust of
the DSM-IV and SSRI’s meant for “social anxiety,” the article,
“Shyness: Evolutionary Tactic?” displays how shyness, or, “careful,
sensitive temperate” is something to value, not cover up.
The two given articles, “Shyness, Self-Confidence, and Social
Interaction,” and “Are You Shy?” differ in their take on shyness,
though they both seem to agree that shyness plays a powerful role in
society. The first article, “Are You Shy,” defines shyness at the top
of the page, so there will be no confusion, as “an over generalized
response to fear, and it’s easy to beat once you understand this.”
However, the second article given claims that shyness is hard to
define, giving other researcher’s and psychologist’s definitions
instead, such as “the tendency to feel tense, worried or awkward
during social interactions, especially with unfamiliar people.”
Despite their trivial differences, both articles given convey shyness
as an illness, just as “Shyness: Evolutionary Tactic?” warned against.
In the first article, the symptoms and problems are given like it is
an illness, and the second article’s “Research Design” displays that
anyone who scores an 85 or above on the PRCA is shy, as if shyness can
be diagnosed like a disease. It appears that when "Shyness:
Evolutionary Tactic?" stated that researchers “…don’t focus on what is
right. Ridding people of social unease need not involve pathologizing
their fundamental nature, but rather urging them to use it’s gifts,”
the article was addressing researchers like those in the two given
articles
On Mar 6, 2:37 pm, "Mr. Simon" <jsimon...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Step 1: Read the following articles.
> 1)https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6CRJQ_uKl8QdjlvYzZzZ1BUY2UzQnNNb3Ay...
Anna Kasok
Mar 7, 2012, 3:12:53 PM3/7/12
to Sperry AP Psych
http://www.jstor.org/stable/1701226
The article “Biological Bases of Childhood Shyness” states that in
babies and small animals, shyness is biological. The article said
that 10-15 percent of healthy 2-3 year-old children would become quiet
and introverted in new social situations, especially in longer social
situations that seemed new and strange to the children. The article
said that the same behavior patterns were seen in kittens, as kittens
often exhibited restraint before approaching new objects and people.
It also added that the reluctant kittens grew up to be hesitant cats
that did not attack rats as much as the 85 percent of cats who were
not shy kittens did. The article also results from a study that
showed how children reacted to new and old adults (interviewers) at
various ages throughout their early childhood. It was found that the
children who were able to open up to and be comfortable with their
interviewers still felt uncomfortable when placed with a new person,
therefore proving that the shyness had not gone away, the child had
simply grown more comfortable with one person.
The JSTOR article discusses how it is difficult to classify and define
shyness because it can appear differently for different people in
different situations, and so it is better to refer to “shyness” as
social phobia, something that suggests a medical problem. The DSM
provides many symptoms of social phobia, but the underlying rule is
that anyone who is diagnosed with social phobia must fear situations
in which he or she may say or do something that could be humiliating
or embarrassing. This is a very broad definition, and so it allows
many people to be classified as having a social phobia. In contrast,
the Psychology Today article explains that 40-50 percent of Americans
suffer from shyness, but that they can experience two very different
types of shyness. Surprisingly, only 15-20 percent of shy people are
the stereotypically shy people that avoid social events or act
extremely uncomfortably when they do find themselves in social
situations. The other 80-85 percent of shy people are privately shy.
They feel uncomfortable in social situations, but their discomfort
does not affect their behavior. David Letterman, a popular late-night
TV talk show host is what Philip Zimbardo refers to as a shy extrovert
because he externally appears calm and collected while internally, he
is secretly terrified of speaking in front of so many people. The
Psychology Today article also explains that the majority of shyness is
acquired through life experiences rather than being biological, the
way the JSTOR article explains it to be. Because the JSTOR article
explains that shyness should actually be called social phobia, a
medical condition, it is not surprising that it disagrees with the
Psychology Today article, which explains that there are different
types of shyness which can be the result of different situations
throughout one’s life.
The article “Biological Bases of Childhood Shyness” states that in
babies and small animals, shyness is biological. The article said
that 10-15 percent of healthy 2-3 year-old children would become quiet
and introverted in new social situations, especially in longer social
situations that seemed new and strange to the children. The article
said that the same behavior patterns were seen in kittens, as kittens
often exhibited restraint before approaching new objects and people.
It also added that the reluctant kittens grew up to be hesitant cats
that did not attack rats as much as the 85 percent of cats who were
not shy kittens did. The article also results from a study that
showed how children reacted to new and old adults (interviewers) at
various ages throughout their early childhood. It was found that the
children who were able to open up to and be comfortable with their
interviewers still felt uncomfortable when placed with a new person,
therefore proving that the shyness had not gone away, the child had
simply grown more comfortable with one person.
The JSTOR article discusses how it is difficult to classify and define
shyness because it can appear differently for different people in
different situations, and so it is better to refer to “shyness” as
social phobia, something that suggests a medical problem. The DSM
provides many symptoms of social phobia, but the underlying rule is
that anyone who is diagnosed with social phobia must fear situations
in which he or she may say or do something that could be humiliating
or embarrassing. This is a very broad definition, and so it allows
many people to be classified as having a social phobia. In contrast,
the Psychology Today article explains that 40-50 percent of Americans
suffer from shyness, but that they can experience two very different
types of shyness. Surprisingly, only 15-20 percent of shy people are
the stereotypically shy people that avoid social events or act
extremely uncomfortably when they do find themselves in social
situations. The other 80-85 percent of shy people are privately shy.
They feel uncomfortable in social situations, but their discomfort
does not affect their behavior. David Letterman, a popular late-night
TV talk show host is what Philip Zimbardo refers to as a shy extrovert
because he externally appears calm and collected while internally, he
is secretly terrified of speaking in front of so many people. The
Psychology Today article also explains that the majority of shyness is
acquired through life experiences rather than being biological, the
way the JSTOR article explains it to be. Because the JSTOR article
explains that shyness should actually be called social phobia, a
medical condition, it is not surprising that it disagrees with the
Psychology Today article, which explains that there are different
types of shyness which can be the result of different situations
throughout one’s life.
> Step 1: Read the following articles.
> 1)https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6CRJQ_uKl8QdjlvYzZzZ1BUY2UzQnNNb3Ay...
> 2)https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6CRJQ_uKl8QcXZhWXhwbWJUUXUyMWYwcjNN...
> 1)https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6CRJQ_uKl8QdjlvYzZzZ1BUY2UzQnNNb3Ay...
Mark mulligan
Mar 7, 2012, 4:49:35 PM3/7/12
to Sperry AP Psych
http://www.jstor.org/stable/20151446?seq=1
Cognitive Behavior Modification and Informed Teacher Treatments for
Shy Children
This study is informative, as it tests the effect of educates teachers
of young students on shyness in young children, and an behavorial/
cognitive approach to take to ensure that the students are given a
fair and just education. One method the study tests of help such
students is cognitive behavior modification, which promoted teaching
students the right things and by working to relieve tension through
muscle relaxation. The study also tested if informing teachers of
shyness in students would help combat the problem, as teachers could
tailor lessons that helped the shy students learn and feel more
comfortable. After describing the testing, the study concluded that
cognitive behavior modification was able to slightly help students,
while the strategy of informing teachers was not helpful to students.
