Social anxiety boosts brain sensitivity to other people looking at you
New research offers a new perspective on social anxiety, which is often viewed mainly as a source of distress.
Social anxiety may make the brain more responsive to other people's gaze, according to a new study from the University of Michigan. Researchers discovered that individuals with higher levels of social anxiety exhibited stronger neural reactions when a word describing someone's thoughts or feelings contradicted what their gaze suggested.
However, this heightened sensitivity did not improve their ability to accurately interpret the meaning behind the gaze later on. Study lead author Irene Melani, a recent UM psychology doctoral graduate now working as a postdoctoral fellow in Hong Kong, explains that the brain's N400 response, which occurs when information conflicts with an expected meaning, was more pronounced in those with higher social anxiety when gaze and word meanings did not align.
While this sensitivity may help some individuals pick up on social cues and anticipate risks, it might also contribute to excessive monitoring and rumination, potentially making everyday interactions more stressful. The study's findings suggest that social anxiety's impact may vary depending on the context, implying that its consequences may not always be detrimental.
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