Abstract

Blushing is a universal, social and involuntary signal based on self-awareness. It is a puzzling phenomenon, still little understood. This social response indicates personal and interpersonal awareness with a strong communicative power. Elicitors of blushing are exposition of the self or unwanted attention. Blushing is caused by activation of beta-adrenergic receptors that seems to be related with a mediation of sympathetic system. Main theories about blushing underline its important function in everyday life. Links between blush and shame, embarrassment and anxiety are presented. At the present, different measuring instruments of blushing (physiological indexes vs. self-report) are not fully adequate. At last, different interventions are discussed.