Gaze perception fuels social anxiety in everyday life: a comparison of two ecological momentary assessment models

BACKGROUND: Self-focused attention is a well-established factor in social anxiety disorder. Our previous study found that perceiving oneself as being watched or evaluated in social contexts exacerbates this tendency, but it remains unclear whether the perception of gaze or evaluation serves as the initial trigger for these cognitive processes. This study used ecological momentary assessment to investigate the temporal sequence of these perceptions and their impact on self-focused attention and social anxiety symptoms. METHODS: Thirty-eight participants (17 male, 21 female) completed self-reported web assessments three times daily for 10 days. Measures included perceived evaluation, gaze perception, self-focused attention, and anxiety experienced in social situations. A total of 569 data points were collected and analyzed with multilevel structural equation modeling to compare two competing theoretical models. RESULTS: One model posited that perceived evaluation preceded gaze perception, and the other that gaze perception preceded perceived evaluation. The latter received stronger empirical support, indicating that gaze perception elicits the perceived evaluation, which subsequently increases self-focused attention and social anxiety symptoms. However, model fit differences were small, leaving the alternative model where perceived evaluation precedes gaze perception as a plausible explanation. CONCLUSIONS: Gaze perception plays a pivotal role in triggering social anxiety symptoms by fostering the perceived evaluation and amplifying self-focused attention. Interventions targeting gaze perception and sensitivity to evaluation may help reduce social anxiety symptoms.