Editing Embarrassment (section)

===Types in social psychology===
[[File:Antoine Watteau 014.jpg|thumb|''An embarrassing proposal'' by [[Antoine Watteau]]]]
One typology of embarrassment is described by Sharkey and Stafford. There are six types of embarrassment:<ref name=" Withers & Sherblom (1986).">{{cite journal|last1 = Withers|first1 = Lesley|last2=Sherblom|first2=John|title = Embarrassment: The Communication of an Awkward Actor Anticipating a Negative Evaluation|journal = Human Communication|volume = 11| issue = 2| pages = 237–254}}</ref>
# [[Privacy]] violations – for example where [[Wardrobe malfunction|a part of the body is accidentally exposed]], or there is an invasion of space, property, or information that may be warranted to privacy,
# Lack of [[knowledge]] and [[skill]] – for example forgetfulness, or experiencing failure while performing a relatively easy task
# [[Criticism]] and rejection – is another cause of embarrassment, as well as being made the center of attention positively or negatively
# Awkward acts – refer to social situations, for example, inappropriate conversations, clumsiness or ungraceful actions (such as an emotional outbreak like speaking out unintentionally) that can trigger embarrassment
# Appropriate image – refers to more of a personal reflection of embarrassment, like body image, clothing apparel, and personal possessions (for example owning an older mobile phone compared to the latest model)
# [[Social environment|Environment]] – can also have the effect of provoking embarrassment, as when an individual in a movie theatre with his or her parents, other family, co-workers, or mixed-company peers is made uncomfortable by an unexpected occurrence of nudity in the film that the group is watching.

Another typology, by Cupach and Metts, discusses the dimensions of intended-unintended and appropriate-inappropriate behavior, and four basic types of embarrassing circumstances:
# Faux pas (socially awkward acts)
# [[Accidents]]
# Mistakes
# Failure to perform a duty or moral obligation.

Based on these types, Cupach and Metts classify two basic embarrassment situations: the actor responsible and the observer responsible. Actor responsible situations are embarrassing when a person executes an act that is either inappropriate to a point of proficiency matching social norms and expectations, inconsistent with role expectations, or is out-of-sync with a [[social identity]]. The observer responsible categories are embarrassing when an individual becomes the focus of attention through:
* Recognition, praise, criticism, correction, or teasing
* Becomes initialized through being tripped or bumped, which is then associated with someone acting inappropriately
* Has information revealed publicly to another individual or peer group