EDUC10057 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Social Rejection, Belongingness, Martin Seligman
13 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Lecture 10: Relationships
PERMA model: theoretical model of happiness
Positive emotion
Engagement
Relationships
Meaning
Achievement
The more we care for the happiness of others, the
greater is our own sense of wellbeing
Our species has evolved to form relationships - we are
social creatures
Belongingness hypothesis: human beings have a
pervasive drive to form and maintain at least minimum
quantity of lasting, positive, and significant interpersonal
relationships - need for frequent, affectively pleasant
interactions with few other people, interactions must take
place in the context of a temporally stable and enduring
framework of affective concern for each other’s welfare
Humans are intrinsically social and have a need to
belong
We form relationships easily: under adverse conditions, sharing things in common (even unpleasant), being exposed to
others frequently
Social rejection is a primary fear for many: people resist losing attachments and social bonds, deficits in belongingness
related to a range of ill effects
We feel other people's emotions: we do things to make them happy (because we feel their happiness), we avoid hurting
other people (b/c we don’t want to feel their pain), social pain triggers the same neurons and chemical responses in our
brain as physical pain, even the most minimal cue can be interpreted as social rejection
Anterior cingulate cortex is active when people experience physical pain and social pain in response to social rejection
Ball Toss experiment:
●lab experiment
●three players, two confederates
●one subject excluded after a few tosses
●a few minutes of this treatment are sufficient to produce negative emotions in the target: anger, sadness, effect
occurs regardless of self-esteem and other personality differences
Attachment theory:
Attachment: an emotional bond with a specific person that endures across time and space
Harlow’s monkey research: monkeys form attachment with cloth in cage, and are distressed when it is removed
Social bonds are more than just the satisfaction of physiological needs
Strange situation: gives rise to different categories of attachment behaviour in infants when separated and reunited with
mothers
●Securely attached: seek and maintain contact with mother, 70% of people, secure attachments broadens
(perspectives, exploration, caregiving) & builds (personal resources, e.g. constructive coping)
reduced distress in times of stress
less likely to be depressed
positive views of self
acknowledgement and disclosure of
emotions
seek support in times of need
less hostile to outgroup members
more likely to compromise in conflicts
less likely to divorce
less like to abuse spouse
●Avoidant: do not cry when mother leaves/ignores her when returns: 20% of people
●Ambivalent: cry when mother leaves but are not comforted when she returns: 10%
Document Summary
The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of wellbeing. Our species has evolved to form relationships - we are social creatures. Humans are intrinsically social and have a need to belong. We form relationships easily: under adverse conditions, sharing things in common (cid:840)even unpleasant(cid:841), being exposed to others frequently. Social rejection is a primary fear for many: people resist losing attachments and social bonds, de cits in belongingness related to a range of ill e ects. Anterior cingulate cortex is active when people experience physical pain and social pain in response to social rejection. One subject excluded after a few tosses. A few minutes of this treatment are su cient to produce negative emotions in the target: anger, sadness, e ect occurs regardless of self-esteem and other personality di erences. Attachment: an emotional bond with a speci c person that endures across time and space.
