Feelings of Embarrassment - Assignment Example

How does the presence of others influence your feelings of embarrassment?

The presence of others certainly has an effect on my feelings of embarrassment. I do not feel embarrassed of any action I do if I am alone. For example, if I come out of the washroom with some soap still left on my face, and if that happens where no one else is present to notice it, there is no need for embarrassment. If the same happens in front of a group of people, then it will certainly make me feel embarrassed. Furthermore, the level of embarrassment depends on what my relationship with the other people is. For example, in front of my family, I may not feel as embarrassed as I would in front of colleagues or strangers. The number of people present may also be a factor as a larger group make me more uneasy.

Would you feel less embarrassed if no one could recognize you, such as a trip away from home, or a costume party?

I do not feel a lower level of embarrassment in front of strangers. Tripping or spilling drinks in front of strangers is more embarrassing than before my family or friends. I am more concerned about the impression I might make in their minds. Worse the situation is higher the embarrassment, irrespective of whether it is at home or away. For instance, if I belch on a train away from home, I think it would draw unnecessary attention making me feel awkward. Even among familiar people, it is the nature of the relationship that decides the level of my embarrassment.  The more unfamiliar they are, the higher my feeling of embarrassment would be.

What does this inform us about embarrassment?

 It appears that embarrassment is most likely to happen in relation to the presence of other people and that it arises from feeling exposed or awkward. It is connected to self-consciousness because one feels embarrassed only when he or she feels being noticed and judged. It could be a fear of potential negative impressions that one can create as a result of an action. Embarrassment is more likely to happen when someone feels to has failed to behave in a socially appropriate way and therefore has created a wrong impression of oneself with the people around. Therefore, it could mean that embarrassment is linked to the individual perception of self and others in a social context.  This is the reason why, for example, a person may not feel as embarrassed doing an action in front of family members or friends as doing it in front of strangers, potential partners, or employers. Also, people who are too self-conscious and tend to think that everyone else present will notice what he or she is doing is more likely to become embarrassed than someone who is least concerned about other’s opinion.