Vicarious embarrassment
{{short description|Feeling of embarrassment from observing the embarrassing actions of another person}}
Vicarious embarrassment (also known as secondhand, empathetic, or third-party embarrassment and also as Spanish shame{{cite web|url=https://blog.rtve.es/carnecruda/2012/06/spanish-shame-.html|title=Spanish shame|first=Javier|last=Gallego|publisher=RTVE|date=18 June 2012|language=es}}{{cite news|url=https://www.elcorreo.com/culturas/sentido-humor-sintoma-20220211174948-nt.html|title=Club Caníbal, «humor negro» y 'spanish shame'|first=Ramón|last=Albertus|newspaper=El Correo|date=11 February 2022|language=es}} or {{lang|de|italic=no|Fremdschämen}} in German{{Cite web |last=Wedia |title=German words expats should know: Fremdschämen |url=https://www.iamexpat.de/education/education-news/german-words-expats-should-know-fremdschaemen |access-date=2022-11-16 |website=IamExpat |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |date=2018-10-04 |title=German Word of the Day: Fremdschämen |url=https://www.thelocal.de/20181004/german-word-of-the-day-fremdsch/ |access-date=2022-11-16 |website=The Local Germany |language=en-US}}) is the feeling of embarrassment from observing the embarrassing actions of another person. Unlike general embarrassment, vicarious embarrassment is not the feelings of embarrassment for yourself or for your own actions, but instead by feeling embarrassment for somebody else after witnessing (verbally and/or visually) that other person experience an embarrassing event. These emotions can be perceived as pro-social, and some say they can be seen as motives for following socially and culturally acceptable behavior.{{Cite journal|last=Hoffman|first=Martin L.|date=1990-06-01|title=Empathy and justice motivation|journal=Motivation and Emotion|language=en|volume=14|issue=2|pages=151–172|doi=10.1007/BF00991641|s2cid=143830768|issn=0146-7239}}{{Cite journal|last=Williams|first=Kipling D.|date=2007|title=Ostracism|journal=Annual Review of Psychology|volume=58|issue=1|pages=425–452|doi=10.1146/annurev.psych.58.110405.085641|pmid=16968209}}
Vicarious embarrassment (German: Fremdscham) is often seen as an opposite to schadenfreude, which is the feeling of pleasure or satisfaction at misfortune, humiliation or embarrassment of another person.{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/2014/07/19/332760081/the-opposite-of-schadenfreude-vicarious-embarrassment|title=The Opposite Of Schadenfreude: Vicarious Embarrassment|work=NPR.org|access-date=2017-12-04|language=en}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/redeye/redeye-fremdscham-is-like-the-inverse-of-schadenfreude-20160108-story.html|title=This is why you don't like cringe comedies|last=Curiosity|work=RedEye Chicago|access-date=2017-12-06|language=en-US}}
Vicarious embarrassment is different from an emotional contagion, which is when a person unconsciously mimics the emotions that others are experiencing.{{Cite journal|last1=Hatfield|first1=Elaine|last2=Cacioppo|first2=John T.|last3=Rapson|first3=Richard L.|date=2016-06-22|title=Emotional Contagion|journal=Current Directions in Psychological Science|language=en|volume=2|issue=3|pages=96–100|doi=10.1111/1467-8721.ep10770953|s2cid=220533081}} An emotional contagion is experienced by both people, making it a shared emotion. Vicarious embarrassment often occurs even when the individual experiencing the embarrassing event might not be aware of the implications. For an act to be considered an emotional contagion, more than one person must be affected by the emotion, but in vicarious emotions, it is only necessary that the observer experience the emotion.{{Cite journal|last=Barsade|first=Sigal G.|author1-link=Sigal G. Barsade|date=2002-12-01|title=The Ripple Effect: Emotional Contagion and its Influence on Group Behavior|journal=Administrative Science Quarterly|language=en|volume=47|issue=4|pages=644–675|doi=10.2307/3094912|issn=0001-8392|jstor=3094912|citeseerx=10.1.1.476.4921|s2cid=1397435}} Furthermore, vicarious embarrassment can be experienced even when the observer is completely isolated.
