Synopses & Reviews
Social scientist David Allyn examines the subtly damaging effects of shame and embarrassment on our everyday lives-and offers powerful advice for identifying and managing them. For many of us, when it comes to asking for a raise, asking someone to dinner, or just saying what we think in a difficult situation, a quietly lurking fear of embarrassment undermines our ability to effectively get the job done. Yet often-times, we are so accustomed to these feelings-or so eager to forget them once they have disappeared-that we fail to notice how dramatically they are shaping our actions.
In I Can't Believe I Just Did That, David Allyn draws upon extensive research in psychology and the social sciences, as well as the real-life experiences of the numerous subjects who participated in a study conducted for this book, to illustrate the impact embarrassment has on our day-to-day encounters. He shows readers how, if left unchecked, even the briefest incidents of embarrassment-in the checkout line at the supermarket or with a family member or coworker-can have negative repercussions on the important relationships in our lives. Through exercises designed to identify and ultimately dissolve these feelings of self-doubt and confusion, Allyn presents readers with a powerful program for transforming our spirals of shame into spirals of achievement.
Synopsis
Social scientist David Allyn examines the subtly damaging effects of shame and embarrassment on everyday lives--and offers powerful advice for identifying and managing them.
About the Author
David Allyn, Ph.D., is a Harvard-trained social scientist. A Visiting Scholar at the Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy at Columbia University, Allyn's essays have appeared in such publications as The Journal of American Studies, The New York Times Magazine, and The Washington Post.