 Hi, Psych2Goers, and welcome back. Thank you so much for your love and support, which enables us to present you with the varying aspects of everyday psychology. So let's begin. How well do you fare along the socialization scale? Is that your superpower, or do you have other hidden talents? There are many of us who have been graced with talents other than socialization, and that is a-okay. Conversation and social cues may not come naturally, but socially awkward people often excel in other areas of life. Besides, who said awkward is a bad thing? If you identify as socially awkward, you are not alone. Here are seven things socially awkward people are sure to relate to. One, you'd rather watch the phone ring than answer it. Letting the phone ring itself to silence. Does your phone have the secret talent? There are few things socially awkward people dread more than phone calls. Especially if you don't know who's on the other end of the line, there's no way to know what to expect if you answer. So many things can happen. Sometimes your hello comes out a little shaky, or you're not sure how to tell when it's your turn to speak. But the good news is, you've made it through every phone call until now, and you can get through the next one too. Phew. Two, being awkward isn't the same thing as being anxious. The question is how to tell them apart? King University explains the difference between social awkwardness and social anxiety as, while social awkwardness may describe an alternative way of living in the world, social anxiety is a defined medical condition that can cause severe social impairment. The disorder includes physical symptoms, such as fleshing or a racing heart. Awkwardness, on the other hand, simply describes a way of interaction. It's very possible to feel socially awkward without feeling anxious, especially once you realize that being awkward isn't necessarily negative, it's just different. Go out there and rock that awkward. Three, your attempts at being funny don't always pan out. Have you ever tried your hand at cracking a joke? How would you describe the response? Humor in particular can be hard to master, even for those who don't feel awkward around others. Reading an audience can be tricky to navigate, even in the most familiar of social situations. And it takes even more skill and a bit of luck to execute a joke correctly. So if you don't get a laugh right away, don't worry. Practice makes perfect even here. Four, unintentional interruptions just happen. Can you name one of the most common cringe-worthy social slip-ups? Unintentional interruption, the biggest miscreant in the royal court of social conversation. Of course, you never mean to cut someone off or overpower their words with yours. But when you're excited about the conversation topic and eager to jump in, or perhaps you really don't want to forget what you have to say, sometimes words just seem to come out. If you do catch yourself interrupting, don't beat yourself up for such a small blip in the conversation. Keep going. Five, you may miss some social cues, but you see things others don't. In his 2017 book, Awkward, the science of why we're socially awkward and why that's awesome, author and psychology professor, Ty Deshiro, explains how social awkwardness can lead to some amazing differences between people. Speaking metaphorically, according to ink.com, non-awkward individuals typically centralize their social life, while those who are awkward might be aiming a little to the side. This may cause them to miss some details in social situations, but they may also pick up on other things that others don't. Six, eye contact can get awkward fast. Are you familiar with the dance form called do I look away now or not? Do you often wonder where to look when meeting others? Simply knowing there are eyes on you can be an extremely vulnerable feeling. Eye contact is sent and received differently from person to person. For some, it might signal respect, while for others, it's perceived as threatening. One study found that during eye contact, the subcordial region of the brain, an area responsible for reading emotions in other people's faces is overstimulated, which may relate to why looking someone in the eyes can feel uncomfortable. Seven, you're unsure how to respond. Is making conversation a daunting task for you? Do you struggle to find the appropriate thing to say? You know you must be extra careful to get the right message across, especially with sensitive or controversial topics. But whether or not your brain will let you slow down enough to find the right thing to say is another question altogether. And if your mind isn't racing, it might be entirely blank. How frustrating. Even awkwardness comes from a place of good intentions, though. And those intentions are sure to shine through in the end if you give yourself a chance. We hope we were able to give you a little insight into the inner workings of social awkwardness. Do any of these apply to you? Let us know in the comments below. If you find this video helpful, be sure to hit the like and subscribe button and share with your fellow socially awkwards to help them rock their social awkwardness to the nines. Thanks for watching.