Psychological Significance of the Blush (eBook)

The blush is a ubiquitous yet little understood phenomenon which can be triggered by a number of self-conscious emotions such as shame, embarrassment, shyness, pride and guilt. The field of psychology has seen a recent surge in the research of such emotions, yet blushing remains a relatively neglected area. This unique volume brings together leading researchers from a variety of disciplines to review emerging research on the blush, discussing in depth issues that have arisen and stimulating new theorizing to indicate future directions for research. Topics covered include: the psychophysiology of the blush, developmental aspects, measurement issues, its evolutionary significance and the role of similar colour signals in the social life of other species, its relation to embarrassment, shame and social anxiety, and the rationale for, and clinical trials of, interventions to help people suffering from blushing phobia.

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The blush is a ubiquitous yet little understood phenomenon which can be triggered by a number of self-conscious emotions such as shame, embarrassment, shyness, pride and guilt. The field of psychology has seen a recent surge in the research of such emotions, yet blushing remains a relatively neglected area. This unique volume brings together leading researchers from a variety of disciplines to review emerging research on the blush, discussing in depth issues that have arisen and stimulating new theorizing to indicate future directions for research. Topics covered include: the psychophysiology of the blush; developmental aspects; measurement issues; its evolutionary significance and the role of similar colour signals in the social life of other species; its relation to embarrassment, shame and social anxiety; and the rationale for, and clinical trials of, interventions to help people suffering from blushing phobia.