The Safety Bias: Risk-Avoidance and Social Anxiety Pathology

2010 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolyn N. Lorian ◽  
Jessica R. Grisham
Keyword(s):  
Social Anxiety ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Anxiety Symptoms ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Behavioural Inhibition ◽  
Global Risk ◽  
Risk Avoidance ◽  
Bias Risk ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractBackground:The pervasive tendency to avoid perceived risks has been recently implicated in the maintenance of anxiety pathology, and more specifically, social phobia. Social anxiety symptoms are thus hypothesised to be associated with a global risk-avoidant decision-making bias.Aim:This study investigated: (1) the relationship between risk-avoidance and social anxiety symptoms using both self-report and behavioural measures of risk-taking; and (2) whether risk-avoidance mediates the relationship between a dispositional vulnerability to anxiety (Behavioural Inhibition System [BIS] sensitivity) and social anxiety symptoms.Method:Fifty-five undergraduate students completed self-report measures assessing for social anxiety symptoms, risk-taking across various domains, and BIS sensitivity. Risk-avoidance was also assessed using a behavioural computer task.Results:As hypothesised, risk-avoidance correlated significantly with both social anxiety and BIS. Multiple regression analyses revealed that risk-avoidance served as a partial mediator between BIS and social anxiety.Conclusion:These results confirm the hypothesised relationship between BIS, risk-avoidance, and social anxiety symptoms. Risk-avoidance is one possible mechanism by which personality characteristics may be linked to anxiety pathology.

Social Anxiety, Fear of Negative Evaluation, and Distress in a Virtual Reality Environment

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Rannveig Sigurvinsdottir ◽  
Karen Soring ◽  
Karen Kristinsdottir ◽  
Sveinn Gunnar Halfdanarson ◽  
Kamilla R. Johannsdottir ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Social Anxiety ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Negative Evaluation ◽  
Fear Of Negative Evaluation ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Virtual Reality Environment ◽  
Social Situations ◽  
Treatment Target ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract According to cognitive theories of social anxiety, fear of negative evaluation (FNE) may be the mechanism whereby social anxiety induces distress. However, studying this can be challenging, as individuals with social anxiety may be reluctant to enter anxiety-provoking social situations, such as speaking in front of others. The present study used virtual reality (VR) to examine if giving a presentation in front of a virtual audience induced distress among undergraduate students and to test the hypothesis that FNE would mediate the relationship between social anxiety and distress. University students (N = 58, 70% female) entered a VR environment where they stood in front of a virtual audience and gave a short, impromptu presentation about their university. Participants also completed self-report measures of social anxiety, FNE, and distress (estimated before, during, and after VR). Distress and FNE had positive relationships with social anxiety and FNE fully mediated the relationship between social anxiety and distress. As far as we are aware, this is the first VR study to show this effect. The findings indicate that FNE could be a useful treatment target to reduce distress when presenting in front of an audience, either in VR or in person.

Coping Style as a Mediator of the Relationship Between Depressive Symptoms and Deliberate Self-Harm

Crisis ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 272-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allison S. Christian ◽  
Kristen M. McCabe
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Deliberate Self Harm ◽  
Self Blame ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
The Relationship

Background: Deliberate self-harm (DSH) occurs with high frequency among clinical and nonclinical youth populations. Although depression has been consistently linked with the behavior, not all depressed individuals engage in DSH. Aims: The current study examined maladaptive coping strategies (i.e., self-blame, distancing, and self-isolation) as mediators between depression and DSH among undergraduate students. Methods: 202 students from undergraduate psychology courses at a private university in Southern California (77.7% women) completed anonymous self-report measures. Results: A hierarchical regression model found no differences in DSH history across demographic variables. Among coping variables, self-isolation alone was significantly related to DSH. A full meditational model was supported: Depressive symptoms were significantly related to DSH, but adding self-isolation to the model rendered the relationship nonsignificant. Limitations: The cross-sectional study design prevents determination of whether a casual relation exists between self-isolation and DSH, and obscures the direction of that relationship. Conclusions: Results suggest targeting self-isolation as a means of DSH prevention and intervention among nonclinical, youth populations.

