Age‐related differences in children's understanding of shyness

Abstract

Drawing upon Buss's theory and upon research into self‐reflection it was hypothesized that fearful shyness would be developmentally prior to self conscious shyness with the transition between the two forms taking place at 7–8 years of age. Analysis of interviews conducted with 60 children aged between 5 and 11 years showed a clear tendency for references to self‐consciousness and embarrassment (which were rare at 5–6 years) to increase with age. References to fearful shyness were frequent at all age groups, suggesting an expansion in children's understanding of shyness rather than the replacement of one form by another.