The Darker Side of Social Anxiety: When Aggressive Impulsivity Prevails Over Shy Inhibition Todd B. Kashdan and Patrick E. McKnight George Mason University Abstract The majority of definitions, research studies, and treatment programs that focus on social anxiety characterize the prototypical person with the disorder as shy, submissive, inhibited, and risk averse. This stereotype, however, has been challenged recently. Specifically, a subset of people with social anxiety who are aggressive, impulsive novelty seekers deviate from that prototype. People with this atypical profile show greater functional impairment and are less likely to complete or fare well in treatment compared with inhibited socially anxious people. The difference between these two groups of people with social anxiety cannot be explained by the severity, type, or number of social fears, nor by co-occurring anxiety and mood disorders. Conclusions about the nature, course, and treatment of social anxiety may be compromised by not attending to diverse behaviors and self- regulatory styles. These concerns may be compounded in neurobiological and clinical studies of people with social anxiety prob- lems that rely on smaller samples to make claims about brain patterns and the efficacy of particular treatments. Keywords social phobia, self-regulation, impulsivity, aggression, classification In 1998, Ricky Williams won the Heisman Trophy as the best college football player in the United States, and following this, he received an $8 million contract to play for the Miami Dol- phins in the National Football League. He was highlighted in the media and adored by fans wearing replicas of his jersey. Nobody knew that beneath his 6-foot tall, 225-pounds of mus- cle was someone suffering from the intense fear of being rejected, of being perceived as deficient compared to other people’s expectations. He was diagnosed with social anxiety disorder (SAD), and although he could wear his helmet and pads and run with the football in front of 80,000 people, he was terrified of making small talk with his teammates or having conversations with strangers for fear of looking foolish and being ridiculed. Despite his size, strength, speed, and money, Ricky was not immune to psychological pain. His dedication to becoming one of the best football players in the world was probably partially motivated by his intense, impairing desire to ward off social rejection at all costs. By sharing his story, including a successful response to pharmacological treatment, he reduced some of the stigma associated with SAD. People feel socially anxious when they want to make a particular impression on others but doubt their ability to do so. Everyone feels socially anxious at some times, with varying frequency, intensity, duration, and functional disrup- tion. In 1980, SAD was officially recognized as a psychiatric condition—defined by an intense fear and avoidance of social situations where there is potential for evaluation or rejection by others (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). With evidence showing that approximately 12% of people in the United States will show signs of SAD at some point in their lifetime, it is one of the most common psychiatric conditions. Thus, it is important to revise our thinking about social anxiety as new data arise. Research on developmental origins, phenomenology, and treatment is often based on assumptions that people with SAD form a homogenous group that can be understood through com- parisons with people without this disorder. The prototypical person with SAD is characterized as shy, submissive, behavio- rally inhibited, and risk averse (e.g., Beidel & Turner, 1998; Crozier & Alden, 2001). This profile can be found in academic articles, psychology textbooks, self-help books, and treatment protocols. It may seem obvious, though, that there are devia- tions from the prototype; at least a minority of people with SAD would be expected to exhibit behavior patterns that fail Corresponding Author: Todd B. Kashdan, Department of Psychology, MS 3F5, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030 E-mail: tkashdan@gmu.edu Current Directions in Psychological Science 19(1) 47-50 ª The Author(s) 2010 Reprints and permission: sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/0963721409359280 http://cdps.sagepub.com