<P> When feeling self - conscious, one becomes aware of even the smallest of one's own actions . Such awareness can impair one's ability to perform complex actions . Adolescence is believed to be a time of heightened self - consciousness . A person with a chronic tendency toward self - consciousness may be shy or introverted . </P> <P> Unlike self - awareness, which in a philosophical context is being conscious of oneself as an individual, self - consciousness, being excessively conscious of one's appearance or manner, can be a problem at times . Self - consciousness is often associated with shyness and embarrassment, in which case a lack of pride and low self - esteem can result . In a positive context, self - consciousness may affect the development of identity, for it is during periods of high self - consciousness that people come the closest to knowing themselves objectively . Self - consciousness affects people in varying degrees, as some people are constantly self - monitoring or self - involved, while others are completely oblivious about themselves . </P> <P> Psychologists frequently distinguish between two kinds of self - consciousness, private and public . Private self - consciousness is a tendency to introspect and examine one's inner self and feelings . Public self - consciousness is an awareness of the self as it is viewed by others . This kind of self - consciousness can result in self - monitoring and social anxiety . Both private and public self - consciousness are viewed as personality traits that are relatively stable over time, but they are not correlated . Just because an individual is high on one dimension doesn't mean that he or she is high on the other . </P> <P> Different levels of self - consciousness affect behavior, as it is common for people to act differently when they "lose themselves in a crowd". Being in a crowd, being in a dark room, or wearing a disguise creates anonymity and temporarily decreases self - consciousness (see deindividuation). This can lead to uninhibited, sometimes destructive behavior . </P>

Self-esteem is a concept used interchangeably with the related terms