Shyness and touch avoidance: Does interpersonal dependency moderate a relationship

An extensive array of information is known about shyness; however, a dearth of research exists on the relationship between shyness and touch avoidance. To explore the relationship, the proposed hypotheses were that increased levels of shyness would predict opposite-sex and same sex touch avoidance among friends. Additionally, gender would moderate that relationship, and romantic partner dependency would moderate the relationship between shyness and opposite-sex touch avoidance and between shyness and same-sex touch avoidance among friends. Measures included the Shyness Scale, Spouse-Specific Dependency Scale, and Touch Avoidance Measure. To test the hypotheses, simple and multiple regression analyses were conducted for a sample size of 102 men and 154 women. Participants were recruited via social media and through the recruitment process of Survey Monkey to participate voluntarily in the completion of self-report questionnaires. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed main effects for shyness, gender, and romantic partner dependency and no moderating effects on touch avoidance. More specifically, shyness predicted opposite and same-sex touch avoidance with higher levels of shyness predicting higher levels of touch avoidance. Additionally, gender predicted same-sex, but not opposite-sex touch avoidance. Regardless of level of shyness, men were more likely than women to avoid same-sex touch. In addition, partner dependency predicted same-sex, but not opposite-sex touch avoidance. More specifically, higher levels of partner dependency predicted higher levels of same-sex touch avoidance. Future research on mediating and moderating variables for the relationship between shyness and touch avoidance may provide a model for how personality traits, like shyness, interact with cognitions, emotions, and behaviors to either exacerbate or ameliorate interpersonal discomfort associated with shyness.