While the other two articles discussed shyness, they both took very
different approaches to explaining and defining shyness. The article
entitled "Shyness, Self-Confidence, and Social Interaction" used an
approach to shyness by testing college students. When analyzing the
participant's discussions, the researchers observed that the shy
participants engaged in much "setting talk", and then some "pretopical
sequences", but rarely began to discuss a topic in full, and with deep
analyzation. In other words, they felt that shyness was defined as a
discussion where people made small talk about something, but were
unwilling to talk about a topic with complete focus and deep
analyzation. Conversely, the article entitled "Are you shy?" felt that
there were two different types of shyness, and that they manifested
themselves differently in people. While people who appear unsociable
and quiet are considered shy, there are also people who seem very open
and willing to talk, yet can still be considered shy, because they are
constantly analyzing their every move and feel unsettled every time
they interact with somebody. The article also discussed the basis for
shyness, saying it was largely based on how a child is raised, and
their culture. Lastly, the article discussed the issues with being
shy, and how it can affect life success, since a shy person may be
unwilling to take opportunities that are necessary for them to
advance, as well as that shyness is promoted by the increasing
presence of technology in our lives.
Cognitive Behavior Modification and Informed Teacher Treatments for
Shy Children
This study is informative, as it tests the effect of educates teachers
of young students on shyness in young children, and an behavorial/
cognitive approach to take to ensure that the students are given a
fair and just education. One method the study tests of help such
students is cognitive behavior modification, which promoted teaching
students the right things and by working to relieve tension through
muscle relaxation. The study also tested if informing teachers of
shyness in students would help combat the problem, as teachers could
tailor lessons that helped the shy students learn and feel more
comfortable. After describing the testing, the study concluded that
cognitive behavior modification was able to slightly help students,
while the strategy of informing teachers was not helpful to students.
While the other two articles discussed shyness, they both took very
different approaches to explaining and defining shyness. The article
entitled "Shyness, Self-Confidence, and Social Interaction" used an
approach to shyness by testing college students. When analyzing the
participant's discussions, the researchers observed that the shy
participants engaged in much "setting talk", and then some "pretopical
sequences", but rarely began to discuss a topic in full, and with deep
analyzation. In other words, they felt that shyness was defined as a
discussion where people made small talk about something, but were
unwilling to talk about a topic with complete focus and deep
analyzation. Conversely, the article entitled "Are you shy?" felt that
there were two different types of shyness, and that they manifested
themselves differently in people. While people who appear unsociable
and quiet are considered shy, there are also people who seem very open
and willing to talk, yet can still be considered shy, because they are
constantly analyzing their every move and feel unsettled every time
they interact with somebody. The article also discussed the basis for
shyness, saying it was largely based on how a child is raised, and
their culture. Lastly, the article discussed the issues with being
shy, and how it can affect life success, since a shy person may be
unwilling to take opportunities that are necessary for them to
advance, as well as that shyness is promoted by the increasing
presence of technology in our lives.
> Step 1: Read the following articles.
> 1)https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6CRJQ_uKl8QdjlvYzZzZ1BUY2UzQnNNb3Ay...
> 2)https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6CRJQ_uKl8QcXZhWXhwbWJUUXUyMWYwcjNN...
> 1)https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6CRJQ_uKl8QdjlvYzZzZ1BUY2UzQnNNb3Ay...
Dan Elfman
Mar 7, 2012, 7:57:58 PM3/7/12
to Sperry AP Psych
http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200703/shedding-shyness?page=2
In the article “Shedding Shyness,” Erika Casriel discusses the
different topics that an individual could be shy about, and she gives
her experienced advice about the steps that need to be taken to
overcome shyness. She goes through several social scenarios in which
an individual may feel shy, and she discusses methods to specific
situations that will help a person break out of their shell. For
example, Casriel explains that a great approach if you are feeling
nervous or shy about public speaking is to go for laughs. She
encourages this because another psychologist Peter Desberg has noticed
that the more jokes he cracks in class, the better his ratings are for
teacher evaluations. Casriel’s article is helpful because it
identifies issues that many shy people could relate to, and provides
helpful solutions to those problems.
Though the assigned two articles relate to the topic of Shyness, they
are entirely different. In the article “Shyness, Self-Confidence, and
Social Interaction” college students are tested in order to closely
examine the behavior of shyness. The end result of the testing
discovers that shyness is actually very difficult to put a label on.
According to their testing, the researchers discovered shyness is not
solely a biological trait, but rather a learned behavior that can be
turned on or off depending on the social setting. The study states
that with the right training, a “shy” person can be taught to not act
shy.
“Are you shy” states that there are biological reasons as to why one
is shy, and if one knows what makes one act shy, one can identify
solutions that will help an individual break out of their shy shell.
The two articles differ because in “Shyness, Self-Confidence, and
Social Interaction” they base their information off of research they
did on their own, whereas in “Are you shy” they discuss the work of
others and did not do research of their own.
In the article “Shedding Shyness,” Erika Casriel discusses the
different topics that an individual could be shy about, and she gives
her experienced advice about the steps that need to be taken to
overcome shyness. She goes through several social scenarios in which
an individual may feel shy, and she discusses methods to specific
situations that will help a person break out of their shell. For
example, Casriel explains that a great approach if you are feeling
nervous or shy about public speaking is to go for laughs. She
encourages this because another psychologist Peter Desberg has noticed
that the more jokes he cracks in class, the better his ratings are for
teacher evaluations. Casriel’s article is helpful because it
identifies issues that many shy people could relate to, and provides
helpful solutions to those problems.
Though the assigned two articles relate to the topic of Shyness, they
are entirely different. In the article “Shyness, Self-Confidence, and
Social Interaction” college students are tested in order to closely
examine the behavior of shyness. The end result of the testing
discovers that shyness is actually very difficult to put a label on.
According to their testing, the researchers discovered shyness is not
solely a biological trait, but rather a learned behavior that can be
turned on or off depending on the social setting. The study states
that with the right training, a “shy” person can be taught to not act
shy.
“Are you shy” states that there are biological reasons as to why one
is shy, and if one knows what makes one act shy, one can identify
solutions that will help an individual break out of their shy shell.
The two articles differ because in “Shyness, Self-Confidence, and
Social Interaction” they base their information off of research they
did on their own, whereas in “Are you shy” they discuss the work of
others and did not do research of their own.
> Step 1: Read the following articles.
> 1)https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6CRJQ_uKl8QdjlvYzZzZ1BUY2UzQnNNb3Ay...
> 2)https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6CRJQ_uKl8QcXZhWXhwbWJUUXUyMWYwcjNN...
> 1)https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6CRJQ_uKl8QdjlvYzZzZ1BUY2UzQnNNb3Ay...