Tendency to Conform: A New Measure and its Relationship to Psychological Reactance

2005 ◽  
Vol 96 (3) ◽  
pp. 591-594 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald E. Goldsmith ◽  
Ronald A. Clark ◽  
Barbara A. Lafferty
Keyword(s):  
Social Psychology ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Psychological Reactance ◽  
Self Report ◽  
The Relationship

This study assessed the relationship between two important constructs in social psychology, conformity and psychological reactance, which are suggested to be negatively related, i.e., a person higher in the tendency to conform will score lower on psychological reactance and vice versa. The two constructs were measured by multi-item self-report scales, the Therapeutic Reactance Scale of Dowd, et al. and a new tendency to conform scale constructed for this study. Data from a survey of 423 undergraduate students were used to test the hypothesis that scores on the scales were negatively correlated. The hypothesized relationship was positively supported by a significant but only moderately sized correlation ( r = -.32, p < .001).

scholarly journals Cognitive Vulnerabilities to Anxiety

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 419-440
Author(s):  
Mirjana Sučević ◽  
Ana Kurtović
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factor ◽  
Social Anxiety ◽  
Anxiety Sensitivity ◽  
Intolerance Of Uncertainty ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Anxiety Symptoms ◽  
Cognitive Vulnerabilities ◽  
Specific Effects ◽  
Social Concerns ◽  
The Relationship

The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of personality, anxiety sensitivity, intolerance of uncertainty and self-esteem on different anxiety symptoms. A total of 436 university students completed measures of personality, anxiety sensitivity, intolerance of uncertainty, self-esteem, and symptoms of panic, worry and social anxiety. Results have shown that neuroticism, conscientiousness and psychological concerns (anxiety sensitivity) predict symptoms of panic and that psychological concerns mediate the relationship between neuroticism and panic. Worry was predicted by neuroticism, prospective and inhibitory intolerance of uncertainty and self-liking, with intolerance of uncertainty mediating between neuroticism and worry. Finally, neuroticism, openness to experiences and extraversion, as well as social concerns (anxiety sensitivity), inhibitory intolerance of uncertainty and self-liking predicted social anxiety. Social concerns, inhibitory intolerance of uncertainty and self-liking mediated the effects of neuroticism and extraversion on social anxiety. Results offer support to neuroticism being a universal risk factor and anxiety sensitivity, intolerance of uncertainty and self-esteem having specific effects on anxiety symptoms.

scholarly journals How Perceived Individual Safety Attitude Helps to Explain The Relationship Between Sensation Seeking and Risk-Taking Propensity in The Prediction of Individual Work Performance

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 191
Author(s):  
Woromita Fathlistya ◽  
Martina Dwi Mustika
Keyword(s):  
Risk Taking ◽  
Sensation Seeking ◽  
Work Performance ◽  
Individual Performance ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Individual Work ◽  
Safety Attitude ◽  
The Relationship

Understanding the attitudes of individuals toward safety is important for hospital prevention programs and could reduce safety-related accidents. This study investigates the effects of perceived individual safety attitude in explaining the relationship between sensation seeking and risk-taking propensity for rewards in predicting individual performance. An on-line cross-sectional study was undertaken in which 177 nurses who completed an objective task (BART) and self-report questionnaires. Path analysis results revealed that perceived individual safety attitude influenced the relationship between both sensation seeking and risk-taking propensity in predicting individual performance. Nurses with both sensation seeking and risk-taking propensity for rewards have negative perceptions toward individual safety attitude, which resulted in poor individual work performances. It is indicated that encourage performance by rewards is not always effective.

scholarly journals Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence and Health Behaviours among University Students: The Predictive and Moderating Role of Gender

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Romualdas Malinauskas ◽  
Audrone Dumciene ◽  
Saule Sipaviciene ◽  
Vilija Malinauskiene
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Intelligence ◽  
University Students ◽  
Health Behaviour ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Stepwise Multiple Regression ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Relationship

This study investigated the role of gender as a potential predictor of health behaviour and potential moderator of the relationship between emotional intelligence and health behaviour. This cross-sectional study included 1214 students (597 males and 617 females). Data were collected using the Schutte Self-Report Inventory and the Health Behaviour Checklist. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was executed with the components of health behaviour as the dependent variables to examine the predictive value of the emotional intelligence indicators as the independent variables. Gender predicted all categories of health behaviours. Only one indicator of emotional intelligence, appraisal, predicted the Accident Control and Traffic Risk Taking categories. The emotional intelligence indicator of social skills emerged only as a predictor of Wellness Maintenance and Enhancement in university students. Gender moderates the relationship between all emotional intelligence indicators and health behaviour components except the relationship between Appraisal and Substance Risk Taking and the relationship between Utilization and traffic risk taking.

