An Examination of the Origins of Social Anxiety in Adolescent Characters in the Novel "The Taste of the Yellow Apple" Based on Shame Stigma Theory

Adolescence is a critical period for identity formation, and disruptions during this phase can have lasting psychological effects, especially since others' judgments shape how teenagers develop their sense of self. The presence of physical or personality defects, visible or invisible, can influence both how others perceive adolescents and how adolescents view themselves. This text appears to introduce Canadian sociologist Erving Goffman's social action theory as a framework for examining various forms of defect or stigma and their role in this developmental process.