Abstract
This study had two purposes; first, to reconstruct existing models of the mediating mechanisms of embarrassment, and second, to examine the mechanisms underlying the 6 groups of emotions that comprise embarrassment. Two hundred and eighty-eight university students were presented with "Public" or "Private" embarrassing situations, and were asked to rate 18 items related to the 6 elements representing the existing models, and 23 items measuring the 6 groups of emotions of embarrassment. Both explanatory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed that the existing models could be integrated into 4 causal factors. Covariance structure analysis was then conducted to examine the relationship of these 4 factors with each group of emotions. In the Public situations, 3 causal factors affected each group of emotions, although the nature of the effect varied between groups. In the Private situations, none of the groups were affected by "Apprehension of Social Evaluation" and "Disruption of Social Interaction." These results were discussed in relation to the groups of emotions of embarrassment in public and private situations.
