Shyness and self-esteem in women. The role of likeability, personal power, lovability, and self-worth conditioned by others' approval

BACKGROUND The relation between shyness and self-esteem in women has not been fully elucidated. Shyness is a source of many problems in social interactions, although it may be positively evaluated by women as a stereotypically female trait. The aim of the study was to examine relations between shyness, self-esteem, its dimensions, and contingencies of self-worth in women. It also compared the self-esteem and contingencies of self-worth in shy and bold women. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE The study was conducted in a sample of 1020 Polish women, aged 18-73. The Revised Cheek and Buss Shyness Scale, the Multidimensional Self-Esteem Inventory, and the Contingencies of Self-Worth Scale were used. RESULTS The results of linear multiple regression showed that predictors of shyness were dimensions of self-esteem related to likeability, personal power, lovability, body functioning, academic/professional competences, and self-worth conditioned by others' approval and God's love. Shy women had significantly lower global self-esteem in comparison to bold women. Shy women evaluated themselves lower than bold women did, in all the dimensions of self-esteem. Both shy and bold women find family support and academic/ professional competencies the main contingencies of selfworth, and God's love was indicated the least. CONCLUSIONS The results illustrated the importance of shyness for women's self-esteem, and also have implications for understanding how shy and bold women may express themselves in social life.