E-ISSN : 2733-4538
According to one cognitive model of the fear of blushing(Dijk, Vocken, & de Jong, 2009), the belief that one is blushing presumably gives rise to negative beliefs regarding the costs of blushing. The anticipation of such costs causes fear, which leads to increased self-focused attention. This increase in self-focused attention then causes the individual to become hyper-sensitive even to small facial temperature changes, thus leading to an enhanced sensation of blushing. The present study focused on investigating the relationship between blushing tendencies and self-focused attention using an in vivo approach. We divided the participants into four groups by screening them using the Blushing Propensity Scale(BPS) and the Self-Focused Attention Scale(SFA). They then engaged in a five minute conversation with two unknown confederates. To measure blushing, we used both a subjective questionnaires and actual facial skin temperature using a thermal imaging camera. Results revealed that the high-BPS/high-SFA group displayed higher facial temperatures and longer blushing recovery times relative to the other three groups. However, although there was no significant difference in facial temperature between the low-BPS groups, the high-BPS groups reported on the subjective questionnaires that they blushed more intensely and more frequently. This is an empirical study examining the influence of self-focused attention on fear of blushing. These results may provide valuable information regarding the treatment of high blushing-fearful people.
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