Lendle

We all blush at one time or another yet despite its familiarity blushing is difficult to understand and presents us with many puzzles. This short book takes a psychological approach and draws upon recent research to address these puzzles. It is written in an accessible style and will be of interest to anyone who is intrigued by the study of our emotional life. It includes suggestions for further reading.I consider its physiology, asking what makes our face go red in particular circumstances. We know that reddening results from vasodilation of blood vessels that lie close to the skin but we know little about the processes in the nervous system that initiate vasodilation, often making us more visible when we least want to be seen. A blush is involuntary and uncontrollable and being accused of blushing can cause us to do so or intensify an existing blush. What is it about certain situations that trigger a blush? How does the blush relate to embarrassment, shame and shyness? Do we always blush whenever we are embarrassed? Is this true of everybody whatever their skin complexion?Better understanding of blushing is of psychological interest for a number of reasons. It would throw light on our emotions, particularly the role that emotions and their visible expression play in our everyday social life. We often find ourselves blushing in uncomfortable situations, for example when we are the focus of attention or involved in an embarrassing predicament; yet for many people this goes beyond discomfort and their fear of blushing is a serious problem, leading them to avoid situations where they believe they might do so. This can have a devastating impact on their life and many seek medical help to cope with their difficulties. The book considers the nature of these problems and assesses psychological and medical interventions that have been applied to overcoming fear of blushing.The book begins with discussion of the nature of the blush before describing its physiology and attempts that have been made to measure the blush. This is a challenging task and one reason for the scientific neglect of blushing. It discusses evidence for the notion that the blush acts as a signal to others, conveying an acknowledgement and apology for some failure to meet standards or social expectations. It then considers why blushing is often experienced in situations that have sexual connotations, for example in receiving compliments on appearance or references to sexual behaviour. Is this because these occasions can be embarrassing or is there a more fundamental link between sex and the blush? This leads into discussion of embarrassment and its connection with blushing. Finally, I discuss fear of blushing and approaches to its treatment.