The self-presentation model of social anxiety

The purpose of this study was to examine and test the self-presentation model of social anxiety in the Turkish context. To test the model, a study group was formed. One thousand one hundred twenty three students of 2nd and 3rd classes who were studying in 2001-2002 academic year in Osman gazi University were participated in the study group. These faculties included education, economics and administrative sciences, Sciences and arts, and engineering and architecture. Social anxiety levels of the students were measured by the "Interaction and Audience Anxiety Scale" developed by Mark R. Leary (1983) and adapted and translated by the author of this study into the Turkish language. Factors that effect self-presentation model of social anxiety were measured by different scales. One of the scales was "Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale." The scale was developed by Rosenberg (1965) and adapted in Turkish by Cuhadaroglu (1986). Need for approval dimension was measured by "Fear of Criticism and Rejection scale". The scale is a subscale of "Sociotropy Autonomy Scale" developed by A. T. Beck and others (1983) and adapted in Turkish by Sahin and others (1993). Self-consciousness was measured by "Self-Consciousness Scale" developed by Ruganci (1995). The rest of the factors that effect social anxiety in self determination model were measured by 10 degrees Likert type single-item measures developed by the author. These factors were "the importance levels of audiences," "strangers in the situation," "former social failures," "perceived social skills," "fear of negative evaluation." In order to test whether self presentation model of social anxiety were appropriate in the Turkish context; total points for all scales implemented in study group were computed. A correlation matrix was obtained with these total points. Path analysis was conducted in this correlation matrix. The findings obtained in the study were stated below. 1. The variables that were claimed to effect social anxiety by the self- presentation model were significantly effective in the Turkish context. 2. 67% of the Interaction Anxiety was consisted of the variables of audience anxiety, general self-consciousness, need for approval, fear of negative evaluation, self-esteem, the importance level of audience, strangers in the situation, former Social Failures, and perceived social skills. 3. 33% of the audience anxiety was consisted of the variables of General Self- Consciousness, Need for Approval, Fear of Negative Evaluation, Self-Esteem, the Importance Level of Audience, Strangers in the Situation, Former Social Failures, and Perceived Social Skills. 4. It was observed that the most effective variable on the Interaction and Audience Anxiety is Need for Approval. 5. It was observed that Strangers in the Situation, Self-Consciousness and the Former Social Failures did not have a direct effect together on the Interaction and Audience Anxiety but it had an indirect effect.Keywords: Social anxiety, self-presentation, path analysis.