Justin Chow
Mar 7, 2012, 8:05:14 PM3/7/12
to sperry-...@googlegroups.com
Biological Basis of Childhood Shyness
By Jerome Kagan, J. Steven Reznick, Nanvy Snidman
This article explains shyness as a biological factor. In their experiment, they used “two longitudinal studies of 2-year-old children.” One group of children showed behavioral restraint and the other group showed a tendency to act spontaneously when they were placed in an unfamiliar setting. Five years later, they found that the children who acted spontaneously tended to be more sociable whereas the children who showed behavioral restraint were socially avoidant. This article also classified the shy children as “inhibited” and the sociable children as “uninhibited.” The research found that the inhibited children showed more activity in three sites in the limbic system. The sites are sympathetic chain, reticular formation, and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. They summarized their findings by saying the inhibited children belong to a “distinct category of infants who were born with a lower threshold for limbic-hypothalamic arousal to unexpected changes in the environment.”
The articles, “Shyness, Self-Confidence, and Social Interaction” and “Are you shy?” both have fairly different ways of interpreting shyness. The Psychology Today article focuses more on the psychological reasons why people are shy but it also explains how there are different factors for shyness. It shows the psychological view, cultural view, biological view, and also the technical view. According to our culture and the way we were raised plays a big part in shyness. The article gave an example of how a typical Japanese child was raised verses a typical Israel child. The Japanese child who never got credit for a good thing and always got punished for a bad thing, the child tends to develop the idea that they cannot succeed so they stay unnoticeable. Whereas the Israeli child got rewarded for both good and bad things and that child is more likely to speak up. The Jstor article focuses more on the shyness of people when in a conversation. They explain how shy people tend to think of what others will think of them when they say a certain thing. They are afraid of self-exposure, which involves an “unscripted, sequential, conversational interaction.” They summarize the article by saying that shyness is achieved through setting talking, which is always having a script and knowing what will come next. Overall, people are shy because they are afraid of being embarrassed if they say the wrong thing.
Abi Cooper
Mar 7, 2012, 8:55:48 PM3/7/12
to Sperry AP Psych
http://www.jstor.org/stable/1131559
In their article "Social Reputation and Peer Relationships in Chinese
and Canadian Children: A Cross-Cultural Study," researchers Chen,
Rubin and Sun examined the relations between children's social
reputations and their acceptance by their peers in both Chinese and
Canadian cultures. The samples of children were asked to perform a
Revised Class Play, in which they are given thirty roles in a
theoretical play (each with different personalities) for which they
must nominate up to three members of the class. The roles all fall
into one of three categories; sociability-leadership, shyness-
sensitivity and aggression-disruption. Each child's score was then
calculated. Through their analysis of the data, the researchers found
that in the Canadian children, shyness-sensitivity was positively
correlated with peer acceptance in China, whereas it was negatively
correlated with peer acceptance in Canada. More than the Canadian
children, the Chinese children differentiated between shyness and
isolation/rejection; the former had a positive connotation to them and
the latter a negative. Therefore, the researchers observed that the
Chinese children in general seemed more restrained and cautious than
the Canadian children.
The article "Are You Shy?" references the work of Jerome Kagan, who
found evidence for a heritable temperament bias that could predispose
children to become shy (inhibited) or not (uninhibited). Kagan
acknowledges that environment and parenting can also play a
significant role in how shy a child becomes, and this study adds more
evidence to that perspective. The fundamental cultural differences
between Western and Eastern societies influenced the shyness of the
children in the study. Both "Are You Shy?" and "Shyness, Self-
Confidence and Social Interaction" are written from a Western point of
view, clearly classifying shyness as a hinderance, something one
should aim to overcome. The findings of "Shyness, Self-Confidence and
Social Interaction" state that shy individuals are uncomfortable
talking about more personal, subjective topics that have a higher risk
of offending the other party or causing embarrassment, so instead they
revert to low-risk topics such as the setting. "Are You Shy?" adds on
to these findings by saying that our culture values and pays attention
to people who are bold, who are comfortable putting themselves out
there. Shyness is perpetuated as the person is self-conscious about
his or her self-consciousness, and they instead make unremarkable
comments that would not cause conflict. Chen, Rubin and Sun's
findings suggest that it is predominantly our cultural biases that
determine whether shyness is in fact good or bad, but as Kagan found,
people are born with a disposition towards becoming more shy or more
outgoing. The environmental factors that help shape a child's
personality will, to an extent, influence whether he or she becomes
shy, but also whether or not he or she feels that it is a flaw or a
virtue.
In their article "Social Reputation and Peer Relationships in Chinese
and Canadian Children: A Cross-Cultural Study," researchers Chen,
Rubin and Sun examined the relations between children's social
reputations and their acceptance by their peers in both Chinese and
Canadian cultures. The samples of children were asked to perform a
Revised Class Play, in which they are given thirty roles in a
theoretical play (each with different personalities) for which they
must nominate up to three members of the class. The roles all fall
into one of three categories; sociability-leadership, shyness-
sensitivity and aggression-disruption. Each child's score was then
calculated. Through their analysis of the data, the researchers found
that in the Canadian children, shyness-sensitivity was positively
correlated with peer acceptance in China, whereas it was negatively
correlated with peer acceptance in Canada. More than the Canadian
children, the Chinese children differentiated between shyness and
isolation/rejection; the former had a positive connotation to them and
the latter a negative. Therefore, the researchers observed that the
Chinese children in general seemed more restrained and cautious than
the Canadian children.
The article "Are You Shy?" references the work of Jerome Kagan, who
found evidence for a heritable temperament bias that could predispose
children to become shy (inhibited) or not (uninhibited). Kagan
acknowledges that environment and parenting can also play a
significant role in how shy a child becomes, and this study adds more
evidence to that perspective. The fundamental cultural differences
between Western and Eastern societies influenced the shyness of the
children in the study. Both "Are You Shy?" and "Shyness, Self-
Confidence and Social Interaction" are written from a Western point of
view, clearly classifying shyness as a hinderance, something one
should aim to overcome. The findings of "Shyness, Self-Confidence and
Social Interaction" state that shy individuals are uncomfortable
talking about more personal, subjective topics that have a higher risk
of offending the other party or causing embarrassment, so instead they
revert to low-risk topics such as the setting. "Are You Shy?" adds on
to these findings by saying that our culture values and pays attention
to people who are bold, who are comfortable putting themselves out
there. Shyness is perpetuated as the person is self-conscious about
his or her self-consciousness, and they instead make unremarkable
comments that would not cause conflict. Chen, Rubin and Sun's
findings suggest that it is predominantly our cultural biases that
determine whether shyness is in fact good or bad, but as Kagan found,
people are born with a disposition towards becoming more shy or more
outgoing. The environmental factors that help shape a child's
personality will, to an extent, influence whether he or she becomes
shy, but also whether or not he or she feels that it is a flaw or a
virtue.
noa...@verizon.net
Mar 7, 2012, 9:16:06 PM3/7/12
to Sperry AP Psych
http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/1132203?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dshyness%26acc%3Doff%26wc%3Don&Search=yes&uid=3739696&uid=2134&uid=2&uid=70&uid=4&uid=3739256&sid=55856002903
Shyness and Children's Emotionality, Regulation, and Coping:
Contemporaneous, Longitudinal, and Across-Context Relations
This article is focuses on the causes of shyness as well as how it can
be recognized early in life. Two different assessments of shyness are
examined in the study one being a parent’s assessment of the child’s
tendency to internalize negative emotion (how long or how much the
child held on to a negative emotion from something than happened in
their life) and how often the child coped with a problem by doing
nothing. The other assessment came from a kindergarten or equivalent
(4-6) teacher and was based on social status and interactions. It was
found that both of these types of assessments and their bases had a
strong positive correlation with shyness. The article further
separated shyness into two distinct groups, shyness due to social
evaluation (social decision making) problems or social wariness of
unfamiliar people.
