- [Narrator] Hi, Psych2Goers and welcome back.
Thank you so much for your love and support
which enables us to present you with
the varying aspects of everyday psychology.
So, let's begin.
How well do you fair along the socialization scale?
Is that your superpower or do you have other hidden talents?
There are many of us who have been graced
with talents other than socialization.
And that is A-OK.
Conversation and social cues may not come naturally,
but socially awkward people often excel
in other areas of life.
Besides who said awkward is a bad thing?
If you identify as socially awkward, you are not alone.
Here's seven things socially awkward
people are sure to relate to.
One, you'd rather watch the phone ring than answer it.
Letting the phone ring itself to silence.
Does your phone have this secret talent?
There are few things socially awkward people
dread more than phone calls.
Especially if you don't know who's
on the other end of the line,
there's no way to know what to expect if you answer.
So many things can happen.
Sometimes your hello comes out a little shaky,
or you're not sure how to tell when it's your turn to speak.
But the good news is you've made
it through every phone call until now
and you can get through the next one, too.
Two, being awkward isn't the same thing as being anxious.
The question is how to tell them apart.
King University explains the difference
between social awkwardness and social anxiety
as while social awkwardness may describe
an alternative way of living in the world,
social anxiety is a defined medical condition
that can cause severe social impairment.
The disorder includes physical symptoms
such as flushing or a racing heart.
Awkwardness on the other hand
simply describes a way of interaction.
It's very possible to feel socially awkward
without feeling anxious,
especially once you realize that being awkward
isn't necessarily negative it's just different.
Go out there and rock that awkward.
Three, your attempts at being funny don't always pan out.
Have you ever tried your hand at cracking a joke?
How would you describe the response?
Humor in particular can be hard to master
even for those who don't feel awkward around others.
Reading an audience can be tricky to navigate
even in the most familiar of social situations.
And it takes even more skill and a bit of luck
to execute a joke correctly.
So, if you don't get a laugh right away, don't worry.
Practice makes perfect even here.
Four, unintentional interruptions just happen.
Can you name one of the most common
cringe-worthy social slip-ups?
Unintentional interruption.
The biggest miscreant
in the royal court of social conversation.
Of course, you never mean to cut someone off
or overpower their words with yours,
but when you're excited about the conversation topic
and eager to jump in,
or perhaps you really don't want to forget
what you have to say,
sometimes words just seem to come out.
If you do catch yourself interrupting,
don't beat yourself up for such
a small blip in the conversation.
Keep going.
Five, you may miss some social cues,
but you see things others don't.
In his 2017 book, "Awkward: The Science
"of Why We're Socially Awkward and Why That's Awesome",
author and psychology professor Ty Tashiro
explains how social awkwardness can lead
to some amazing differences between people.
Speaking metaphorically, according to inc.com,
non-awkward individuals typically
centralize their social life.
While those who are awkward might be
aiming a little to the side.
This may cause them to miss
some details in social situations,
but they may also pick up on other things that others don't.
Six, eye contact can get awkward fast.
Are you familiar with the dance form called
do I look away now or not?
Do you often wonder where to look when meeting others?
Simply knowing there are eyes on you
can be an extremely vulnerable feeling.
Eye contact is sent and received
differently from person to person.
For some, it might signal respect,
while for others it's perceived as threatening.
One study found that during eye contact,
the subcortical region of the brain,
an area responsible for reading emotions
and other people's faces, is overstimulated.
Which may relate to why looking someone
in the eyes can feel uncomfortable.
Seven, you're unsure how to respond.
Is making conversation a daunting task for you?
Do you struggle to find the appropriate thing to say?
You know you must be extra careful
to get the right message across,
especially with sensitive or controversial topics.
But whether or not your brain will let you slow down enough
to find the right thing to say
is another question altogether.
And if your mind isn't racing, it might be entirely blank.
How frustrating.
Even awkwardness comes from a place
of good intentions, though.
And those intentions are sure to shine through in the end,
if you give yourself a chance.
We hope you were able to give you a little insight
into the inner workings of social awkwardness.
Do any of these apply to you?
Let us know in the comments below.
If you find this video helpful,
be sure to hit the like and subscribe button
and share with your fellow socially awkwards
to help them rock their social awkwardness to the nines.
Thanks for watching.