As a personality trait, shyness probably ranks as one of the more benign characteristics that someone can possess, but new research suggests that at least some forms of shyness may have violent, and often deadly, consequences.

This shyness may be innate in some people, meaning that they are more vulnerable to feeling hurt and ashamed, adds Elaine Aron, a psychologist and research associate at SUNY Stonybrook. "Children with any kind of unusual temperament tend to be ostracized by their peers, and they become humiliated or ashamed," she says. "And when any one of us are ashamed, or backed into a corner, we can do all kinds of things, including acting out violently."