While the findings of this study do not directly contradict those in
the articles that we read, they do differ in their examinations of
shyness and its causes. The articles that we read explain that there
are both biological and developmental causes for shyness, whereas the
study I read mainly examines the developmental ones. Both of the
articles assigned explain shyness in social situations as an almost
inexplicable fear of being part of a group and acting in social
situations. These articles also state that shy people are not
incapable of preforming in social situations; they are simply hindered
in some why when entering or participating in them. The study which I
read concluded that the issues which shy individuals face stem from
problems with social decision making. These two reasons for shyness
differ greatly, one argues that both shy people and those with more
social graces are equally capable of preforming in social situations
while the other argues that shy people have more difficulty making
decision in a social environment. I think that these two views are not
irreconcilable, the articles that were assigned stated that shy people
are often overly conscience of their social situation. They focus an
enormous amount of effort to act as they believe necessary to be
successful in social interactions. I think that this is very similar
to reasons for shyness explained in the study, trouble making
decisions and focusing entirely on making the right ones can be
equally inhibiting.
Shyness and Children's Emotionality, Regulation, and Coping:
Contemporaneous, Longitudinal, and Across-Context Relations
This article is focuses on the causes of shyness as well as how it can
be recognized early in life. Two different assessments of shyness are
examined in the study one being a parent’s assessment of the child’s
tendency to internalize negative emotion (how long or how much the
child held on to a negative emotion from something than happened in
their life) and how often the child coped with a problem by doing
nothing. The other assessment came from a kindergarten or equivalent
(4-6) teacher and was based on social status and interactions. It was
found that both of these types of assessments and their bases had a
strong positive correlation with shyness. The article further
separated shyness into two distinct groups, shyness due to social
evaluation (social decision making) problems or social wariness of
unfamiliar people.
While the findings of this study do not directly contradict those in
the articles that we read, they do differ in their examinations of
shyness and its causes. The articles that we read explain that there
are both biological and developmental causes for shyness, whereas the
study I read mainly examines the developmental ones. Both of the
articles assigned explain shyness in social situations as an almost
inexplicable fear of being part of a group and acting in social
situations. These articles also state that shy people are not
incapable of preforming in social situations; they are simply hindered
in some why when entering or participating in them. The study which I
read concluded that the issues which shy individuals face stem from
problems with social decision making. These two reasons for shyness
differ greatly, one argues that both shy people and those with more
social graces are equally capable of preforming in social situations
while the other argues that shy people have more difficulty making
decision in a social environment. I think that these two views are not
irreconcilable, the articles that were assigned stated that shy people
are often overly conscience of their social situation. They focus an
enormous amount of effort to act as they believe necessary to be
successful in social interactions. I think that this is very similar
to reasons for shyness explained in the study, trouble making
decisions and focusing entirely on making the right ones can be
equally inhibiting.
Michael Rolincik
Mar 7, 2012, 9:23:12 PM3/7/12
to Sperry AP Psych
http://www.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,2105432,00.html
The Time Magazine article "The Upside Of Being An Introvert (And Why
Extroverts Are Overrated)" covers some of the same topics as the
article, "Are You Shy?," but also goes on to provide the reader with
positive attributes of being shy. The article claims that introverts
are more aware of potential risks, so they are less likely to end up
in a financial dilemma because they pay more attention to the warning
signals. The article also discusses the possibility that introverted
leaders might be more effective than their extroverted counterparts.
It states that introverted leaders tend to be more detail oriented
and better able to hear their employees. This article expresses the
view that shyness and introversion have their perks in an extroversion
dominated world.
Shyness is explored in both articles, but each with slightly a
different focus. The first article, "Are You Shy?," explains that
shyness is an 'overgeneralized response to fear,' which is formed
through biological causes in addition to psychological causes. This
article also raises the concern that the rate of shyness is increasing
and will only continue doing so. The primary purpose of this article
is to provide people with the psychological and cultural causes that
lead to shyness. The other article, "Shyness, Self-Confidence, and
Social Interaction," presents the reader with a study conducted by
Zimbardo. His study showed that the shyness shown by the same person
can change depending on the situation in which this person finds them
self. By the end of the study, Zimbardo identified different
conversational techniques used by the shy and the self-confident
participants.
The Time Magazine article "The Upside Of Being An Introvert (And Why
Extroverts Are Overrated)" covers some of the same topics as the
article, "Are You Shy?," but also goes on to provide the reader with
positive attributes of being shy. The article claims that introverts
are more aware of potential risks, so they are less likely to end up
in a financial dilemma because they pay more attention to the warning
signals. The article also discusses the possibility that introverted
leaders might be more effective than their extroverted counterparts.
It states that introverted leaders tend to be more detail oriented
and better able to hear their employees. This article expresses the
view that shyness and introversion have their perks in an extroversion
dominated world.
Shyness is explored in both articles, but each with slightly a
different focus. The first article, "Are You Shy?," explains that
shyness is an 'overgeneralized response to fear,' which is formed
through biological causes in addition to psychological causes. This
article also raises the concern that the rate of shyness is increasing
and will only continue doing so. The primary purpose of this article
is to provide people with the psychological and cultural causes that
lead to shyness. The other article, "Shyness, Self-Confidence, and
Social Interaction," presents the reader with a study conducted by
Zimbardo. His study showed that the shyness shown by the same person
can change depending on the situation in which this person finds them
self. By the end of the study, Zimbardo identified different
conversational techniques used by the shy and the self-confident
participants.
> Step 1: Read the following articles.
> 1)https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6CRJQ_uKl8QdjlvYzZzZ1BUY2UzQnNNb3Ay...
> 2)https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6CRJQ_uKl8QcXZhWXhwbWJUUXUyMWYwcjNN...
> 1)https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6CRJQ_uKl8QdjlvYzZzZ1BUY2UzQnNNb3Ay...
