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Shyness in children, this study analyzes the causes

Shyness in children, this study analyzes the causes

Shyness in children represents a response to novelties and social evaluations characterized by fear and nervousness, but it may also depend fundamentally on the situation faced. This is what emerges from a study by scientists from McMaster University and Brock University, Canada, who published an article in the journal 'Child Development' to describe the results of their work.

Shyness in children, this study analyzes the causes

The research group, led by Kristie Poole, analyzed shyness in children, assessing emotional and physiological behavioral manifestations.

Older theories assert that shyness can be conceptualized as a relatively stable trait during development (temperament shyness), but also as an emotion associated with certain social situations (state shyness).

Shyness in children, this study analyzes the causes

The researchers examined the affective and physiological behavioral responses of children who were asked to perform certain activities such as language tasks.

The results suggest that in most cases, toddlers can experience a sense of uncertainty as an emotional state in certain situations.

"Our work," notes Poole, "provides empirical support for the idea that there may be a subgroup of children with shy temperaments who demonstrate greater affective and physiological behavioral reactivity in response to social stress."

Shyness in children, this study analyzes the causes

152 children aged 7 to 8 years were included in this study.

About 10 percent of the children showed a response to social stress on an affective and physiological behavioral level. 25 percent of the children, on the other hand, showed a pattern of response to social stress only on an affective level.