THE NEED FOR AFFILIATION IN ADOLESCENTS WITH VARIOUS LEVELS OF SHYNESS
The article examines the features of adolescence, the age specificity of how he perceives himself through the knowledge of other people whom he prefers as an interaction partner. The authors provide a description of the study, the purpose of which was to identify the relationship between the shyness of adolescents and their need for affiliation. Describing the manifestations of shyness in adolescence, the authors take into account the complexity and inconsistency of adolescence, which creates conditions for the development of this disorder. Shyness is dangerous because at an older age it prevents the establishment of contacts, the achievement of success in the personal and professional sphere. In the described study, to identify shy adolescents and the severity of their need for affiliation, the authors used a questionnaire to identify the level of shyness proposed by E.V. Reznikova, L.E. Shevchuk, A.M. Denisova and the methodology “Motivation of Affiliation” A. Mehrabian. The Mann-Whitney U-test was used to test the significance of differences in the need for affiliation among adolescents with different levels of shyness. The reliability of differences in the need for affiliation among adolescents with different levels of shyness established in this way is significant. Thus, a high level of shyness inhibits the establishment (and maintenance) of mutual and trusting relationships.