Shyness

Shyness can mean feeling uncomfortable, self-conscious, nervous, timid, or insecure. People who feel shy in situations may sometimes notice physical sensations such as blushing, feeling shaky, at a loss for words, and shortness of breath or accelerated breathing. When people feel shy, they tend to hold back and hesitate from saying or doing something because they're feeling unsure of themselves or what they may say, and are afraid others may judge them and what they say. But shyness does not have to interfere with achieving goals and making new friends. In early development, shyness and social fears can inhibit a shy child’s desire to play with others (Coplan et al., 2004). In this paper, I plan to further review shyness and its effects on social development in children, as well as propose ideas to help combat this issue in children. I hope to do this by first delving further into the problem, and what it may mean for a child growing up shy, then end with strategies to help a child overcome shyness and gain confidence. Shyness affects adults and children alike. New and unfamiliar situations can bring out shy feelings, like the first day of school or meeting someone new. Being quiet is not always the same as being shy. Shyness can be influenced by learned behaviors and life experiences one has had.

According to Bernardo J. Carducci, a professor of psychology and director of the Shyness Research Institute at Indiana University Southeast, There is no way one can be born shy. He assesses that the reason one cannot be born shy is because three major features characterize shyness: “excessive self-consciousness, excessive negative self-evaluation, and excessive negative self-preoccupation.” All three characteristic features of shyness in...

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...child and turns this personality trait into a defining characteristic. Another mistake is feeling the need to apologize for your child’s shyness or talk for your child. This once again depicts shyness in a negative light and can cause even more withdrawal and anxiety when in new social situations.

Strategies for working with shy children include encouraging peer involvement in the classroom, creating opportunities for group work or play (Rosenberg et al., 1992). Tailoring the environment to accommodate them, including seating the near friends or positioning them near the teacher’s desk. Additionally, assigning them special and specific tasks to help foster a positive relationship with the teacher and build self-confidence. Also, remembering not to force them to communicate and minimizing stressful and embarrassing moments can help alleviate anxiety in the classroom.