Observing media can cause second-hand embarrassment

By Staff Writer

In today's age of reality television and social networking, many people's flaws are broadcast to a large audience.

According to a new study in the journal PLoS ONE, observers can experience emotional pain just by viewing other people's embarrassments. The research is the first to prove vicarious embarrassment with a neural basis.

Experts used functional magnetic resonance imaging to measure the brain activity in individuals who watched television and used the Internet. They found that certain situations invoked neural activations in the anterior cingulate cortex and the left anterior insula, which are connected to empathy. This region of the brain is called the pain matrix.

Researchers used several everyday life situations that triggered the vicarious embarrassment. One was a girl who tripped on the show America's Next Top Model, which is an example of when a person is aware of their flaw.

Another was a photo of an individual wearing a T-shirt that contained comments about sexual capabilities, which was an example of a person being unaware or uninterested in the perceived imperfection.

Both situations caused similar activity in the core region of the pain matrix.

Feelings of embarrassment can cause some people to feel anxious, stressed or depressed. Adolescents who suffer from these emotional problems may benefit from boarding school, which can help teens build confidence and feel less bashful in everyday situations.