Do you find that you're easily embarrassed? Say, you trip on the side-walk and it leaves you red-faced? A study that was done in 2011 by a team at the University of California, Berkeley, suggests that you may be more generous and trustworthy than people who don't react as self-consciously.
"Embarrassment is one emotional signature of a person to whom you can entrust valuable resources. It’s part of the social glue that fosters trust and cooperation in everyday life" Robb Willer, social psychologist at UC Berkeley, is quoted as saying in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
These findings may be of particular use for people, like those seeking employees or team members, who are looking for indications of positive traits that will foster a more positive and productive atmosphere and work environment.
The study involved the analysis of video testimonials, economic trust games, and surveys that tested the connection between embarrassment and sociability.
The researchers of these findings point out that the common embarrassment studied should not be confused with shame or psychological issues like social anxiety, which can be debilitating.
The most observed embarrassment gesture is a gaze that is downward and usually to one side, while smirking/grimacing and partially covering the face.