Lucy
Mar 7, 2012, 10:03:17 PM3/7/12
to Sperry AP Psych
Susan Cain’s article, “Shyness: Evolutionary Tactic?” works to
emphasize the line between social anxiety and simple shyness. She
suggests that shyness is of great value, as it stems from a higher
level of risk-aversion than that which is considered optimal and
normal, at least by our current western society. Because social
anxiety disorder was not recognized by the DSM until 1980, and
S.S.R.Is were not used as treatment until the 1990s, the line
separating personality trait from disease is markedly blurry. Cain
points to the changing attitudes of the educational and professional
spheres, specifically the emphasis on group work as indication that
shyness is seen not only as worthless, but as a counterproductive,
deleterious personality trait. In childhood, however, those children
who are labeled shy tend to earn more National Merit Scholarships,
regardless of I.Q; Cain also argues that those with higher levels of
social anxiety may develop more complex consciences earlier in their
lives, due to the anxiety they feel at reinforcement of ‘wrong’
behaviors. Despite these merits, she urges nurture and understanding
for both the “rovers” and “sitters,” as the two are equally valuable
in different ways. When shyness is problematic in the world that
embraces the outgoing, she recommends addressing the difficulties it
creates, without attempting to erase the temperament that underlies
it.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/26/opinion/sunday/26shyness.html
The article “Are You Shy?” and the study “Shyness, Self-Confidence,
and Social Interaction” agree that there are certain defining factors
that distinctly separate the shy from the outgoing. These traits
include difficulties upon first interaction with strangers,
hyperawareness of the social construct, and egocentricity; however,
Carducci and Zimbardo emphasize the distinction between the outwardly
shy and the inwardly afflicted. “Are You Shy” presents the statistic
that between 40 and 50 percent of Americans consider themselves to be
shy, although only 15 to 20 percent of those express this character
trait behaviorally. Expressed or not, shyness is detrimental. Although
the anxiety and risk-aversion may be rooted in biology, they are
strongly affected by nurture, evident in the vast disparities between
cultures with contrasting social ideals, and in the effects of
conditional and unconditional support from parents. Many of the claims
in this article are investigated in the Manning/Ray study. The two use
recorded interactions between pairs of shy and confident students, and
found that conversation patterns could be identified consistently that
differentiated the shy and self-confident. While shy individuals moved
slowly from discussion of the setting to attempts at topic-creation,
struggled exchanging turns in speaking, and almost never introduced
themselves by name, their counterparts effortlessly navigated the
formulas of introduction and early conversation, although they did not
seem to recognize their intricate knowledge of such a schema. Through
their observations, the researchers decided that this trait was not
necessarily inherent, but could surface sporadically, in circumstances
that required unusual social interaction.
emphasize the line between social anxiety and simple shyness. She
suggests that shyness is of great value, as it stems from a higher
level of risk-aversion than that which is considered optimal and
normal, at least by our current western society. Because social
anxiety disorder was not recognized by the DSM until 1980, and
S.S.R.Is were not used as treatment until the 1990s, the line
separating personality trait from disease is markedly blurry. Cain
points to the changing attitudes of the educational and professional
spheres, specifically the emphasis on group work as indication that
shyness is seen not only as worthless, but as a counterproductive,
deleterious personality trait. In childhood, however, those children
who are labeled shy tend to earn more National Merit Scholarships,
regardless of I.Q; Cain also argues that those with higher levels of
social anxiety may develop more complex consciences earlier in their
lives, due to the anxiety they feel at reinforcement of ‘wrong’
behaviors. Despite these merits, she urges nurture and understanding
for both the “rovers” and “sitters,” as the two are equally valuable
in different ways. When shyness is problematic in the world that
embraces the outgoing, she recommends addressing the difficulties it
creates, without attempting to erase the temperament that underlies
it.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/26/opinion/sunday/26shyness.html
The article “Are You Shy?” and the study “Shyness, Self-Confidence,
and Social Interaction” agree that there are certain defining factors
that distinctly separate the shy from the outgoing. These traits
include difficulties upon first interaction with strangers,
hyperawareness of the social construct, and egocentricity; however,
Carducci and Zimbardo emphasize the distinction between the outwardly
shy and the inwardly afflicted. “Are You Shy” presents the statistic
that between 40 and 50 percent of Americans consider themselves to be
shy, although only 15 to 20 percent of those express this character
trait behaviorally. Expressed or not, shyness is detrimental. Although
the anxiety and risk-aversion may be rooted in biology, they are
strongly affected by nurture, evident in the vast disparities between
cultures with contrasting social ideals, and in the effects of
conditional and unconditional support from parents. Many of the claims
in this article are investigated in the Manning/Ray study. The two use
recorded interactions between pairs of shy and confident students, and
found that conversation patterns could be identified consistently that
differentiated the shy and self-confident. While shy individuals moved
slowly from discussion of the setting to attempts at topic-creation,
struggled exchanging turns in speaking, and almost never introduced
themselves by name, their counterparts effortlessly navigated the
formulas of introduction and early conversation, although they did not
seem to recognize their intricate knowledge of such a schema. Through
their observations, the researchers decided that this trait was not
necessarily inherent, but could surface sporadically, in circumstances
that required unusual social interaction.
> Step 1: Read the following articles.
> 1)https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6CRJQ_uKl8QdjlvYzZzZ1BUY2UzQnNNb3Ay...
> 2)https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6CRJQ_uKl8QcXZhWXhwbWJUUXUyMWYwcjNN...
> 1)https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6CRJQ_uKl8QdjlvYzZzZ1BUY2UzQnNNb3Ay...
Emily Weinstein
Mar 7, 2012, 10:13:51 PM3/7/12
to Sperry AP Psych
http://www.jstor.org/stable/1701226
In the article "Biological Bases of Childhood Shyness," Kagan,
Reznick, and Snidman discuss their findings in a longitudinal study of
children in relation to their shyness. The researchers took a sample
of 400 children and categorized them into two groups based on their
shyness. The group of inhibitors (shy) children were are categorized
as less likely to interact with an unfamiliar person than the
uninhibited (outgoing) children. The researchers observed the children
and how they act when put in a room with an unfamiliar person at 4
different points in their life, starting at around 2 years and ending
at 7.5 years. The study shows that inhibited children show
"distinctive behavioral and physiological profiles early in
development", which suggests that genetics play a role in shyness. The
article discussed physiological aspects of inhibition such as heart
rate, pupillary dilation, muscle tension, urinary norepinephrine, and
salivary cortisol, and found that inhibited children have greater
sympathetic reactivity. Overall, the study found that children who
were on the extreme ends of shyness (very shy or very outgoing) stayed
consistent with their behavior from 2 years of age to 7 years of age,
however, this did not hold for the third group of children that were
somewhere in the middle.
The two articles that were assigned were different in their assessment
of shyness as a consistent behavior trait, or one that changes
depending on the situation. The first article "Are You Shy?" discussed
two different forms of shyness; people who display their shyness by
isolating themselves and avoiding social situations, and people who
may act outgoing but are suffering from internal shyness where they
constantly worry about how people perceive them. This article also
talked about the role of culture and how that plays out in shyness.
