Fearfulness predicts self-blame and shame in shyness

Researchers and clinicians are attempting to delineate individual differences in problematic shyness in order to describe and treat it more effectively. In an effort to find empirical support for Bussʹs fearful vs. publicly self-conscious shy categories [Buss, A.H. (1980). Self-consciousness and social anxiety. San Francisco: Freeman], a self-blaming attribution style with accompanying shame-based emotion was predicted in a group of self-conscious shys, as compared with fearful shys and controls. Surprisingly, fearfulness and private, not public, self-consciousness predicted self-blame and shame in hypothetical interpersonal failure situations. Furthermore, trait-shame was predicted by the same combination. Results are discussed in terms of the interaction of negative emotion and inner focus on self-blame.