Author

Rachel C Bock

Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7628-5300

Document Type

Dissertation

Date of Award

2024

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Christopher Berghoff

Abstract

Frequent and fulfilling engagement in social interaction is paramount to human success and wellbeing. Yet, many individuals do not engage in social interactions of sufficient quantity and/or quality. Though some research indicates shame influences social behavior, the nature of this effect is unclear. Some research suggests shame is associated with effective engagement in social interaction, whereas other work indicates shame is associated with maladaptive avoidance of social interaction. One potential explanation for equivocal results may be a lack of accounting for mental health concerns, such as social anxiety. Social anxiety is positively associated with social impairments and shame, yet research evaluating relations of each of these variables, or their temporal effects, is limited. Accordingly, the present study aimed to identify the relations of social interaction quantity and quality, state shame, and trait social anxiety symptom severity using a daily process experience sampling method in a college student sample (N = 64). Cross-sectional results suggested that state shame was positively associated with trait social anxiety symptom severity, social interaction quantity, and negative social interaction quantity and inversely associated with positive social interaction quantity. Trait social anxiety symptom severity was positively associated with state shame, inversely associated with social interaction quantity, and attenuated the shame-interaction quantity relation, but was unrelated to positive and negative social interaction quality. State shame was not a predictor of social interaction quantity or quality at next timepoint. High social interaction quantity predicted subsequent elevations in state shame at high levels of trait social anxiety symptom severity only. Negative social interaction quality predicted subsequent decreases in state shame and positive social interaction quality was unrelated. Results provide support for the social approach theory of shame and are discussed with consideration of contextual implications and study limitations.

Subject Categories

Psychology

Keywords

shame, Social anxiety, social interaction

Number of Pages

141

Publisher

University of South Dakota

Available for download on Wednesday, November 27, 2024

Included in

Psychology Commons

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