The article discussed a study that found that Japanese people tend to
be extremely shy, while Jewish people tend to be very outgoing. The
article attributed this difference to parenting and how children of
these cultures are raised. The second article, "Shyness, Self-
Confidence, and Social Interaction" discussed a study that was done
with college students who were put in a room and told to "get to know
each other". The study evaluated the conversations of different people
and focused on the difference in conversation topics. They defined
shyness as when people rely on "setting" talk to hold conversations,
while self-confidence is defined by conversations that have a topic
and flow easily. This article focused mainly on evaluating social
interaction and how the flow of conversation with strangers relates to
shyness.
In the article "Biological Bases of Childhood Shyness," Kagan,
Reznick, and Snidman discuss their findings in a longitudinal study of
children in relation to their shyness. The researchers took a sample
of 400 children and categorized them into two groups based on their
shyness. The group of inhibitors (shy) children were are categorized
as less likely to interact with an unfamiliar person than the
uninhibited (outgoing) children. The researchers observed the children
and how they act when put in a room with an unfamiliar person at 4
different points in their life, starting at around 2 years and ending
at 7.5 years. The study shows that inhibited children show
"distinctive behavioral and physiological profiles early in
development", which suggests that genetics play a role in shyness. The
article discussed physiological aspects of inhibition such as heart
rate, pupillary dilation, muscle tension, urinary norepinephrine, and
salivary cortisol, and found that inhibited children have greater
sympathetic reactivity. Overall, the study found that children who
were on the extreme ends of shyness (very shy or very outgoing) stayed
consistent with their behavior from 2 years of age to 7 years of age,
however, this did not hold for the third group of children that were
somewhere in the middle.
The two articles that were assigned were different in their assessment
of shyness as a consistent behavior trait, or one that changes
depending on the situation. The first article "Are You Shy?" discussed
two different forms of shyness; people who display their shyness by
isolating themselves and avoiding social situations, and people who
may act outgoing but are suffering from internal shyness where they
constantly worry about how people perceive them. This article also
talked about the role of culture and how that plays out in shyness.
The article discussed a study that found that Japanese people tend to
be extremely shy, while Jewish people tend to be very outgoing. The
article attributed this difference to parenting and how children of
these cultures are raised. The second article, "Shyness, Self-
Confidence, and Social Interaction" discussed a study that was done
with college students who were put in a room and told to "get to know
each other". The study evaluated the conversations of different people
and focused on the difference in conversation topics. They defined
shyness as when people rely on "setting" talk to hold conversations,
while self-confidence is defined by conversations that have a topic
and flow easily. This article focused mainly on evaluating social
interaction and how the flow of conversation with strangers relates to
shyness.
> Step 1: Read the following articles.
> 1)https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6CRJQ_uKl8QdjlvYzZzZ1BUY2UzQnNNb3Ay...
> 2)https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6CRJQ_uKl8QcXZhWXhwbWJUUXUyMWYwcjNN...
> 1)https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6CRJQ_uKl8QdjlvYzZzZ1BUY2UzQnNNb3Ay...
Message has been deleted
Meghan Mahoney
Mar 7, 2012, 10:48:32 PM3/7/12
to Sperry AP Psych
http://ebooks.abc-clio.com/reader.aspx?isbn=9781576075715&id=TEENS.874&q=shyness
Pamela A. Sargiani’s article “Shyness” discusses how the multiple
ways the personality trait develops in an individual. Sargiani
explains that there are two different types: Early and Later
Developing Shyness. Early Developing Shyness is often referred to as
the fearful shyness and can be detected during infancy. Meanwhile,
Later Developing Shyness develops when the child is around the age of
4 or 5, and interferes with the individual’s sense of identity. This
is the period when the child is aware of the “imaginary audience” and
experiences a state where they believe that people are watching them
and focusing on their appearance and behavior. This second type of
shyness is temporary and the individual usually becomes more confident
as they mature to her late-teens, meanwhile the first type could last
a lifetime. Sargiani also discusses other factors that contribute to
shyness such as the increase in technology, cultural differences, and
the strength of relationships with parents and peers as a child.
The article “Are You Shy?” describes the general causes and symptoms
that coincide with the personality trait of shyness. The article
indicates that the effects of shyness are “crippling” and constantly
appears to be portraying the personality trait in a negative light.
The article also suggests that shyness is fixed and consistently
present in an individual’s personality. The article states that shy
individuals “live trapped between two fears: being invisible and
insignificant to others, and being visible but worthless” (1). This
is an enormous generalization and is offensive because the level of
shyness does not define a person’s character. On the other hand, the
second article “Shyness and Self-Confidence” describes one of
Zimbardo’s experiments, which examined the social interactions between
college students. Zimbardo concluded that there were certain
conversational patterns that indicated if the individual was shy or
not. These patterns include the individual’s introduction of a
“favored topic” that he or she could discuss freely and
enthusiastically. However, Zimbardo also concluded that people do not
simply experience either shyness or self-confidence; but often
experience both depending on the situation. Therefore, the second
article clarifies that shyness is not a dominant nor absolute trait,
it simply is a contribution to the individual’s personality.
Pamela A. Sargiani’s article “Shyness” discusses how the multiple
ways the personality trait develops in an individual. Sargiani
explains that there are two different types: Early and Later
Developing Shyness. Early Developing Shyness is often referred to as
the fearful shyness and can be detected during infancy. Meanwhile,
Later Developing Shyness develops when the child is around the age of
4 or 5, and interferes with the individual’s sense of identity. This
is the period when the child is aware of the “imaginary audience” and
experiences a state where they believe that people are watching them
and focusing on their appearance and behavior. This second type of
shyness is temporary and the individual usually becomes more confident
as they mature to her late-teens, meanwhile the first type could last
a lifetime. Sargiani also discusses other factors that contribute to
shyness such as the increase in technology, cultural differences, and
the strength of relationships with parents and peers as a child.
The article “Are You Shy?” describes the general causes and symptoms
that coincide with the personality trait of shyness. The article
indicates that the effects of shyness are “crippling” and constantly
appears to be portraying the personality trait in a negative light.
The article also suggests that shyness is fixed and consistently
present in an individual’s personality. The article states that shy
individuals “live trapped between two fears: being invisible and
insignificant to others, and being visible but worthless” (1). This
is an enormous generalization and is offensive because the level of
shyness does not define a person’s character. On the other hand, the
second article “Shyness and Self-Confidence” describes one of
Zimbardo’s experiments, which examined the social interactions between
college students. Zimbardo concluded that there were certain
conversational patterns that indicated if the individual was shy or
not. These patterns include the individual’s introduction of a
“favored topic” that he or she could discuss freely and
enthusiastically. However, Zimbardo also concluded that people do not
simply experience either shyness or self-confidence; but often
experience both depending on the situation. Therefore, the second
article clarifies that shyness is not a dominant nor absolute trait,
it simply is a contribution to the individual’s personality.
