8 awkward things people with poor social skills do in public without realizing it

Have you ever witnessed someone doing something in public that just made you cringe on their behalf?

I have. Plenty of times.

And what’s most interesting is that these people often don’t realize how their behavior is being perceived. That’s the thing with social skills: when we’re lacking in them, we don’t always know. It’s like trying to check your reflection in a foggy mirror. You miss the smudges everyone else can see.

Let’s be honest—most of us have had awkward moments. But for some people, these moments aren’t just occasional—they’re patterns. Subtle habits that show up in public and make things... weird.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your social awkwardness is holding you back—or if you're just trying to be more mindful—here are eight behaviors worth paying attention to.

1. Talking too loudly (or too quietly)

You know that moment when someone starts talking way too loudly in a quiet café and everyone glances up from their laptops? It’s not that the person is rude—it’s often that they genuinely don’t notice.

People with underdeveloped social skills often struggle to read the emotional volume of a room. They either speak too loudly, unaware of the space they’re occupying, or too softly, making others strain to hear and creating uncomfortable tension.

As noted by Dr. Bernardo Carducci, a psychologist who studied shyness and social behavior, “Social competence includes the ability to adjust your behavior depending on the context.” And yes, that includes voice volume.

2. Oversharing personal details with strangers

Ever had a casual chat turn unexpectedly deep—like, trauma-dump deep?

It’s one thing to be open. It’s another to give someone your life story during the first five minutes of meeting them. Oversharing often stems from a lack of social calibration—a struggle to read boundaries or understand the pace at which connection should unfold.

A woman once told me her entire dating history (including her ex’s infidelity and her current financial stress) while we were waiting in line for coffee. I nodded politely, but I remember feeling overwhelmed. It wasn’t that I didn’t care—it was just too much, too fast.

If this sounds like you, it might be worth practicing the art of pausing and asking, “Is this the right time, place, and person for this story?”

3. Interrupting people mid-sentence

Sometimes, it’s unintentional—someone gets excited, they want to relate, they chime in. Other times, it’s habitual, and honestly? It’s exhausting for everyone else.

Constantly interrupting is often a sign of poor listening skills. It says, “What I have to say is more important than what you’re saying.”

I once saw two people practically talk over each other for ten minutes straight. Neither one truly heard the other. It felt less like a conversation and more like dueling monologues.

Good social skills involve knowing when to speak and, more importantly, when to listen.

4. Laughing at the wrong moment

This one’s subtle, but incredibly telling.

You might’ve seen someone laugh nervously after a serious comment, or chuckle when everyone else is silent. It creates an awkward ripple across the group. You feel unsure—was that meant to be funny?

In many cases, this happens when someone struggles to pick up on emotional cues or doesn’t know how to respond, so they default to humor. But misplaced laughter can make others feel misunderstood, dismissed, or just uncomfortable.

Socially attuned people can usually sense the emotional weight of a moment. If that skill is underdeveloped, moments like these can become routine.

5. Standing too close—or too far

Personal space is one of those things we don’t talk about, but we all feel.

There’s nothing more jarring than someone standing so close you can smell their lunch. On the flip side, someone standing too far back during a conversation might seem disinterested or standoffish.

Psychologists refer to this as “proxemics”—the study of personal space. And people with strong social skills intuitively know how to adjust their distance based on context, relationship, and cultural norms.

If you’ve ever noticed people subtly stepping back when you’re speaking—or awkwardly leaning in—it might be worth checking your physical proximity.

6. Making zero eye contact—or way too much

Eye contact is one of the most powerful tools in communication. Too little, and you seem disinterested or evasive. Too much, and you risk coming off as intense or even aggressive.

I once had a coworker who would stare intensely the entire time you were talking. No blinking. No looking away. It felt less like a conversation and more like an interrogation.

On the other end of the spectrum, avoiding eye contact entirely can make people feel like you’re hiding something—or that you're simply not listening.

The key? A soft, balanced gaze. Natural eye contact that ebbs and flows with the conversation. Not a stare-down. Not a head-down.

7. Monopolizing the conversation

There’s a fine line between being talkative and being oblivious to others.

People with weaker social skills often don’t realize when they’ve dominated the conversation. They’ll tell long-winded stories, jump from one topic to another, and never pause to ask, “What about you?”

As Susan Cain has noted, “Conversation is a dance, not a lecture.”

And yet, I’ve been at dinners where one person filled the air with their own voice for 45 minutes straight. By the end, everyone else had mentally checked out. When we forget to make space for others, we send the message that their thoughts don’t matter as much as ours.

If you’re not sure whether you’re doing this, try a quick check-in mid-conversation: Am I inviting others to share, or am I just broadcasting?

8. Not noticing when people are uncomfortable

This one ties all the previous points together.

People with poor social awareness often miss the signals others are sending: the crossed arms, the forced smile, the polite “uh-huh” that clearly means I’m done here.

I once saw someone keep trying to talk to a woman at a bookstore even though she was clearly trying to read. She gave short answers. She turned slightly away. She even held up her book again. He didn’t notice—or didn’t care.

This kind of obliviousness doesn’t just make things awkward. It can also make others feel trapped, disrespected, or even unsafe.

Social intelligence is about reading the room—not just verbally, but through all the little cues people give off. When you can recognize discomfort and adjust accordingly, everything shifts.

Final thoughts

If you recognized yourself in any of these points, don’t panic.

Social skills are learned. They’re shaped by experience, environment, and sometimes even past wounds. And the beautiful thing is, they can be improved—with awareness, effort, and a willingness to self-correct.

The next time you’re out in public, observe yourself gently. Notice your patterns. Ask yourself: Am I really connecting—or just going through the motions?

Because when you become someone who helps others feel comfortable, heard, and seen, the awkward moments start to fade. And real connection begins to grow.