Self-focused attention and social anxiety:: The effects of experimentally heightened self-awareness on fear, blushing, cognitions, and social skills

This study investigated the effects of heightened self-awareness (SAW) on various aspects of social anxiety. High and low socially anxious (SA) participants (N = 72) had a conversation with two confederates. SAW was manipulated with mirrors: half of the participants could see their reflection in three large mirrors during the conversation. In contrast with expectations, SAW did not increase fear, blushing, physiological arousal (skin conductance and facial coloration), and negative thinking, and did not interfere with task performance. Independent of the experimental manipulation, high SA persons displayed a generally higher level of facial coloration (blushing) than low SA persons. No evidence was found for the prediction that high SA persons overpredict their blushing and underpredict their social skills, compared to low SA persons.