Social exclusion is a very painful experience. There is a basic need in people for social contact and so certainly pills will not cure the psychic pain of social exclusion. Researchers have found that the gentle touch of another person can however help ease the pain of being rejected socially.
University College London has reported that the negative effects of social rejection can be soothed via the gentle touch of another person. The researchers have found a specific relationship exists between being gently touched by another person and social bonding. This is significant in our fast paced digital world where the power of simple touch in human relations is often forgotten.
Lead author, Mariana von Mohr says her research team has shown for the first time that simple gentle stroking by a stranger can decrease feelings of social exclusion after being rejected socially. People who were touched in such ways have demonstrated less feelings of
negativity and social exclusion.
Dr Katerina Fotopoulou has said that there is a well recognized need for closeness and attachment in mammals. Therefore it was anticipated that social support would lower the emotional pain of social exclusion.
This study has been published by Scientific Reports. Slow, affective touch has been shown to have a soothing function when dealing with social exclusion. A special relationship seems to exist between affective touch and social bonding. So if you really care about the feelings of a person suffering from the emotional pain of social rejection try some gentle social touching.
