Social Rejection

A person comfortable with lethal physical challenges may still be overwhelmed by a socially vulnerable act such as sending a text message. In evolutionary history, ostracism from the group could amount to a death sentence. Social rejection can feel more frightening than objectively dangerous activities because it activates survival circuits. Social vulnerability can register as acutely frightening when it remains unresolved and unfamiliar. A child who is disliked by others can become caught in a cycle where worsening behavior leads to further rejection. Implementing child technology restrictions in isolation carries a significant social cost. A family adopting these restrictions alone may put their child at risk of social exclusion. Children may feel genuine loneliness and exclusion from their peer group when their family adopts restrictions alone. A protective parental choice can directly harm a child’s social integration under current conditions. Social rejection from peers is associated with behavioral deterioration in children.