Frantically looking at your hands. The crimson flush on your face. It seems like most of the time, most of us try to hide signs of our embarrassment. However, new research has shown that people who are easily embarrassment are seen to be more reliable and honest, and people who are easily embarrassed report higher levels of monogamy.
Dr Robb Willer, one of the study’s authors, said: “Embarrassment is one emotional signature of a person to whom you can entrust valuable resources. It’s part of the social glue that fosters trust and cooperation in everyday life.”
However, it is critical to note that the embarrassment that is being referred to in the study does not include extreme levels of embarrassment that can adversely result in social anxiety.
For the research, people were recorded when talking about their embarrassing moments and these videos were analysed for the amount of embarrassment people showed. Afterwards, the same group of people played a game to evaluate their generosity and it is found that people who are easily embarrassed were more generous. Moreover, it is also proven that people who acted embarrassed generally gained more trust from others. With all that has been said, embarrassment is something that you should not be embarrassed about!
Category(s):Mental Health in Asia
Source material from Psyblog
