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Related Experiment Videos

Blushing and physiological arousability in social phobia.

A L Gerlach1, F H Wilhelm, K Gruber

  • 1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, California, USA. agerlach@psy.uni-muenster.de

Journal of Abnormal Psychology
|May 19, 2001
PubMed
Summary

Social phobia involves blushing, a visible anxiety symptom. This study found social phobics blush more than controls during embarrassing videos, but those with blushing concerns showed higher heart rates, not more intense blushing.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Psychiatry
  • Physiology

Background:

  • Blushing is a key symptom of social phobia.
  • Cognitive behavioral models highlight fear of visible anxiety symptoms.
  • The link between physiological and psychological blushing aspects in social phobia requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if social situations elicit different facial blood volume changes (blushing) in social phobic individuals with and without a primary blushing complaint compared to controls.
  • To explore the relationship between physiological responses and subjective concerns about blushing in social phobia.

Main Methods:

  • Compared facial blood volume changes (blushing) in 30 social phobic participants (15 with primary blushing concerns) and 14 controls.
  • Participants underwent three conditions: watching an embarrassing video, holding a conversation, and giving a talk.

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  • Physiological measures included facial blood volume and heart rate.

    • Main Results:

    • Social phobic participants exhibited greater blushing than controls only when watching an embarrassing video.
    • Social phobic individuals with primary blushing complaints did not show more intense blushing than those without such complaints.
    • However, the subgroup concerned about blushing had higher heart rates, suggesting increased physiological arousal.

    Conclusions:

    • Social situations, particularly those inducing embarrassment, can trigger heightened blushing responses in social phobia.
    • While intense blushing may not differentiate subgroups of social phobics, heightened physiological arousal (indicated by heart rate) may be present in those with specific concerns about blushing.
    • This suggests a complex interplay of physiological and psychological factors in the manifestation of social phobia symptoms.