When face wants are not addressed during interaction, one or both of the parties may experience a loss of face. People are said to lose face when they are treated in such a way that their identity claims are challenged or ignored. Given the strong need to maintain a favorable image, face loss can lead to an impasse in interaction and exacerbate or create conflict between parties. There are several face loss consequences. First, face loss often causes a person to be momentarily incapacitated or confused. The shock that one?s identity is facing attack sometimes takes a moment to adjust to. Second, the individual may feel shame or embarrassment. This feeling is often accompanied by a host of common symptoms that reflect this social distress, including blushing, sweating, blinking, fumbling, stuttering, and general nervousness. Third, the person may feel inferior or less powerful. In sum, face loss is an unpleasant experience, seen from the eyes of the harmed party as social humiliation. Not surprisingly, research shows that people are willing to retaliate and sacrifice rewards at great costs when they perceive that threat of humiliation?