Embarrassability is related to social phobia (Leary & Meadows, 1991, pp. 254-262). The core feature of social phobia is a marked and persistent fear of embarrassment and humiliation in social situations (Greist, 1995, pp. 5-12). Social phobia and embarrassability are associated with social identity (Halberstadt & Green, 1993, pp. 53-64). This research presents the results of an experimental study of various facets of embarrassability.
All individuals are self-conscious on occasion (Disorder, 1993, p. 22). Some people, however, harbor an irrational fear that social performance is being carefully monitored and criticized by other persons all of the time. As a consequence, these individuals go to great lengths to avoid eating, drinking, speaking, or even writing in public.
The condition social phobia affects about two-percent of the population (Disorder, 1993, p. 22). The condition has tended to be ignored in the past because social phobics rarely seek help, and because the condition has been perceived largely as a behavior that will be outgrown. Accurate diagnosis and treatment are difficult because the disorder manifests itself in many ways. Some people fear simply using a public toilet, while others believe any interaction with strangers will lead to public ridicule. In addition, many people suffer more from secondary symptoms such as depression, suicide ideation, and agoraphobia.
No one knows for sure what sets off social phobia, but it may result from a combination of biological vulnerabilityùan inborn predisposition to shynessùand some embarrassing event during childhood or adolescence (Disorder, 1993, p. 22). In behavioral therapy, participants identify self-destructive thinking patterns, compare notes with fellow sufferers, and role-play uncomfortable situations that force them to faceùand ultimately masterùthe initial stages of anxiety they feel in real life.
Manuzza (1995, pp. 230-237) investigated the ...