ISSN 1671-3710
CN 11-4766/R

Advances in Psychological Science ›› 2013, Vol. 21 ›› Issue (9): 1651-1659.doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1042.2013.01651

• Regular Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Shyness and Internet Use

LUO Qing;ZHOU Zongkui;WEI Hua;TIAN Yuan;KONG Fanchang   

  1. (Key Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior, Ministry of Education, School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, and Hubei Human Development and Mental Health Key Laboratory, Wuhan 430079, China)
  • Received:2012-11-16 Online:2013-09-15 Published:2013-09-15
  • Contact: ZHOU Zongkui

Abstract: Shyness is a temperamental trait that refers to tension and discomfort when facing a new social environment and/or consciousness of situations in which social evaluation is taking place. Shyness prevents people from normal interpersonal communication. However, with the emergence of the Internet, naturally shy people have found a way to reduce the level of nervousness and discomfort they normally feel during face-to-face communication. Internet use can have both a positive and negative impact on shyness. The positive impact is that it can reduce the level of shyness; but the negative impact is that for shy individuals, the internet can become an addiction. In future studies, there is a need to investigate the mediating and moderating variables between shyness and internet use, exploring in depth the relationship between shyness and internet use.

Key words: shyness, nternet, nternet communication, nternet addiction