Effects of approval motivation and fear of evaluation on social anxiety

Abstract

This study focused on social anxiety and examined the effects of approval motivation (including praiseseeking needs and rejection-avoidance needs) and fear of evaluation (including fears of positive and negative evaluations) on social anxiety (social interaction anxiety and the deficit of self-efficacy in interactive social situations). A survey was conducted among university students. The results indicated that positive regressions from fears of positive and negative evaluations to social interaction anxiety were significant. Moveover, positive regressions from rejection-avoidance needs to fear of positive evaluation, fear of negative evaluation, and social interaction anxiety were also significant whereas negative regressions from praise-seeking needs to fear of positive evaluation, and social interaction anxiety were significant. In addition, negative regressions from praise-seeking needs to the deficit of self-ecacy in interactive social situations were significant. These results indicate that (1) praise-seeking needs, which are a part of approval motivation, decreased social anxiety and fear of positive evaluation, and (2) praise-seeking needs were related to self-ecacy in interactive social situations.