Positive Self-Imagery May Not Always Be Positive: Examining the Impact of Positive and Negative Self-Imagery in Social Anxiety

Abstract

Socially anxious individuals often hold a negative self-image in mind during social situations. The effect of self-imagery on post-event processing has yielded conflicting results, and its effect on anticipatory processing has yet to be examined. The primary aim of this study was to compare negative and positive self-imagery on anticipatory and post-event processing, and the secondary aim was to examine the impact on state anxiety, safety behaviors, and focus of attention. Participants (N = 80 students) were randomly assigned to a positive or negative self-imagery induction and then delivered an impromptu speech. Among those low in social anxiety, outcomes were generally better for the positive self-imagery condition but among those high in social anxiety, positive self-imagery led to similar or worse outcomes than negative self-imagery. Taken together, encouraging positive self-imagery may be useful for those with lower social anxiety, but not for those with higher social anxiety.