The web of shyness: A network analysis of communicative correlates

Abstract

This investigation was designed to explore the use of network analysis in an investigation of the communicative behaviors of shy individuals. Twenty‐three subjects were categorized as high, moderate, or low‐shy, and the friendship networks of these individuals were compared.

The results suggest that the communication networks of high‐shy subjects are structurally different than the networks of less‐shy individuals. Specifically, shy individuals had smaller, more interconnected networks. The evidence also suggests that shy subjects tend to have longer average length of relationships with their network links, less frequent interaction, and less role diversity in their friendships. Although structural and behavioral differences were found between high and low‐shy subjects, shy subjects did not report being any less satisfied with their friendship networks than less‐shy individuals.

Overall, communication network analysis was found to be a tool that can provide insight into the behavioral and perceptual correlates of shyness.