Vicarious embarrassment, like other vicarious emotions, presents symptoms that reflect the original emotion. However, unlike shared emotions, the experience of embarrassment for the observer is dependent on how they normally experience embarrassment. Individuals who experience social anxiety in their own life may experience the familiar symptoms of blushing,{{Cite journal|last1=Nikolić|first1=Milica|last2=Colonnesi|first2=Cristina|last3=de Vente|first3=Wieke|last4=Drummond|first4=Peter|last5=Bögels|first5=Susan M.|date=2015-06-01|title=Blushing and Social Anxiety: A Meta-Analysis|journal=Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice|language=en|volume=22|issue=2|pages=177–193|doi=10.1111/cpsp.12102|issn=1468-2850|url=http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/27381/}}{{Cite journal|last1=Feinberg|first1=Matthew|last2=Willer|first2=Robb|last3=Keltner|first3=Dacher|date=January 2012|title=Flustered and faithful: embarrassment as a signal of prosociality|journal=Journal of Personality and Social Psychology|volume=102|issue=1|pages=81–97|doi=10.1037/a0025403|issn=1939-1315|pmid=21928915|s2cid=14251097|url=http://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/a75f/af6748be54be79a667ca803e23fe3c67b2a2.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190302180901/http://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/a75f/af6748be54be79a667ca803e23fe3c67b2a2.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=2019-03-02}} excess sweating, trembling, palpitations, and nausea.{{Cite journal|last1=Acarturk|first1=C.|last2=de Graaf|first2=Ron|last3=van Straten|first3=A.|last4=Have|first4=M. Ten|last5=Cuijpers|first5=P.|date=April 2008|title=Social phobia and number of social fears, and their association with comorbidity, health-related quality of life and help seeking: a population-based study|journal=Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology|volume=43|issue=4|pages=273–279|doi=10.1007/s00127-008-0309-1|issn=0933-7954|pmid=18219433|s2cid=8450876|url=https://research.vu.nl/ws/files/2339559/Acarturk%20Social%20Psychiatry%20and%20Psychiatric%20Epidemiology%2043(4)%202008%20u.pdf}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/social-anxiety-disorder-more-than-just-shyness/index.shtml|title=NIMH » Social Anxiety Disorder: More Than Just Shyness|website=www.nimh.nih.gov|language=en|access-date=2017-12-04}} Other, less severe symptoms may include cringing, looking away, or general discomfort.
Psychological basis
= Empathy =
Vicarious embarrassment, also known as empathetic embarrassment, is intrinsically linked to empathy. Empathy is the ability to understand the feelings of another and is considered a highly reinforcing emotion to promote selflessness, prosocial behavior, and group emotion, whereas a lack of empathy is related to antisocial behavior.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jV5QVgM6Me8C|title=Emotions in Social Psychology: Essential Readings|last=Parrott|first=W. Gerrod|date=2001|publisher=Psychology Press|isbn=9780863776823|language=en}}{{Cite journal|last=de Waal|first=Frans B.M.|date=2007-12-21|title=Putting the Altruism Back into Altruism: The Evolution of Empathy|journal=Annual Review of Psychology|volume=59|issue=1|pages=279–300|doi=10.1146/annurev.psych.59.103006.093625|pmid=17550343|issn=0066-4308}} During an embarrassing situation, the observer empathizes with the victim of embarrassment, assuming the feeling of embarrassment. People who have more empathy are more likely to be susceptible to vicarious embarrassment.{{Cite journal|last1=Krach|first1=Sören|last2=Cohrs|first2=Jan Christopher|last3=Loebell|first3=Nicole Cruz de Echeverría|last4=Kircher|first4=Tilo|last5=Sommer|first5=Jens|last6=Jansen|first6=Andreas|last7=Paulus|first7=Frieder Michel|date=2011-04-13|title=Your Flaws Are My Pain: Linking Empathy To Vicarious Embarrassment|journal=PLOS ONE|volume=6|issue=4|pages=e18675|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0018675|pmid=21533250|pmc=3076433|bibcode=2011PLoSO...618675K |issn=1932-6203|doi-access=free}} The capacity to recognize emotions is probably innate,{{Cite book|title=Unlock the positive potential hidden in your DNA|last=D.|first=Baird, James|date=2010|publisher=New Page Books|others=Nadel, Laurie, 1948-|isbn=9781601631053|location=Franklin Lakes, NJ|oclc=460061527}} as it may be achieved unconsciously. Yet it can be trained and achieved with various degrees of intensity or accuracy.{{Cite book|title=Teaching Empathy|last=O'Malley|first=J|year=1999|location=America|pages=22–26}}
