Question

Shyness is more common than we think, and many children attempt to mask their shyness through elaborate measures. Recent studies suggest that shyness may be inherited and genetically based. Do your students agree? Why? Should children who are shy be treated to prevent shyness or resulting disorders, such as social phobias, as an adult?

Answer 1

Note: This response is in UK English, please paste the response to MS Word and you should be able to spot discrepancies easily. You may elaborate the answer based on personal views or your classwork if necessary.

(Answer) Firstly, shyness is not a disorder like social anxiety or other social phobias. Shyness is something that individuals tend to experience in an unfamiliar setting. This shyness is overcome when they have familiarised themselves with the environment.

Shyness like most attributes can be a matter of “nature” and “nurture.” In psychology, “nature” is referred to the inherent quality that a person is born with. “Nurture” refers to the qualities that are acquired at the time of development.

If an individual is shy and belongs to shy parents, it is likely that their shyness is genetic or even that their shyness is observed from the immediate environment and is a matter of influence.

A shy individual would not need to be treated as shyness is not a disorder. The dynamics of human nature suggest that people generally have their own quirks, fears, temperament and cognitive qualities. There is no perfect measure of shyness or an absolute amount of shyness that society deems to be perfect. Therefore, shyness is relative to the person, the personality, the social circle in question and other factors.

If a person is exceedingly anxious about their social situation, it would classify as social anxiety and not shyness. In such a case, prescribed therapy would benefit the individual.