9781422280645

9

Chapter One

Everybody Is Shy (Sometimes!)

When was the last time you felt shy? Maybe a teacher called on you in class, and you were afraid you wouldn’t get the answer right. Maybe you saw some other kids in the hallway at school, and you wanted to go talk to them but didn’t. Or maybe you wanted to ask your doctor a question but then decided the question was stupid, so you stayed quiet. Whatever the situation, the feelings are pretty much the same: you felt awkward, uncertain, and uncomfortable. You probably assumed that the other person or people were judging you harshly. Sometimes we call these feelings inhibitions . Everybody—even the most seemingly outgoing people—has had the experience of feeling awkward in a social situation. You might look at popular kids at school, adults in your family, or celebrities in the media and think, “There’s no way that person has ever felt shy.” But you’d be wrong. At one time or another, we have all experienced that feeling. Why?

Words to Understand

adaptive: a helpful response to a particular situation. extrovert: a person who enjoys being with others. hierarchy: an organization in which some people or things are ranked higher than others. inhibitions: feelings that restricts what we do or say.

introvert: a person who often prefers being alone. stratified: arranged into different levels.