= Self-projection =
Psychological projection is a theory in psychology and psychoanalysis in which humans defend themselves against undesirable emotions by denying their existence in themselves while attributing them to others.{{Cite book|jstor=j.ctt5hhr4b|title=Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Volume 11: Psychology and Religion: West and East|last=C. G.|first=JUNG|date=1969|publisher=Princeton University Press|editor-last=ADLER|editor-first=GERHARD|editor-last2=HULL|editor-first2=R. F. C.}} Projection is considered a normal and common process in everyday life.{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/invitationtopsyc00wade|url-access=registration|quote=wade psychology.|title=Psychology|last1=Wade|first1=Carole|last2=Tavris|first2=Carol|date=2002|publisher=Prentice Hall|isbn=9780130982636|language=en}} Vicarious embarrassment and other vicarious emotions, however, work in the reverse, a process called self-projection. The undesirable emotion is experienced in another person, and the observer projects what they interpret as the appropriate response onto themselves.{{Cite journal|last=Mills|first=Jon|date=2013-02-01|title=Jung's metaphysics|journal=International Journal of Jungian Studies|volume=5|issue=1|pages=19–43|doi=10.1080/19409052.2012.671182|issn=1940-9052}} For example, someone who lies easily might feel vicariously embarrassed if they self-project the experience of someone getting caught in a bad lie.
Cultural significance
Embarrassing situations often arise in social situations, as the result of failing to meet a social expectation, and is used to help learn what has been deemed culturally appropriate.{{Cite news|url=https://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2012/11/14/the-psychology-of-embarrassment/|title=The Psychology of Embarrassment|date=2012-11-14|work=World of Psychology|access-date=2017-12-04|language=en-US|archive-date=2016-12-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161207075755/http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2012/11/14/the-psychology-of-embarrassment/|url-status=dead}} While embarrassment isolates the victim based on a cultural bias, vicarious embarrassment is used to promote prosocial behavior between the victim and the observer.
= Cringe comedy =
{{Main|Cringe comedy}}
Embarrassing situations have been used for a long time in situational comedy, sketch comedy, dramatic irony, and practical jokes. Traditionally, laugh tracks were used to help cue the audience to laugh at appropriate times. But as laugh tracks were removed from sitcoms, embarrassing situations on television were now accompanied by silence, creating a genre known as cringe comedy,{{Cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1992/04/16/funny-business-23/|title=Funny Business|work=tribunedigital-chicagotribune|access-date=2017-12-06|language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47391-2005Mar18.html|title=With 'Office,' NBC Goes Off the Beaten Laugh Track (washingtonpost.com)|author-last1=Booth|author-first1=William|date=20 March 2005|website=The Washington Post|access-date=2017-12-04}}{{Cite web|url=https://curiosity.com/topics/dont-like-cringe-comedies-you-probably-have-fremdscham-curiosity/|title=Don't Like Cringe Comedies? You Probably Have Fremdscham|website=curiosity.com|access-date=2017-12-06|archive-date=2017-12-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171208231541/https://curiosity.com/topics/dont-like-cringe-comedies-you-probably-have-fremdscham-curiosity/|url-status=dead}} which includes many critically acclaimed sitcom television shows, such as the British television series The Office.{{Cite news|url=http://www.nj.com/entertainment/tv/index.ssf/2009/01/the_office_duel_30_rock_flu_sh.html|title=The Office, "Duel" & 30 Rock, "Flu Shot": Silent but deadly|work=NJ.com|access-date=2017-12-04|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|url=https://jezebel.com/5791928/the-science-behind-your-secondhand-embarrassment|title=The Science Behind Your Secondhand Embarrassment|last=Hartmann|first=Margaret|work=Jezebel|access-date=2017-12-04|language=en-US}}