peter crane
Mar 7, 2012, 10:52:41 PM3/7/12
to Sperry AP Psych
http://www.jstor.org/stable/40063437?seq=1
The research article “Frontal Brain Electrical Activity in
Shyness and Sociability” by Louis A. Schmidt examined in their study
of shyness and sociability whether the two are defined independently
or to what extent they are related. Their experiment was directed
towards the question: Are shyness and sociability so highly
interrelated that being high on one trait means being low on the
other? The results found that subjects who self-reported themselves
as both high in shyness and high in sociability showed more behavioral
anxiety during social interactions. The scientists Cheek and Buss
also found that different combinations of shyness and sociability were
distinguishable on two separate measurements, the mean heart rate and
heart rate variability, where the group of subjects that reported as
high in both exhibited a noticeably faster and more stable heart rate
than the other subjects. Also, this study has been replicated with
both children and cross-culturally where together the data sets
suggest shyness and sociability to be distinguishable among different
ages and cultures. The purpose of the most present study was to
extend previous research through examining the two traits on the basis
of measures of frontal brain electrical activity. Results showed
shyness was associated with resting right frontal EEG asymmetry and
that sociability was associated with left frontal EEG asymmetry. In
addition, individuals who scored high on subjective measures of
shyness showed greater resting right frontal EEG activity compared to
the subjects considered low in shyness. Similarly, individuals who
scored high on subjective measures of sociability showed greater
resting left frontal EEG activity compared to the subjects considered
low in sociability.
The article “Are You Shy” discussed the rising characteristic of
being shy. It states that nearly one in two Americans claim to be
shy. Whether publicly shy or the more common privately shy, it is
invisible to everyone but themselves. This article distinguishes the
difference between shy people and introverts. Shy people want to be
with others but lack the conversational skills and confidence, but
introverts have the social skills and self-confidence they just prefer
to be alone. The article, “Shyness, Self-Confidence, and Social
Interaction” agrees with the other article in that autonomic
measurements can be found in the individuals’ responses to social
interaction such as an increased heart rate. From their perspective,
shyness describes conversational and interactional individuals
employ. This is different from the first article in that shyness is
something that people “do” and can be seen as a state instead of a
trait or characteristic as described in the article “Are You Shy?”
The research article “Frontal Brain Electrical Activity in
Shyness and Sociability” by Louis A. Schmidt examined in their study
of shyness and sociability whether the two are defined independently
or to what extent they are related. Their experiment was directed
towards the question: Are shyness and sociability so highly
interrelated that being high on one trait means being low on the
other? The results found that subjects who self-reported themselves
as both high in shyness and high in sociability showed more behavioral
anxiety during social interactions. The scientists Cheek and Buss
also found that different combinations of shyness and sociability were
distinguishable on two separate measurements, the mean heart rate and
heart rate variability, where the group of subjects that reported as
high in both exhibited a noticeably faster and more stable heart rate
than the other subjects. Also, this study has been replicated with
both children and cross-culturally where together the data sets
suggest shyness and sociability to be distinguishable among different
ages and cultures. The purpose of the most present study was to
extend previous research through examining the two traits on the basis
of measures of frontal brain electrical activity. Results showed
shyness was associated with resting right frontal EEG asymmetry and
that sociability was associated with left frontal EEG asymmetry. In
addition, individuals who scored high on subjective measures of
shyness showed greater resting right frontal EEG activity compared to
the subjects considered low in shyness. Similarly, individuals who
scored high on subjective measures of sociability showed greater
resting left frontal EEG activity compared to the subjects considered
low in sociability.
The article “Are You Shy” discussed the rising characteristic of
being shy. It states that nearly one in two Americans claim to be
shy. Whether publicly shy or the more common privately shy, it is
invisible to everyone but themselves. This article distinguishes the
difference between shy people and introverts. Shy people want to be
with others but lack the conversational skills and confidence, but
introverts have the social skills and self-confidence they just prefer
to be alone. The article, “Shyness, Self-Confidence, and Social
Interaction” agrees with the other article in that autonomic
measurements can be found in the individuals’ responses to social
interaction such as an increased heart rate. From their perspective,
shyness describes conversational and interactional individuals
employ. This is different from the first article in that shyness is
something that people “do” and can be seen as a state instead of a
trait or characteristic as described in the article “Are You Shy?”
> Step 1: Read the following articles.
> 1)https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6CRJQ_uKl8QdjlvYzZzZ1BUY2UzQnNNb3Ay...
> 2)https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6CRJQ_uKl8QcXZhWXhwbWJUUXUyMWYwcjNN...
> 1)https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6CRJQ_uKl8QdjlvYzZzZ1BUY2UzQnNNb3Ay...
Marina Guigli
Mar 7, 2012, 11:12:31 PM3/7/12
to Sperry AP Psych
http://www.thecrimson.com/article/1991/3/4/psychologist-finds-shyness-inherited-but-not/
In the article “Psychologist Finds Shyness Inherited, but not
permanent” from The Harvard Crimson, the author elaborates on a study
which proved shyness can be inherited through genetics but is not
necessarily permanent. According to the article, shyness can be
detected at about four months of age, however, shyness can be relieved
throughout ones childhood. Studies have shown that only 25% of the
children who were said to be shy as an infant will carry their shyness
into their adulthood while the other 75% will be alleviated. The
article also explains how parents can influence their child’s
opportunity to become less shy. Children who visited a proper
psychologist did not show an improvement in their shyness due to their
underdevelopment of the proper stimuli and “boldness” while those who
carried on with their childhood developed their own mental toughness.
Although shyness is inherited, it can be treated. The article proposes
we can study how to prevent shyness through genetics.
The two articles “Shyness, Self-Confidence, and Social Interaction”
and “Are You Shy” contradict each other due to their different views
on shyness. The article “Are You Shy” explains how shyness is
determined by genetics as well as life experiences. One’s culture can
shape personality through parents, teachers, heritages and
technologies. The article describes how these influences can cause one
to become shy throughout their life and how your future can be
depicted based upon one’s shyness. Conversely, the study, “Shyness,
Self-Confidence, and Social Interaction” believes one is not
inherently shy but can illustrate shyness depending on the types of
situations one is in. The study proved people are not permanently shy
after instituting a conversation between two “shy” students in nursing
school. The results proved that the two students were able to carry a
conversation without hesitation or demonstrating any form of shyness.
These two articles oppose each other because one describes how shyness
is inherent while the other depicts shyness is dependent on the
situation one is in.
In the article “Psychologist Finds Shyness Inherited, but not
permanent” from The Harvard Crimson, the author elaborates on a study
which proved shyness can be inherited through genetics but is not
necessarily permanent. According to the article, shyness can be
detected at about four months of age, however, shyness can be relieved
throughout ones childhood. Studies have shown that only 25% of the
children who were said to be shy as an infant will carry their shyness
into their adulthood while the other 75% will be alleviated. The
article also explains how parents can influence their child’s
opportunity to become less shy. Children who visited a proper
psychologist did not show an improvement in their shyness due to their
underdevelopment of the proper stimuli and “boldness” while those who
carried on with their childhood developed their own mental toughness.
Although shyness is inherited, it can be treated. The article proposes
we can study how to prevent shyness through genetics.
