Culture and shyness in childhood and adolescence

Publication date: Available online 2 May 2018 Source:New Ideas in Psychology Author(s): Xinyin Chen Shyness refers to anxious reactivity in challenging social situations. Whereas shyness is believed to be biologically rooted, individual socialization experiences play a role in shaping its development. In this paper, I discuss issues related to culture, different forms of shyness, and adjustment. Cultural beliefs and values, particularly those related to socialization goals, are reflected in adults' and peers' attitudes toward children's shy behavior, which ascribe meaning to the behavior and, at the same time, regulate its development. Culture also determines, in part, the functional significance of shyness in terms of its relations with adjustment. It will be important to investigate the mediating role of social processes, such as evaluations and responses in peer interactions, in cultural influence on the display and developmental patterns of shyness. It will also be important to examine the implications of social and cultural changes for the development of shyness.
Source: New Ideas in Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research