Final answer:
Self-consciously shy individuals who enjoy their own company but are anxious around others are most likely socially anxious, which involves a fear or distress in social situations beyond the preference for solitude seen in introversion.
Step-by-step explanation:
People who are self-consciously shy and enjoy the company of themselves but become extremely anxious around others likely fall into the category of being socially anxious. This is distinct from simply being introverted, as introverts may also enjoy solitude but do not necessarily experience acute anxiety in social situations. According to psychological theories, such as those proposed by Carl Jung and the Eysencks, introversion involves deriving energy from within and often a preference for solitary activities, while extroversion involves being energized by social interactions. Those with social anxiety can experience significant distress and fear in social situations, which is more aligned with high scores on neuroticism. Given the anxiety described for self-consciously shy people, the best answer is (d) Socially anxious, indicating that they may have an overactive sympathetic nervous system that elicits a flight-or-fight response, even in low-stress situations.