Discuss the three elements of shyness, and describe ways that a person can reduce his or her shyness

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Answer will include that shy persons often lack social skills (proficiency at interaction with
others). Many simply have not learned how to meet people or how to start a conversation and
keep it going. Social anxiety (a feeling of apprehension in the presence of others) is also a
factor in shyness. Typically, this is a reaction to evaluation fears. Although fears of rejection
are common, they are much more frequent or intense for shy people. A third problem for shy
persons is a self-defeating bias (distortion ) in their thinking. Specifically, shy persons almost
always blame themselves when a social encounter doesn't go well. They are unnecessarily
self-critical in social situations. Shyness is also often triggered by novel or unfamiliar social
situations. One of the best ways to reduce shyness is to learn social skills, such as taking part
in conversations. Social skills can be directly practiced in a variety of ways. It can be helpful
to get a tape recorder and listen to several of your conversations to look for pauses and missed
cues. It can also be useful to look at yourself in a mirror and exaggerate facial expressions
and increase one's animation. One of the simplest ways to make better conversation is by
learning to ask questions, particularly open-ended ones. One must also confront unrealistic
beliefs and be willing to take social risks, rather than waiting for people to interact with you.
Talking with a counselor can also be helpful.