
Embarrassment is an emotional state that is associated with discomfort and is usually experienced when someone commits or thinks of committing a socially unacceptable act. It is frequently grouped with shame and guilt and is considered a self-conscious emotion. Embarrassment can be caused by unwanted attention, personal flaws or mishaps, shyness, or the actions of others. It can lead to feelings of awkwardness, exposure, shame, guilt, or regret. The accompanying physiological changes, such as blushing, sweating, or stammering, can signal to others that a person recognises their mistake and is not oblivious or cold-hearted. Embarrassment is believed to have evolved to smooth social interactions and can serve as an appeasement gesture, signalling a violation was unintended and will not be repeated. However, it can also have negative consequences, leading people to engage in irrational and risky behaviours to avoid embarrassment.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Type of emotion | Self-conscious emotion |
Purpose | To make people feel bad about their social or personal mistakes as a form of internal or societal feedback |
Triggers | When a person violates a social norm or perceives a loss of honour or dignity |
Physiological changes | Blushing, sweating, stammering, nervousness, fidgeting, smiling, nervous laughter |
Severity | Mild to severe levels of discomfort |
What You'll Learn
Embarrassment is a self-conscious emotion
Embarrassment is often associated with violating social conduct and committing a 'faux pas'. For example, you may forget someone's name or accidentally touch a stranger in an inappropriate place. However, you don't have to do something 'bad' or 'stupid' to feel embarrassed. You can also be embarrassed by being in an uncomfortable situation, such as having to ask a friend for money you loaned them.
Embarrassment can be caused by unwanted attention to private matters, personal flaws, or mishaps. It can also be caused by the actions of others, such as a parent showing your baby pictures to friends, someone making a derogatory comment about your appearance, or discovering you are the victim of gossip.
People who are embarrassed become self-conscious and are likely to blush and smile, alternate between looking back and looking away, and often don't know what to do with their hands and body. They may also experience physiological changes such as blushing, sweating, stammering, and fidgeting.
The purpose of embarrassment is to make people feel bad about their social or personal mistakes as a form of internal or societal feedback, so they learn not to repeat the error. It likely evolved to smooth social interactions and support social cohesion in group living by easing tensions when a person violates a social norm.
However, embarrassment can also have negative consequences. People may engage in irrational and risky behaviours to reduce the likelihood of embarrassment, such as failing to come to the aid of others, avoiding medical examinations, or practising dangerous sexual behaviour. It can also lead to anxiety, depression, and, in extreme cases, the impulse to self-harm.
It can be caused by unwanted attention
Embarrassment is a painful emotional state that can be caused by unwanted attention to private matters, personal flaws, or mishaps. It is often accompanied by blushing, sweating, nervousness, stammering, and fidgeting.
Unwanted attention can take many forms, including being the centre of attention (e.g. during birthday celebrations), having one's personal flaws or mistakes pointed out, or being the victim of gossip. For example, a person might feel embarrassed if they are complimented in front of a group of people, or if they are caught in a lie.
The feeling of embarrassment can also arise from unwanted attention to private matters, such as being seen nude or inappropriately dressed, or having one's baby pictures shown to friends.
Embarrassment can also be caused by the actions of others, such as a parent showing baby pictures to friends, someone making a derogatory comment, or discovering one is the victim of gossip.
People with social anxiety are particularly prone to embarrassment and may go out of their way to avoid social interactions where they might make a mistake or embarrass themselves.
The experience of embarrassment is highly individual and is often intensified by the fear that everyone is watching and judging. However, it is important to remember that, in reality, most people will not even notice.
Understanding and Portraying Someone's Emotions in the Third Person
You may want to see also
It can be caused by a violation of social norms
Embarrassment is a self-conscious emotion that can be caused by a violation of social norms. It is a painful but important emotional state that is practically universal among people. Embarrassment unfolds when a person violates a social norm and fears that others will view them less favourably as a result. The accompanying physiological changes, including blushing, sweating, or stammering, may signal to others that a person recognises their error and is not cold-hearted or oblivious.
