Two types of embarrassment have been described. The first type of embarrassment appears to be more similar to shyness than to shame. In certain situations of exposure, people become embarrassed. This type of embarrassment is not related to negative evaluation, as is shame. Perhaps the best example is the case of being complimented. One phenomenological experience of those who appear before audiences is that of embarrassment caused by the positive comments made during the introduction. Consider the moment when I am introduced. The person introducing me rises and, addressing the audience, extols my virtues. Surprisingly, this praise, rather than displeasure or negative evaluation, elicits embarrassment. Another example of this type of embarrassment can be seen in our reactions to public display. It has often been noticed that when people observe someone looking at them, they are apt to become self-conscious, to look away, and to touch or adjust their bodies. When the observed person is a woman, she will often adjust or touch her hair, while an observed man is less likely to touch his hair, but may adjust his clothes or change his body posture. In few cases do the observed people look sad. If anything, they appear pleased by the attention. This behavioral combination, typically signified by gaze turned away briefly, no frown, and nervous touching, looks like the type of embarrassment that can be called self-consciousness. The second type of embarrassment, referred to as embarrassment as less intense shame, seems to be related to a negative self-evaluation. The difference in intensity is likely due to a negative self-evaluation. The difference in intensity is likely due to the nature of the failed standard, rule, or goal. Recall that it was suggested that some standards are closely associated with the core of self, others less so; in one case, failure at driving a car is less important to one’s sense of self than is failure at helping a student. It is believed that failures associated with less important, less central standards, rules, and goals result in embarrassment rather than shame. It may be that embarrassment is not the same as shame. Certainly, from a phenomenological stance, they appear very different. On the other hand, there is the possibility that embarrassment and shame are, in fact, related and that they only vary in intensity. <\/p>\n
See Emotion<\/a>, Shame<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/body><\/html><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Two types of embarrassment have been described. The first type of embarrassment appears to be more similar to shyness than to shame. In certain situations of exposure, people become embarrassed. This type of embarrassment is not related to negative evaluation, as is shame. Perhaps the best example is the case of being complimented. One phenomenological … <\/p>\n