The Effect of the Fears of Positive and Negative Evaluation on Emotional and Cognitive Outcomes in Imagined and In Vivo Social Evaluative Situations

Abstract

Theorists have proposed the bivalent fear of evaluation (BFOE) model, whereby socially anxious individuals fear evaluation in general at both ends of the valence spectrum, positive and negative. Two studies were completed in this experimental research program that examined how individuals respond to positive and negative feedback in imagery-based social-evaluative situations (Study 1), and then how they actually respond when given positive and negative feedback on their social performance in vivo (Study 2).