title: Self-Conscious Shyness: Growth during Toddlerhood, Strong Role of Genetics, and No Prediction from Fearful Shyness.
abstract: Fearful and self-conscious subtypes of shyness have received little attention in the empirical literature. Study aims included: 1) determining if fearful shyness predicted self-conscious shyness, 2) describing development of self-conscious shyness, and 3) examining genetic and environmental contributions to fearful and self-conscious shyness. Observed self-conscious shyness was examined at 19, 22, 25, and 28 months in same-sex twins (MZ = 102, DZ = 111, missing zygosity = 3 pairs). Self-conscious shyness increased across toddlerhood, but onset was earlier than predicted by theory. Fearful shyness (observed [6 and 12 months] and parents' reports [12 and 22 months]) was not predictive of self-conscious shyness. Independent genetic factors made strong contributions to parent-reported (but not observed) fearful shyness (additive genetic influence = .69 and .72 at 12 and 22 months, respectively) and self-conscious shyness (additive genetic influence = .90 for the growth model intercept). Results encourage future investigation of patterns of change and interrelations in shyness subtypes.
authors: Arizona State University.
authors: Natalie D
authors: ND
authors: Eggum-Wilkens
authors: Arizona State University.
authors: Kathryn
authors: K
authors: Lemery-Chalfant
authors: University of Iowa.
authors: Nazan
authors: N
authors: Aksan
authors: University of Wisconsin-Madison.
authors: H Hill
authors: HH
authors: Goldsmith
keywords: fear; heritability; self-conscious; shyness; twins