Do We Worry too Much About What Others Think of Us?

Abstract

Have you ever met someone new and felt a little nervous about how they feel about you? Turns out you are not the only one. When we meet someone new, we often think we like them more than they like us back. This gap between how much we like others and think others like us is called a liking gap. It happens because we worry about the impression we make on others. Even children experience this liking gap, but it only starts around 5 years old. At this age, the liking gap is still small. It gets bigger as children get older, probably because they start to better understand that what they do influences what others think of them. So, if you feel insecure and think the person you are talking to likes you less than you like them, just remember, the other person probably feels the same way!