Social comparison and shyness in adolescents

Abstract

Problem Statement: Shyness, which can be broadly defined as the discomfort and inhibition that emerge in the presence of others, is an important variable that inhibites interpersonal communication processes. Shy individuals have a tendency to make negative evaluations of themselves and this tendency can be more clearly observed in their relationships with other individuals (particularly with people who have higher qualities and better performance). Therefore, the comparative judgments that shy individuals make with others can be said to be effective in their self-evaluation process. According to the theory of social comparison, individuals have the tendency to compare themselves with others to assess their social situation. Adolescence is a noteworthy period with regard to social comparisons and making social comparisons with peers is a prominent characteristic in adolescents. In the literature, studies that focus on the relationship between adolescents' perceptions and evaluations of themselves and shyness are encountered, yet it is worth investigating how social comparisons affect shyness in the adolescence period, during which social comparisons gain importance.Purpose of Study: This study aims to examine the nature of change that social comparisons in adolescents cause in shyness in relation to gender and school grade level. Method: The study was conducted on a total of 581 high school students, 247 of whom were female and 334 male. The data of the study were collected through the Social Comparison Scale and Shyness Scale. Two-way analysis of variance method was used to test whether there is a difference between the degrees of shyness according to gender and schoolgrade among high school students at low, moderate and high social comparison levels. Findings: The findings of the study indicate that adolescents at a low social comparison level are shyer than the adolescents at moderate and high social comparison levels. Based on social comparison level, the degrees of shyness in female and male adolescents were not significantly different. In ddition, ninth grade students at a low social comparison level were found to be the shiest group. Results and Recommendations: As a result, this study shows that social comparison plays a role in adolescent shyness. Moreover, it was seen that the relationship between social comparison and shyness changes by school grade.