Abstract
Sixty-five self-identified frequent and infrequent blushers in four age groups (ages 13 to 55) were interviewed regarding their typical experience of blushing, physiological correlates of blushing, age-related changes in blushing, and the social context of blushing. Both groups experienced blushing as varying in intensity, duration, latency, and the extent to which it is accompanied by other physical symptoms. Reported frequency of blushing was negatively correlated with age (r=−.49,p<.0001). While 64% of the subjects age 25 and younger reported blushing more than once a week (and 36% blush daily), only 28% of those over 25 reported blushing more than once a week.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bullock, M., & Russell, J. A. (1986). Concepts of emotion in developmental psychology. In C. Izard & P. Read (Eds.),Measuring emotions in infants and children, Vol. 2. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Burgess, T. H. (1839).The physiology or mechanism of blushing. London: John Churchill.
Buss, A. H. (1980).Self-consciousness and social anxiety. San Francisco, CA: W. H. Freeman.
Buss, A. H., Iscoe, I., & Buss, E. H. (1979). The development of embarrassment.Journal of Psychology, 103 227–230.
Castefranchi, C., & Poggi, I. (in press). Blushing as a discourse: Was Darwin wrong? In R. Crozier (Ed.),Shyness and embarrassment. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Cheek, J. M., & S. R. Briggs (Eds.),Shyness: Perspectives on research and treatment (pp. 105–116). New York: Plenum Press.
Cheek, J. M., Carpentieri, A. M., Smith, T. G., Rierdan, J., & Koff, E. (1986). Adolescent shyness. In W. H. Jones, J. M. Cheek, & S. R. Briggs (Eds.),Shyness: Perspectives on research and treatment. New York: Plenum Press.
Crozier, W. R. (1986). Individual differences in shyness. In W. H. Jones, J. M. Cheek, & S. R. Briggs (Eds.),Shyness: Perspectives on research and treatment (pp. 133–146). New York: Plenum Press.
Darwin, C. (1872/1955).The expression of the emotions in man and animals. New York: Greenwood Press.
Edelmann, R. J. (1987).The psychology of embarrassment. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Edelmann, R. J. (in press). Chronic blushing, self-consciousness and social anxiety.Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment.
Edelmann, R. J., Asendorpf, J., Contarello, A., Georgas, J., Villaneuva, C., & Zammuner, V. (1987). Self-reported verbal and non-verbal strategies for coping with embarrassment in five European cultures.Social Science Information, 26 869–883.
Edelmann, R. J., & Iwawaki, S. (1987). Self-reported expression and consequences of embarrassment in the United Kingdom and Japan.Psychologia, 30 205–216.
Edelmann, R. J., & Neto, F. (1989). Self-reported expression and consequences of embarrassment in Portugal and the U.K.International Journal of Psychology, 24 351–366.
Fehr, B. & Russell, J.A. (1984). Concept of emotion viewed from a prototype perspective.Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 116 464–486.
Feldman, S. (1941). On blushing.Psychiatric Quarterly, 15 249–261.
Frijda, N. H. (1985).The emotions. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Hassett, J. (1978).A primer of psychophysiology. San Francisco, CA: W. H. Freeman & Company.
Izard, C. E. (1977).Human emotions. New York: Plenum Press.
Izard, C. E., & Hyson, M. C. (1986). Shyness as a discrete emotion. In W. J. Jones, J. M. Cheek, & S. R. Briggs (Eds.),Shyness, Perspectives on research and treatment (pp. 147–160). New York: Plenum Press.
Karch, F. E. (1971). Blushing.Psychoanalytic Review, 58 37–50.
Mellander, S., Angerson, P-O., Alzelisus, L-E., & Hellstrand, P. (1982). Neural beta-adrenergic dilation of the facial vein in man.Acta Physiologica Scandanavia, 114 393–399.
Miller, J. P. (1965). The psychology of blushing.International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 46 188–199.
Miller, S. (1985).The shame experience. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Mitchell, A. (1905).About dreaming, laughing, and blushing. London: William Green.
Sattler, J. M. (1965). A theoretical, developmental, and clinical investigation of embarrassment.Genetic Psychological Monographs, 71 19–59.
Sattler, J. M. (1966). Embarrassment and blushing: A theoretical review.Journal of Social Psychology, 69 117–133.
Schandry, R., & Poth, E. (1983). Eine expeimentelle Untersuchung zur Psychologie und Physiologie des Errötens.Psychologische Beiträge, Band 25 503–514.
Seidner, L. B., Stipek, D. J., & Feshbach, N. D. (1983). A developmental analysis of elementary school-aged children's concepts of pride and embarrassment.Child Development, 59 367–377.
Shearn, D., Bergman, E., Hill, K., Abel, A. & Hinds, L. (1989, October).Blushing increases with audience size. Paper presented at the meeting of the Society for Psychophysiological Research, New Orleans, LA.
Shearn, D., Bergman, E., Hill, K., Abel, A. & Hinds, L. (in press). Facial coloration and temperature responses in blushing.Psychophysiology.
Shields, S. A. (1984a). Distinguishing between emotion and nonemotion: Judgments about experience.Motivation and Emotion, 8 355–369.
Shields, S. A. (1984b). Reports of bodily change in anxiety, sadness, and anger.Motivation and Emotion, 8 355–369.
Shields, S. A. (1987). Women, men, and the dilemma of emotion. In P. Shaver & C. Hendricks (Eds.),Review of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol. 7 (pp. 229–250). Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
Shields, S. A. (1989).The psychophysiological mechanisms of blushing. Unpublished manuscript.
Shields, S. A., Mallory, M.E., & Simon, A. (1987, July).The experience and symptoms of blushing: Preliminary results. Paper presented at the meeting of the International Society for Research on Emotions, Worcester, MA.
Wallbott, H. G. & Scherer, K.R. (1988). How universal and specific is emotional experience? Evidence from 27 countries and five continents. In K. R. Scherer (ed.),Facets of emotion (pp. 31–56). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Wilkin, J. K. (1983). Flushing reactions. In A. J. Rook, H. J. Maibach (Eds.),Recent advances in dermatology. Volume 6 (pp. 157–187). New York: Churchill-Livingston.
Zimbardo, P. G. (1986). The Stanford shyness project. In W. H. Jones, J. M. Cheek, & S. R. Briggs (Eds.),Shyness: Perspectives on research and treatment (pp. 17–26). New York: Plenum Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
We would like to thank Indra Thadani and Susan Cogan for assisting with the interviews and Gina Leveroni, Nancy Berger, and Maria Cruz for their assistance in coding interviews. This research was supported by an NSF Visiting Professorship in Science and Engineering award to the first author. The special assistance of Alan Goldfien, M.D., is gratefully acknowledged. Thanks also go to reviewers for their helpful comments. Preliminary results were presented at the meeting of the International Society for Research on Emotions, Clark University, July 1987.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Shields, S.A., Mallory, M.E. & Simon, A. The experience and symptoms of blushing as a function of age and reported frequency of blushing. J Nonverbal Behav 14, 171–187 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00996225
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00996225