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The Scenario – An employee was hired for a new position. Eager to be a functional part of the team, he or she spent the next several weeks learning new concepts, seeking clarification and applying personal experience and knowledge to better team projects. Work was progressing smoothly and the new team members seemed supportive. However, every Thursday, the team went out to dinner after work, and no one invited the new employee. Eventually the employee’s eagerness began to fade.
How important is social acceptance?
Research conducted by Brad Schmidt, Ph.D., suggests that social acceptance influences, and in some cases can predict, mental and physical health. Dr. Schmidt surveyed the relationships between a select group of college freshmen and their roommates to assess individual self-esteem as well as to evaluate how highly the roommates regarded each other.
The study found that individuals who did not experience social acceptance from their roommates tended toward:
- Depression
- Anger
- Physical illness
- Low self-esteem
While students held in high esteem by their peers exhibited opposite behaviors.
The Insight – Social acceptance is an important factor in human development. We may find acceptance in communities such as families, friends and co-workers, yet others may not. Make an effort and share an act of kindness by helping to fill that same need for social acceptance for someone else. As unique as each of us are, our most basic human needs don’t differ that much.
Where do you find social acceptance?
By Sheba
Creating Positive Perspectives for Life
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