Quiet: Forced versus Chosen Behaviour

Abstract: Social phobia, or social anxiety disorder, is a mental disorder in which one experiences anxiety in social situations, alongside fear of ridicule and embarrassment, and as a consequence seeks to avoid these situations as much as possible. It goes in other words beyond regular shyness. Introversion is part of a personality dimension and is a state in which a person derives energy from being alone, finding primary pleasure in connecting to oneself rather than to others. Being quiet and one’s ability to socialise are communicational aspects that often occur in both behavioural types, resulting in introversion being seen as an irreplaceable connection to social phobia. In other words, being socially phobic would also mean that one is an introvert. This thesis takes this notion into closer examination, concluding that there is a possibility of being part of the extraverted dimension while still being socially phobic. It includes a literary study and an investigation of what socially phobic individuals themselves have to say; their own views and thoughts on this issue.