COMPARISONS BETWEEN GROUP AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES
Are boys shyer than girls?
Comparisons
- The level of shyness depends on the age group.
- Shyness is proven to be moderately stable from early childhood to adolescence.
- This stable level of shyness can easily change due to environmental changes, due to peers and parenting styles.
- In childhood shy children undergo the approach-avoidance behavior.
- This behavior is described in social situations, were the shy child wants to interact with peers, but due to anxiety and fear they refrain from the situation.
- Peer environment- shy children avoid initiating conversations and commonly withdrawal from interactions by not joining in.
- Childhood shyness develops the risk of internalizing problems (anxiety and depression) into adult hood.
- Shyness in childhood also displays the development of self and parent anxiety into adolescence.
- Great amount of evidence that peers bully and have a negative outlook on shy boys compared to shy girls
- This results in peer isolation for boys in early childhood.
- However, there was no report of shyness and peer isolation for older adults.
- Gender differences deduce that shyness is less socially acceptable for boys than girls because of gender norms and the male be dominant.
- This also leads to withdrawal being more common in boys.
coping strategies
- Coping strategies rely on the individual's preference.
- Avoidant coping is a child's ability to ignore a stressor by distancing oneself from the problem.
- Internalizing coping- is the negative internal emotions from a stressor.
- Consequences include worrying, self-pitying, and self-blaming.
- Internalizing coping is the most common because it requires minimal assertiveness and draws little attention to the child.
- This is also the most dangerous coping style because it makes it harder to observe and diagnose.
- In contrast to internalizing coping is problem-solving strategies.
- This style deals with a stressor by taking action.
- The problem is actively solved and prevented.
- This method acts as a protective factor against social stress in children such as shyness.
- Females are more likely to regulate emotions by using problem-solving strategies in comparison to males.
Role Of Child Gender
- Shyness carries more negative consequences for males than females.
- This is due to shyness violating male stereotypes of dominance.
- Shy boys are less likely to find a coping strategy helpful to them when dealing with stress.
- Shy boys are more at risk for peer difficulties than girls.
- Shy boys are also more sensitive to the consequences of peer exclusion or isolation.
- Problem solving coping is proven to be more helpful for boys but boys often lack the use of this coping strategy which is detrimental for shy males.