What's the science behind the feeling of embarrassment? For what reason does someone still feel embarrassed about an action even when alone and after the fact? What's the evolutionary purpose of this feeling?
2006-09-26 12:10:57 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
My theory would be that it is a negative feeling we feel to keep us from misbehaving within the pack. To avoid this feeling, we always try our best to behave the way others do. If we do not, we risk being rejected socially and becoming isolated, thus decreasing our likelihood of survival. When we were monkeys, this would have obviously been more important. This is likely the same reason why we try to avoid the feeling of loneliness.
2006-09-26 12:12:47 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
:) is it a science? is it a chemical reaction that releases when our mind remembers the past, recognizes an "embarrasing" action in the past they wish they hadn't done, which starts a chain reaction to create a blush, and then sweat, and disorientation?
evolutionary purpose, which would allow us to feel guilty for doing things that are "wrong" in a society where behavior is dictated? is this Learned, or is it Born?
haha... i dont know if i'ts a science, i think that's what being human is about. all the feelings we feel, they are a blessing, not a science! :) we'll never truly understand when or why we have been put forth here, so for the time being, i'm gonna try to make my life as awesome as possible! hope the same goes for you~
2006-09-26 19:14:40 · answer #2 · answered by sasmallworld 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have no degree or relevant study in this area but this is what I think anyway.
I think the feeling of embarrassment comes from as always our instincts of old.
Way back in the day we were (and still are) pack/herd/social beings. However, in that time we HAD to stay in the pack to survive (life and death sense) and unless we were the alpha male/female we had to assimilate into the group and adhere to our status; much of the time conforming to the alpha male/female's 'rules'. Any time we would break these 'rules' we would compromise our stability of rank within the pack.
So as we evolved our bodies told us (instinct) ways to know when we were breaking 'rules' of our niche societies.
Once we had gained this (as with any) instinct it was hard to let it go when it was no longer a necessity for survival.
You would be amazed at how many instincts still seem to play a huge part in modern society etc, etc.
I.e.: if you were a 'popular' kid doing something like 'Dungeons and Dragons' you would be embarrassed if someone of your same social group found out about it. If you were a 'geek' ‘D and D may be cool to play but not having the enough ram to download the latest game in 35 seconds may be embarrassing. A 'jock' probably doesn’t care about computers so much but may get embarrassed about his voice cracking, yadda, yadda, yadda, different things embarrass different people in different social groups. And it all comes back to social status and survival within the group/pack.
2006-09-26 19:37:24 · answer #3 · answered by Zook 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Embarrassment is an unpleasant emotional state experienced upon having a socially unacceptable act or condition witnessed by or revealed to others.
It is similar to shame, except that shame may be experienced for an act known only to oneself. Also, embarrassment usually carries the connotation of being caused by an act that is merely socially unacceptable, rather than morally wrong.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embarrassment
2006-09-26 19:14:12 · answer #4 · answered by Shawnie 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
good question....i think that the feeling of embarrassment is completely dependent on the person's exposure to society and what type of society that person is exposed to....the feeling of embarassment is an emotion that we as human expierence because we are too weak minded to accept the osteriazation that comes with being and individual...you never see dogs being embarassed about poohing right there in front of everyone....unless the dog has been trained to not do so....they don't care because that is completely natural...people don't pooh in front of others because we would then feel others disdain and disgust directed to ourselves....i am not advocating poohing in front of a group of people....but think about it....being embarassed serves no evolutionary process because it was created by society.....
2006-09-26 19:16:33 · answer #5 · answered by apost 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Embarassment is kin to shame and is a social trait that evolved in order to make social interraction within the tribe more smooth. Those who DIDN'T develop feelings of embarassment or shame over an action that reflected badly on themselves tended to repeat that action and thus engendered hostility within the tribe. This tended to minimize their life spans and limited their access to mates. Thus, people who didn't have the capacity for shame or embarassment tended not to survive to continue their own bloodlines. Ergo, we feel shame and embarassment.
2006-09-26 19:15:17 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
If i get a lamp, rub it, and a genie came out: I'd wish this question was interesting
2006-09-26 19:15:13 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
embarrassment is about guilt...it is up to you to accept the guilt so just don't... and you wont be embarrassed.
2006-09-26 19:14:08 · answer #8 · answered by wolfwi4 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the reason is simple,Sex is the cause of hate and love mixed as one.
2006-09-26 19:14:00 · answer #9 · answered by nemraC 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
its like laughter, just go w. it.
2006-09-26 19:12:11 · answer #10 · answered by experiMENTAL bunny 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