Boldness

{{Short description|Vigour and valour in action}} {{about|the psychological attitude|a list of people with the epithet, "the Bold"|List of people known as the Bold}} {{Redirect|Be bold|the Wikipedia guideline|Wikipedia:Be bold|selfref=yes}}

'''Boldness''' is the opposite of shyness. To be bold implies a willingness to get things done despite risks.<ref>{{multiref2 |1={{cite book|author-link=Thomas Aquinas|first=Thomas|last=Aquinas|chapter=Question XXVII: Of Daring|title=Summa Theologica|volume=II.2|year=1485}} |2={{cite book|author-link=Thomas Aquinas|first=Thomas|last=Aquinas|translator-first=Richard J.|translator-last=Regan|title=The Cardinal Virtues|year=2005|page=116|quote=Is boldness a sin? Boldness is an emotion. But emotion sometimes is moderated by reason and sometimes lacks the measure of reason, whether by excess or deficiency, and emotion is sinful in this respect.}} }}</ref>

For example, in the context of sociability, a '''bold''' person may be willing to risk shame or rejection in social situations, or to bend rules of etiquette or politeness. An excessively bold person could aggressively ask for money, or persistently push someone to fulfill a request.

The word ''bold'' may also be used as a synonym of ''impudent''; for example, a child may be punished for being "bold" by acting disrespectfully toward an adult or by misbehaving.

Boldness as a philosophical virtue was admired by the ancient Greeks.<ref>Alexander, L., ''62. Acts'', in Barton, J. and Muddiman, J. (2001), [https://b-ok.org/dl/946961/8f5f43 The Oxford Bible Commentary] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171122193211/http://b-ok.org/dl/946961/8f5f43 |date=2017-11-22 }}, p. 1034</ref>

Boldness may be contrasted with courage in that the latter implies having fear but confronting it.

== Description == In behavioral ecology, the shy⟷bold continuum is studied as it exists in humans and certain other species. Shyness and boldness represent "a propensity to take risks". Bold individuals tend to become dominant, revealing a correlation between boldness and social dominance.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last1=Sloan Wilson|first1=David|last2=Clark|first2=Anne B.|last3=Coleman|first3=Kristine|last4=Dearstyne|first4=Ted|date=1994-11-01|title=Shyness and boldness in humans and other animals|journal=Trends in Ecology & Evolution|language=en|volume=9|issue=11|pages=442–446|doi=10.1016/0169-5347(94)90134-1|pmid=21236920|issn=0169-5347}}</ref>

==See also== {{Wiktionary}} *{{annotated link|Assertiveness}} *{{annotated link|Chutzpah}} *{{annotated link|Courage}} *{{annotated link|Disinhibition}} *{{annotated link|Parrhesia}} *{{annotated link|Psychopathy}} *{{annotated link|Shyness}} *{{annotated link|Sisu}}

== References == {{reflist}}

Category:Psychological attitude