Evolutionary model of social anxiety

Social anxiety (SA) is a common and painful disorder affecting our intrapersonal and interpersonal lives. Evolutionary thinking may advance our understanding of this disorder by highlighting the functions and interrelationships of basic biobehavioral systems that govern our social lives, specifically affiliation and social rank. We first review diverse findings suggesting that the sensitivity and reactivity of these behavioral systems as well as their enhanced coupling characterize SA. Second, we suggest that the evolutionary mismatch account may be combined with the individual differences account to explain SA development and maintenance. Finally, we discuss how these insights can inform and enhance existing conceptualization and treatment. We argue that the evolutionary conceptual framework is uniquely positioned to integrate findings from diverse disciplines, inform and direct research on SA, and guide interventions.