Social anxiety is a pervasive part of everyday life. Whether experienced during public speaking, in casual conversation, or in interactions with a boss, a potential romantic partner, or a complete stranger, feelings of anxiety, uncertainty, and awkwardness are often the consequence of quite ordinary encounters. Why does social anxiety occur? Why are some people more prone to it than others? A complete and authoritative review of the latest theory and research, this book examines the situational, dispositional, and evolutionary causes of social anxiety, its physiological, cognitive, and emotional aspects, and strategies for prevention and treatment. Special features include scales for measuring different manifestations of social anxiety as well as concise boxed segments highlighting topics of particular interest.