Biased distance estimation in social anxiety disorder: A new avenue for understanding avoidance behavior

Abstract

Objectives: People regulate their interpersonal space appropriately to obtain a comfortable distance for interacting with others. Socially anxious individuals are especially prone to discomfort from and fear of physical closeness, leading them to prefer a greater interpersonal distance from others. Previous studies also indicate that fear can enhance the threat-related elements of a threatening stimulus. For example, spider phobia is associated with estimating spiders as bigger and faster than they actually are. Nonetheless, it is still unclear whether the preference of those with social anxiety disorder (SAD) to maintain greater distance from others is associated with biased estimations of interpersonal distance. Materials and Methods: A total of 87 participants (44 clinically diagnosed with SAD and 43 control) performed validated computerized and ecological tasks in a real-life setting while social space estimations and preferences were measured. Results: Participants with SAD felt comfortable when maintaining a greater distance from unfamiliar others compared to the control group and estimated unfamiliar others to be closer to them than they actually were. Moreover, the estimation bias predicted their preferred distance from strangers, indicating a strong association between estimation bias severity and actual approach-avoidance behavior. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that distance estimation bias underlies avoidance behavior in SAD, suggesting the involvement of a new cognitive mechanism in personal space regulation.

Effects of mask-wearing on social anxiety: an exploratory review

“…They aptly note that social distancing precautions necessarily limit opportunities for exposure exercises for people with SA to face their fears by engaging in social interaction, thereby learning that such fears are often exaggerated. In one study conducted prior to the pandemic, individuals with SAD preferred more physical distance between themselves and others in social situations compared to individuals without SAD (Givon-Benjio et al, 2020), supporting the view that such individuals may have initially experienced increased comfort and an associated temporary reduction in anxiety when greater social distance became common practice at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. However, recent self-report surveys have suggested that the COVID-19 pandemic has increased people's levels of SA and fears of negative evaluation overall, even despite the increases in physical distancing (Hawes et al, 2021;Ho & Moscovitch, 2021).…”

The moderating effects of reported pre-pandemic social anxiety, symptom impairment, and current stressors on mental health and affiliative adjustment during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic

“…In the context of physical distancing, a recent study found that individuals with SAD had biased distance estimation and tended to perceive strangers to be physically closer than they really were, but that this underestimation did not occur with familiar others, suggesting that greater physical distance may reduce perceptions of social threat for socially anxious individuals (Givon-Benjio et al, 2020). Another study using immersive virtual reality technology found participants with higher levels of social anxiety approached computer-generated avatars in a virtual setting more slowly and kept a larger distance (Rinck et al, 2010).…”

“…Even though fears of negative evaluation have persisted during the pandemic, it is possible that socially anxious individuals feel that physical distancing measures help keep others at a safer social distance, thereby promoting greater affiliative attempts. There is clear support in the existing literature for the idea that greater physical distance may reduce perceptions of social threat for socially anxious individuals (Azriel, Lazarov, Segal, & Bar-Haim, 2020;Givon-Benjio, Oren-Yagoda, Aderka, & Okon-Singer, 2020;Kamalou et al, 2019;Rinck et al, 2010). They may be inconspicuously co-opting newly introduced social norms-such as communicating online, interacting from a physical distance, or conversing from behind a mask-as self-regulatory strategies, allowing them to remain concealed while conforming to societal expectations.…”

Depression and Social Anxiety Predict Internet Use Disorder Symptoms in Children and Adolescents at 12-Month Follow-Up: Results From a Longitudinal Study

“…Regarding social anxiety disorder, individuals seem to show low reward expectations about social interactions ( Clark and Wells, 1995 ), leading to the avoidance of such situations. As a significant cause and maintenance factor (e.g., Givon-Benjio et al, 2020 ), avoidance behavior will eventually result in social withdrawal and leave individuals with reward deficiency of social interactions.…”