The two articles “Shyness, Self-Confidence, and Social Interaction”
and “Are You Shy” contradict each other due to their different views
on shyness. The article “Are You Shy” explains how shyness is
determined by genetics as well as life experiences. One’s culture can
shape personality through parents, teachers, heritages and
technologies. The article describes how these influences can cause one
to become shy throughout their life and how your future can be
depicted based upon one’s shyness. Conversely, the study, “Shyness,
Self-Confidence, and Social Interaction” believes one is not
inherently shy but can illustrate shyness depending on the types of
situations one is in. The study proved people are not permanently shy
after instituting a conversation between two “shy” students in nursing
school. The results proved that the two students were able to carry a
conversation without hesitation or demonstrating any form of shyness.
These two articles oppose each other because one describes how shyness
is inherent while the other depicts shyness is dependent on the
situation one is in.
> Step 1: Read the following articles.
> 1)https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6CRJQ_uKl8QdjlvYzZzZ1BUY2UzQnNNb3Ay...
> 2)https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6CRJQ_uKl8QcXZhWXhwbWJUUXUyMWYwcjNN...
> 1)https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6CRJQ_uKl8QdjlvYzZzZ1BUY2UzQnNNb3Ay...
Lisa Hsieh
Mar 7, 2012, 11:13:17 PM3/7/12
to sperry-...@googlegroups.com
http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200001/shyness-the-new-solution
In the article “Shyness: The New Solution”, researcher Bernardo Carducci investigates the new views regarding shyness that have emerged after his original article with Philip Zimbardo, “Are You Shy?”. This article alleges that when trying to combat shyness and its crippling effects, many are unsuccessful in doing so, primarily because of the traditional view of shyness as an intrapersonal problem. Carducci goes on to explain that most approaches to overcoming shyness are generally centered around the individual and their isolated cases which involve certain personal characteristics, including self-consciousness, low self-esteem and fear of rejection. However, based on the results of the online survey that Carducci conducted, public response suggests that the solution to shyness lies outside the self, through becoming more aware of other people rather than dwelling on one’s own insecurities. The article concludes with eight solutions that may help the shy person to overcome their introverted disposition based on this new perspective, including thinking positively and engaging in conversations gracefully.
While Carducci’s updated argument concerning shyness is in many ways similar to his previous article with Zimbardo titled, “Are You Shy?”, there are a few subtle differences. For example, while both articles accredit the culture surrounding a person (such as technology) and the impact that factors such as the environment or biology may have on his or her level of shyness, “Shyness: The New Solution” contends that one has more power to maneuver around these factors than previously was believed. Learning to handle failure and taking hold of emotions are listed among the ingredients that can me used to create a positive and successful social experience. Furthermore, Carducci’s position differs from that of Manning and Ray’s in their article, “Shyness, Self-Confidence, and Social Interaction”, in that Manning and Ray believe that shyness describes the conversational/interactional tactics that individuals employ, while Carducci’s “Shyness: The New Solution” contends that the social situation itself contributes very much of the disposition of the shy person.
emdo...@yahoo.com
Mar 7, 2012, 11:32:49 PM3/7/12
to Sperry AP Psych
In the article, "Some Family Antecedents of Severe Shyness", Brian G.
Gilmartin explores the family history of a group of celibate
heterosexual males who are considered to be "loveshy". The researcher
hypothesized that men who grew up in a family without sisters would be
more likely to be "loveshy" and for this reason are more likely to be
single at a time when most men their age are married or seeking a
spouse. The results of the study were relatively consistent with the
hypothesis, as 51% of the participants who were deemed self-confident
and "nonshy" grew up under a household with one or more sisters,
whereas only 6% of men who were "loveshy" had a sister growing up. The
effect of growing up without a sister is that a man does not know how
to interact comfortably around woman, and are therefore less likely to
make an effort to interact with a woman, for fear of being socially
inept. This paranoia is consistent with the article, "Shyness, Self-
Confidence, and Social Interaction", which states that shy people are
motivated to stay in themselves because they fear disapproval.
While both articles, "Are You Shy?" and "Shyness, Self-Confidence and
Social Interaction" both explore the limitations of having or "doing"
shyness, the first article "Are You Shy?" investigates possible
biological causes for shyness, while the latter attempt to take a more
cognitive perspective. In the first article, Zimbardo observes
patterns allowing him to draw conclusions about the inheritance of
shyness in every other generation. In addition, he states that there
may be a seasonal pattern to the birth of genetically shy children;
women who bear children in the early fall tend to have shy children.
In contrast, the second article argues that a shy attitude is learned,
and by observing both shy and self-confident university students
interacting, the researchers were able to pin-point certain social
habits that were consistent across each category. For example, both
shy and not shy participants at some point spoke of the setting (the
room), but shy participants were more likely to swell on this
"vanilla" topic for a longer time, while the self-confident
participants were more eager to move on to a more interesting, but
possibly more personal, topic. From this experiment the researchers
concluded that social presentation is learned and once a person has
learned to control and exhibit social norms, that person will become
more confident in self presentation.
Gilmartin explores the family history of a group of celibate
heterosexual males who are considered to be "loveshy". The researcher
hypothesized that men who grew up in a family without sisters would be
more likely to be "loveshy" and for this reason are more likely to be
single at a time when most men their age are married or seeking a
spouse. The results of the study were relatively consistent with the
hypothesis, as 51% of the participants who were deemed self-confident
and "nonshy" grew up under a household with one or more sisters,
whereas only 6% of men who were "loveshy" had a sister growing up. The
effect of growing up without a sister is that a man does not know how
to interact comfortably around woman, and are therefore less likely to
make an effort to interact with a woman, for fear of being socially
inept. This paranoia is consistent with the article, "Shyness, Self-
Confidence, and Social Interaction", which states that shy people are
motivated to stay in themselves because they fear disapproval.
While both articles, "Are You Shy?" and "Shyness, Self-Confidence and
Social Interaction" both explore the limitations of having or "doing"
shyness, the first article "Are You Shy?" investigates possible
biological causes for shyness, while the latter attempt to take a more
cognitive perspective. In the first article, Zimbardo observes
patterns allowing him to draw conclusions about the inheritance of
shyness in every other generation. In addition, he states that there
may be a seasonal pattern to the birth of genetically shy children;
women who bear children in the early fall tend to have shy children.
In contrast, the second article argues that a shy attitude is learned,
and by observing both shy and self-confident university students
interacting, the researchers were able to pin-point certain social
habits that were consistent across each category. For example, both
shy and not shy participants at some point spoke of the setting (the
room), but shy participants were more likely to swell on this
"vanilla" topic for a longer time, while the self-confident
participants were more eager to move on to a more interesting, but
possibly more personal, topic. From this experiment the researchers
concluded that social presentation is learned and once a person has
learned to control and exhibit social norms, that person will become
more confident in self presentation.
> Step 1: Read the following articles.
> 1)https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6CRJQ_uKl8QdjlvYzZzZ1BUY2UzQnNNb3Ay...
> 2)https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6CRJQ_uKl8QcXZhWXhwbWJUUXUyMWYwcjNN...
> 1)https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6CRJQ_uKl8QdjlvYzZzZ1BUY2UzQnNNb3Ay...
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