Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 29, 2026
05:05
The Successive Alleys Test of Anxiety in Mice and Rats
Published on: June 17, 2013
Social anxiety in college students
C Purdon1, M Antony, S Monteiro
1Anxiety Treatment and Research Centre, St. Joseph's Hospital, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. clpurdon@watarts.uwaterloo.ca
Journal of Anxiety Disorders
|July 10, 2001
Summary
Most people experience social anxiety symptoms occasionally. Those with higher social anxiety tend to negatively judge anxious individuals, perceiving them as less attractive and less strong-willed.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Social phobia is characterized by inaccurate beliefs about social anxiety prevalence and evaluation of anxious individuals.
- Understanding these perceptions is crucial for addressing social anxiety disorder.
Purpose of the Study:
- To collect normative data on social anxiety symptom frequency in a nonclinical sample.
- To assess how perceiving anxiety in others impacts immediate impressions of personal traits.
- To explore the link between personal social anxiety levels and perceptions of anxious individuals.
Main Methods:
- Eighty-one undergraduates completed self-report measures for social anxiety and social desirability.
- Participants rated the influence of perceived anxiety in others on their impressions of personal characteristics.
Main Results:
- A large proportion of individuals experience social anxiety symptoms periodically.
- Elevated personal social anxiety correlated with more negative judgments of anxious individuals (e.g., lower perceived strength of character, attractiveness).
- Individuals with higher social anxiety also perceived anxious others as more compassionate.
Conclusions:
- Social anxiety symptoms are common in the general population.
- Individuals with higher social anxiety exhibit biased perceptions of anxious individuals.
- Findings have implications for understanding and treating social phobia.
Related Concept Videos
01:37Social Loafing
Another way in which a group presence can affect performance is social loafing—the exertion of less effort by a person working together with a group. Social loafing occurs when our individual performance cannot be evaluated separately from the group. Thus, group performance declines on easy tasks (Karau & Williams, 1993). Essentially individual group members loaf and let other group members pick up the slack. Because each individual’s efforts cannot be evaluated, individuals become less...
01:18Anxiety: Overview
Anxiety is a common mental disorder featuring excessive worry, fear, and apprehension, significantly affecting daily life. People with anxiety disorders experience persistent and intense anxiety, interrupting their everyday functioning.
Individuals with anxiety often experience a range of physical and emotional symptoms, including sweating, trembling, tachycardia, and disturbances in sleep patterns. These symptoms vary in intensity and frequency but are generally disruptive and distressing.
Individuals with anxiety often experience a range of physical and emotional symptoms, including sweating, trembling, tachycardia, and disturbances in sleep patterns. These symptoms vary in intensity and frequency but are generally disruptive and distressing.
01:30Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a chronic condition characterized by excessive and uncontrollable worry that persists for at least six months, significantly interfering with daily functioning. Unlike situational anxiety, which arises in response to specific stressors, GAD often occurs without a clear cause. Individuals may experience disproportionate worry about work, health, or relationships. For instance, a person might continuously fear poor health despite normal medical evaluations or...
01:27Panic Disorder
Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent and sudden minutes-long episodes of intense fear, known as panic attacks. These attacks may feel like heart attacks and often happen without warning or a specific cause. They can include symptoms such as rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, chest pain, trembling, sweating, dizziness, and a sense of helplessness. During a panic attack, individuals may feel as though they are experiencing a heart attack or are in a...
01:28Social Anxiety Disorder
Social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, is characterized by an intense fear of social situations where one might face humiliation, rejection, embarrassment, or negative evaluation. This disorder leads individuals to avoid activities like casual conversations, public speaking, or seemingly simple tasks such as eating, signing documents, or swimming, in public settings. Its impact extends beyond discomfort, often significantly interfering with daily functioning and quality of life.
01:27Need for Self-Esteem
The human need for self-esteem has long intrigued psychologists, leading to the development of several theories that explore its evolutionary and functional significance. Among the most influential are the sociometer, hierometer, and terror management theories. Each offers a unique perspective on why people strive for self-worth and how it shapes behavior and social interaction.Sociometer TheoryAccording to sociometer theory, self-esteem functions as an internal gauge of social acceptance. It...