Social anxiety and heterosexual dating initiation

"This thesis study extends previous research by examining cognitive processes in social anxiety related to heterosexual dating initiation situations. Participants were 100 undergraduate students (50 male and 50 female, ages 18 to 20) enrolled in Introductory Psychology. Negative interpretations and avoidant behavior were examined using a series of vignettes depicting potential heterosexual dating initiation situations. Anticipatory processing was assessed using an experimental manipulation in which participants were informed that they would take part in either an in-person or instant messaging interaction with an opposite-sex stranger. Negative interpretations, avoidant behaviors and anticipatory processing each positively predicted social anxiety. In addition, anticipatory processing positively predicted self-reported state anxiety - but not physiological reactivity, prior to an impending opposite-sex interaction. These findings suggest that specific maladaptive cognitive and behavioral processes may contribute to the maintenance of trait social anxiety."--Abstract from author supplied metadata