What’s an awkward silence?

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An awkward silence is a moment between two or more people where there is a lack of conversation or communication that is uncomfortable in nature. This can occur as a result of a number of different stimuli, although it is usually due to some type of inappropriate comment or social faux pas. An awkward silence can produce feelings of anxiety or distress in the people involved, especially the person or people who may have caused the silence. This is in contrast to comfortable silences, where two or more people are able to coexist without communicating and all parties involved feel a sense of ease or comfort in the silence.

The exact cause of an awkward silence can vary a lot from one instance to another, although typically there is some kind of trigger for the silence. It is possible, however, for such silence to simply occur on its own, such as between two people who don’t have much in common and have little to talk about. However, awkward silence is often caused by a particular event or comment, and this is usually the result of someone saying something inappropriate. If a person says something negative about a particular group of people, for example, without knowing that the listener belongs to that group, then this can cause such silence.

When awkward silence occurs, it can often lead to feelings of inadequacy or anxiety in those involved. This is especially true when the silence is caused by the comments or attitude of a particular person in a group or conversation. Some researchers speculate that the anxiety and distress felt during an awkward silence may be related to instinctive attitudes toward group acceptance. During mankind’s early youth, a lack of acceptance by a large group could leave an individual open to attack or starvation; modern anxiety about acceptance may stem from vestigial instincts based on these survival needs.

While an awkward silence can be the result of poorly chosen words or a hostile attitude between two or more people, there are also comfortable silences that can occur in groups. A group of very close friends or two people in a long-term, healthy relationship can experience such silences. These often indicate closeness between those involved, as each person feels accepted enough to endure a lack of communication without experiencing the anxiety triggered by an awkward silence. The difference between these two states may be indistinguishable from outside the group, but it is vital for those in such a relationship to feel comfortable with their place in a group.

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