Fixed impressions may ease social anxiety, say researchers

Tel Aviv [Israel], January 12 (ANI/TPS): A new study finds that people with social anxiety may feel less stressed and perform better in social situations when they believe first impressions are hard to change, Israel's Bar-Ilan University announced. The finding challenges a long-standing assumption in psychology that thinking people can always improve how others see them, is healthier in every case.

Social anxiety is a widespread condition marked by intense discomfort in social settings and persistent worry about being judged. For years, research has suggested that believing impressions can change encourages self-improvement. But researchers at Bar-Ilan University found that for people with high social anxiety, this belief can increase pressure and mental strain, making social interactions more difficult rather than empowering.

"For most people, believing that others' opinions can change motivates growth," said Prof. Liad Uziel of Bar-Ilan University's Department of Psychology, who led the research. "But for individuals with high social anxiety, that constant possibility for change can feel overwhelming. Viewing others' impressions as relatively stable may make the social world seem more predictable and less mentally draining."

Published in the peer-reviewed Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, the research unfolded in several stages, including a preliminary survey and three follow-up experiments. Across all phases, the researchers found a consistent pattern: participants with higher levels of social anxiety reported feeling less burdened and performed better when they adopted a fixed mindset about impression formation.

In one experiment, participants prepared a self-introduction ahead of an anticipated meeting. Those with high social anxiety made a poorer impression when they believed impressions were malleable, but this effect disappeared when they believed impressions were fixed. A second experiment involving a more stressful, video-recorded task produced similar results, again showing improved performance under a fixed mindset.

The findings were reinforced in a three-day field study in which participants applied these beliefs during everyday social interactions. Those guided to think impressions were stable described their experiences as less stressful and more satisfying than those encouraged to believe impressions could change.

The study suggests that predictability, rather than flexibility, can be calming for socially anxious individuals by reducing the pressure of constant self-evaluation. "For those who often worry about how they are perceived, believing that others' impressions are stable can be both calming and empowering," Uziel said.

The findings have direct implications for evaluative settings such as job interviews, academic assessments, and public speaking. For individuals with social anxiety, believing that impressions are formed early and unlikely to change based on minor mistakes can reduce self-monitoring and free cognitive resources, leading to clearer focus and stronger performance under pressure.

The research may also inform workplace and educational training, where constant emphasis on impression management and adaptability could unintentionally heighten anxiety. Tailoring training messages to emphasise stability and predictability for socially anxious individuals may reduce stress while maintaining performance expectations.

Researchers said the results point to potential low-cost interventions that better match mindset advice to individual psychological needs. The team plans to examine whether these effects extend to clinically diagnosed populations and how such beliefs influence other forms of social behaviour. (ANI/TPS)

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