Embarrassment is likely to have evolved to support social cohesion in group living by easing tensions when a person violates a social norm. It can serve as an appeasement gesture to others by signalling that the violation was unintentional and unlikely to be repeated. The intense dread of experiencing embarrassment may also deter people from repeating behaviours that trigger the state. Embarrassment can also motivate people to restore the esteem of others.
However, embarrassment can also have a downside. People may engage in irrational, risky behaviours to reduce the likelihood of embarrassment. They may fail to come to the aid of others, avoid medical examinations or tests, or practice dangerous sexual behaviour.
The Emotional Spectrum: Exploring Whether People Lean Towards Positive or Negative Expressions
You may want to see also
It can be caused by a personal flaw or mistake
Embarrassment is an emotional state that can be caused by personal flaws or mistakes. It is often associated with violating social conduct or committing a "faux pas". For example, you may forget someone's name or accidentally touch a stranger inappropriately on a crowded train. Embarrassment can also be caused by unwanted attention to private matters, shyness, or being caught in a lie or making a mistake.
The feeling of embarrassment arises when some aspect of oneself is revealed or threatens to be revealed to others, and we think that this revelation will undermine the image we want to project. Sources of embarrassment can include particular thoughts, feelings, actions, behaviours, conditions, states, possessions, or relations. For instance, you may feel embarrassed by your posh parents or privileged upbringing.
The level of embarrassment depends on the situation, and the perception of loss of honour, dignity, or other high-value ideals. Embarrassment can range from a minor perception of the embarrassing act as inconsequential or humorous, to intense apprehension or fear.
People who are embarrassed often experience physiological changes such as blushing, sweating, stammering, or fidgeting. They may also smile or laugh nervously, especially in etiquette situations, and alternate between looking back and looking away.
The Devastating Effects of Verbal and Emotional Abuse: Can It Lead to Psychosis?
You may want to see also
It can be caused by the actions of others
Embarrassment is a painful but important emotion that can be caused by the actions of others. It is frequently grouped with shame and guilt and is considered a "self-conscious emotion". It can have a profoundly negative impact on a person's thoughts and behaviours.
Embarrassment can be caused by unwanted attention to private matters, personal flaws or mishaps, or shyness. For example, a parent showing baby pictures of their child to friends, someone making a derogatory comment about another person's appearance or behaviour, or discovering that one is the victim of gossip.
It can also be caused by being the centre of attention, such as during birthday celebrations or as newlyweds. Even witnessing someone else's embarrassment can cause a person to feel embarrassed. This is known as "vicarious embarrassment" and is more likely to be experienced by people who consider themselves more empathic.
In addition, embarrassment can be caused by "awkward acts", which refer to social situations such as inappropriate conversations, clumsiness, or ungraceful actions. These can include situations where someone touches a stranger in an inappropriate place, or when someone has to ask for money back from a friend.
The central elements of embarrassment are sudden attention and a lack of control. It is often associated with violating social conduct or committing a "faux pas". For example, starting to address someone and then realising you forgot their name.
Embarrassment can be a less severe negative emotion, and people may even put others in embarrassing situations for their own amusement, such as playing a practical joke on someone. However, for certain people, groups, and cultures, embarrassment can be a seriously unpleasant emotion.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, embarrassment is an emotional state that is associated with mild to severe levels of discomfort. It is frequently grouped with shame and guilt and is considered a "self-conscious" or "reflexive" emotion.
Embarrassment is often caused by committing a socially unacceptable act or a “faux pas”, such as forgetting someone's name or accidentally touching a stranger inappropriately. It can also be caused by unwanted attention, personal flaws or mishaps, shyness, or the actions of others that place us in a socially awkward situation.
Embarrassment can have a profoundly negative impact on a person's thoughts and behaviour. It can lead to feelings of awkwardness, exposure, shame, guilt, or regret. People who are embarrassed may blush, smile, alternate their gaze, and exhibit nervous behaviours such as stammering and fidgeting. In some cases, embarrassment can lead to anxiety, depression, and even self-harm.