Adaptive Shyness: Multiple Perspectives on Behavior and Development

by Louis A. Schmidt, Kristie L. Poole

Overview

This book examines the adaptive aspects of shyness. It addresses shyness as a ubiquitous phenomenon that reflects a preoccupation of the self in response to social interaction, resulting in social inhibition, social anxiety, and social withdrawal. The volume reviews the ways in which shyness has traditionally been conceptualized and describes the movement away from considering it as a disorder in need of treatment. In addition, it examines the often overlooked history and current evidence across evolution, animal species, and human culture, demonstrating the adaptive aspects of shyness from six perspectives: developmental, biological, social, cultural, comparative, and evolutionary.

Topics featured in this book include:

• The study of behavioral inhibition and shyness across four academic generations.
• The development of adaptive subtypes of shyness.
• Shy children’s adaptation to academic challenges.
• Adaptiveness of introverts in the workplace.
• The role of cultural norms and values in shaping shyness.
• Perspectives of shyness as adaptive from Indigenous Peoples of North America.
• The role that personality differences play on ecology and evolution.

Adaptive Shyness is a must-have resource for researchers and professors, clinicians and related professionals as well as graduate students in developmental psychology, pediatrics, and social work as well as related disciplines, including social/personality, evolutionary, biological, and clinical child psychology, anthropology, sociology, and cultural studies.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783030388768
Publisher:	Springer International Publishing
Publication date:	05/05/2020
Edition description:	1st ed. 2020
Pages:	327
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)

About the Author

Louis A. Schmidt is Professor and Director of the Child Emotion Laboratory in the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour at McMaster University. His research interests are in the areas of temperament, socioemotional development, and developmental psychophysiology. He is particularly interested in how biology and early experiences shape the development of individual differences in temperament in typical and atypical development.

Kristie L. Poole is a PhD candidate in Developmental Psychology in the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour at McMaster University. Broadly, her research investigates the interaction among temperamental, physiological, and contextual factors involved in socio-emotional development. She is particularly passionate about studying the developmental origins and biological foundations of shyness, as well as investigating factors that maintain or alter shyness across development.

Table of Contents

Section 1. Historical Perspectives.- Chapter 1. The study of behavioral inhibition and temperamental shyness across four academic generations.- Section 2. Developmental Perspectives.- Chapter 2. Adaptive shyness: A developmental perspective.- Chapter 3. Development and psychophysiological correlates of positive shyness from infancy to childhood.- Chapter 4. Shy but getting by: Protective factors in the links between childhood shyness and socio-emotional functioning.- Section 3. Biological Perspectives.- Chapter 5. Inhibited children in a social world: Transactional and interactive processes.- Chapter 6. The biology of shyness and adapting to threat.- Chapter 7. Shyness, adaptation, human contact.- Section 4. Cultural Perspectives.- Chapter 8. The shy child adapting to the challenges of school.- Chapter 9. Shyness and sociability revisited.- Chapter 10. Quiet strengths: Adaptable introversion in the work place.- Section 5. Cultural Perspectives.- Chapter 11. Shyness and adaptation across cultures.- Chapter 12.The many faces of shyness in childhood across cultural contexts.- Chapter 13. Perspective on shyness as adaptive from Indigenous Peoples of North America.- Section 6. Comparative and Evolutionary Perspectives.- Chapter 14. Comparative perspectives on temperament and personality in human and nonhuman animals.- Chapter 15. Evolution of adaptive individual differences in nonhuman animals.- Chapter 16. Why do people have painful feelings? An evolutionary tale of misery and woe.

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Gary B Kaniuk, PsyD (Cermak Health Services)
Description: This book explores various aspects of shyness, especially adaptive functions from different perspectives. It discusses historical, biological, and cultural factors and compares personality in human and non-human animals.
Purpose: According to the book, the purpose is to "[examine] the adaptive aspects of shyness" and "[address] shyness as a ubiquitous phenomenon that reflects a preoccupation of the self in response to social interaction, resulting in social inhibition, social anxiety, and social withdrawal." The book has met these worthy objectives.
Audience: According to the book, it is "a must-have resource for researchers and professors, clinicians and related professionals, and graduate students in developmental psychology, pediatrics, and social work as well as related disciplines, including social/personality, evolutionary, biological, and clinical child psychology, anthropology, sociology, and cultural studies." The book meets the needs of its intended audience. The authors are credible authorities in the subject matter of the book. Louis A. Schmidt is a professor at McMaster University and is interested in temperament and developmental psychophysiology. Kristie L. Poole is a graduate student at McMaster University whose research interests include the interaction of temperament and physiological and contextual factors in socioemotional development. The contributors represent an international authorship from the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom and are affiliated with well-known universities.
Features: The book begins with a historical look at the study of shyness in the literature. This can be traced back to the 1960s with the origin of behavioral inhibition (BI). Part II discusses developmental perspectives. There is heterogeneity in the construct of shyness, and many children have good developmental outcomes. Protective factors include positive parental attachment and assistance with negative emotions. Part III describes biological perspectives. Child development is a complex process with different person-environment factors and interactions. Positive relationships with others are important because it affects overall health and cortical development. Part IV explores social perspectives. School presents a challenge for shy children. Teachers can create a warm and well-structured environment and workplaces can be designed to help people who tend to be introverted. Part V focuses on cultural perspectives. Shyness is displayed in different ways across cultures and researchers have discovered three forms of childhood shyness. The book ends with a discussion of evolutionary perspectives. Research involving animal personality has increased dramatically. Painful feelings in humans motivate individuals to avoid certain problems. The book is readable and contains tables/figures that clarify the text.
Assessment: This book addresses an important topic and includes different perspectives and numerous research studies. It is written by an international collection of experts in the field. Clinicians, researchers, and graduate students will find it compelling reading.

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