Discussion

Discussion

Future Directions and Concluding Remarks

In closing, shyness is associated with a lower likelihood of being in a romantic relationship, with avoidant and anxious attachment insecurity, and with lower quality romantic relationships (Rowsell & Coplan, 2013). An implication is that individuals with shyness, therefore, seem to struggle with physical intimacy in social interactions. The tendency to struggle with physical intimacy was supported by the current finding that individuals exhibiting shyness were more likely to avoid physical touch in same-sex and opposite-sex encounters with people. The findings imply underlying difficulties in social interactions, including touch as a form of social exchange and expression.

The difficulties in social interaction among shy individuals are evident in the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral components of shyness (Cheek & Krasnoperova, 1999). The cognitive component includes beliefs about themselves and others. They tend to have negative self-deprecating thoughts (Cheek & Krasnoperova, 1999). The emotions and arousal associated with shyness include anxiety and a heightened physiological arousal (Cheek & Krasnoperova, 1999). The behavioral component of shyness includes discomfort in social exchanges as further manifested through lack of immediacy behaviors, including the tendency to avoid physical touch (Prisbell, 1985). The present findings that showed that as levels of shyness increase partner dependency and physical touch avoidance increase further support the behavioral, cognitive, and emotional components of shyness. A clinical implication of these findings is that treatment for anxiety and inhibition inherent in shyness needs to address the anxiety-related behaviors and cognitions, such as fear of negative evaluations that inhibit the development of healthy relationships with a variety of individuals to overcome sole over-reliance on a few close people (or attachment figures).

The expression of shyness may be most noticeable in interpersonal relationships. The quality of these relationships, particularly romantic relationships, tends to be low (Rowsell & Coplan, 2013). The decreased relationship quality may result from anxious tension and discomfort associated with behaviors, such as physical touch, and the tendency of individuals with shyness to exhibit romantic partner dependency. Partner dependency involves over-reliance on one’s partner in many areas of life (Rathus & O’Leary, 1997). Therefore, partner dependency among shy individuals may involve the over-reliance on one’s romantic partner to meet basic intimacy needs that could also be met in other relationships, such as close friendships. Due to the over-reliance on one’s partner, other relationships may therefore be nonexistent or lack certain components that are essential for high quality relationships. A clinical implication is that attentiveness to partner dependency as a potential safety behavior interfering with anxiety-related treatment by serving as a reinforcement of avoidance may be essential to effective treatment of anxiety associated with shyness.

Explorations of shyness are essential, not only at the individual level, but also at the dyadic and larger group level, to fully understand the interpersonal dynamics and interactional exchanges in individuals with shyness. Even within close relationships, like with one’s partner, manifestations of shyness are evident. It has already been noted that internal and external factors contribute to social anxiety (Gazelle, 2013), which is one aspect of shyness. Future research would benefit from further exploring internal and external factors that may contribute to romantic partner dependency and touch avoidance in shy individuals. In other words, attentiveness in future research to the reciprocal interaction of inhibition and anxiety with the interpersonal environment may provide a holistic explanation of how the shy individual interacts with, influences, and is influenced by the social world.