Examining Ethnic Differences in the Relationship Between Perfectionism and Emotional Adjustment

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucille Fay Ling
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Emotional Adjustment ◽  
Physical Symptoms ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Emotional Symptoms ◽  
Self Worth ◽  
Eastern Cultures ◽  
High Standards ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Level Of Acculturation

Perfectionists are people who set excessively high standards for their own performance, adhere to these standards rigidly, and define their self ­worth in terms of achieving these standards. Research has shown that perfectionism is linked with emotional and psychological maladjustment. This study is aimed at examining potential differences in perfectionism and emotional adjustment across two ethnic groups: Caucasian and Asian. Previous literature has shown that Eastern cultures are more self ­criticizing than Western cultures, thus we may expect to see differences in perfectionism across these two cultures. Also, researchers have found that individuals from Eastern cultures may manifest depression in physical symptoms (e.g., headaches) while individuals from Western cultures may express depression in more emotional symptoms (eg, sadness). Thus, differences in how Asians and Caucasians express their emotional maladjustment will be examined. Finally, acculturation may be an important factor because perfectionism in a Western context may have more adverse consequences than in an Eastern context. Method:Asian and Caucasian undergraduate students completed self ­report measures of perfectionism, emotional adjustment, and acculturation. Expected results: First, we expect that Asians will score higher than Caucasians on perfectionism measures. Secondly, there will be a positive correlation between perfectionism and poor emotional adjustment. Thirdly, emotional adjustment will be expressed more physically in Asians and more emotionally in Caucasians. Finally, within the Asian group, level of acculturation will moderate the relationship between perfectionism and emotional maladjustment. Discussion: These results will be discussed in terms of how perfectionism is conceptualized, assessed, and treated.

Too Anxious to Talk: Social Anxiety, Academic Communication, and Students’ Experiences in Higher Education

2021 ◽  
pp. 106342662110600
Author(s):  
Kristen A. Archbell ◽  
Robert J. Coplan
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Social Anxiety ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Student Outcomes ◽  
Emotional Functioning ◽  
Physical Symptoms ◽  
Gender Effects ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Student Experiences ◽  
Academic Communication

Social anxiety is related to a host of negative student outcomes in the educational context, including physical symptoms of anxiety, reduced cognitive functioning, and poor academic performance. Despite the prevalence of social anxiety, little is known about mechanisms that may underlie associations between social anxiety and outcomes in the context of higher education. Therefore, the goal of this study was to evaluate a conceptual model linking social anxiety, communication with peers and instructors, students’ experiences (i.e., engagement, connectedness, and satisfaction), and indices of socio-emotional functioning at university. Participants were N = 1,073 undergraduate students ( Mage = 20.3 years, SD = 3.49) who completed a series of self-report measures. Among the results, social anxiety was negatively related to communication with instructors, socio-emotional functioning, and student experiences, and academic communication accounted for significant variance in the links between social anxiety and student experiences. In addition, there was at least some evidence that student experiences partially mediated the association between social anxiety and socio-emotional functioning. Gender effects suggest that social anxiety is related to less communication with instructors, lower engagement and satisfaction, and poorer socio-emotional functioning among females compared with males. Results are situated within current literature examining social anxiety in education. The discussion provides concrete suggestions for educational practitioners to increase support for students who experience social anxiety.

scholarly journals Social anxiety in a multiple sclerosis clinic population

2009 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 393-398 ◽  
Author(s):  
K Poder ◽  
K Ghatavi ◽  
JD Fisk ◽  
TL Campbell ◽  
S Kisely ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Anxiety ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Research Unit ◽  
Anxiety Symptoms ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Neurological Disability ◽  
General Anxiety ◽  
Neurologic Disability

Background Little is known about social anxiety in MS. Objective We estimated the prevalence of social anxiety symptoms and their association with demographic and clinical features in a clinic-attending sample of patients with MS. Methods Patients attending the Dalhousie MS Research Unit for regularly scheduled visits completed the Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the Health Utilities Index (HUI). Neurological disability was determined by ratings on the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). Results A total of 251 patients completed self-report scales of anxiety and depression symptoms. In all, 245 (98%) provided sufficient data for analysis. In all, 30.6% ( n = 75) had clinically significant social anxiety symptoms as defined by a SPIN threshold score of 19. Half of those with social anxiety had general anxiety (HADSA ≥ 11) and a quarter had depression (HADSD ≥ 11). Severity of social anxiety symptoms was associated with reduced health-related quality of life and not related to neurological disability. Conclusions Social anxiety symptoms are common in persons with MS, contribute to overall morbidity, but are unrelated to the overall severity of neurologic disability. Greater awareness and routine systematic inquiry of social anxiety symptoms is an important component of comprehensive care for persons with MS.

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