The Advisory Board believes our social skills are like muscles that need exercise, so they don’t wither away. It mentions astronauts, hermits, polar explorers, prisoners, and soldiers feeling awkward, and socially anxious when reconnecting. This poses the question whether isolation during the pandemic is making us socially awkward too.
It’s Neither a Pathology Nor a Mental Disorder
New York Times’ Kate Murphy puts the anxiousness down to fewer opportunities for unplanned interactions. And there’s also an uncertainty around how to initiate contacts, and close them out in the absence of hugs and handshakes. Our social prowess may diminish like power of under exercised muscles and our sense of belonging in a network may weaken too.
‘It’s not a pathology or a mental disorder,’ assures Stephanie Cacioppo, director of Brain Dynamics Laboratory at University of Chicago. Our tribe endows us with a sense of security that’s hard wired in our brain. Therefore, to it, social isolation is a ‘mortal threat’ to our survival. A sense of ‘hyper-vigilance and sensitivity’ kicks in making social interaction awkward, and this affects how we handle social cues.
What If The Pandemic Is Making Us Socially Awkward
“If the pandemic is making us socially awkward,” Kate Murphy writes, then there are things we can do. These strategies include using technology to stay in touch through socially distanced emails, phone calls, and thoughtful texts.
Craig Haney is a psychology professor at the University of California-Santa Cruz. He studied prison inmates returning to society. Those who maintained distanced communication while detained found the transition smoother.
Beth Healey lived with European Space Agency crew training in a remote outpost in Antarctica. Those who expected to pick up where they left off when they returned home, struggled. While those who accepted change had happened, and moved on with it had a smoother transition.
Related
World Health Advice for People in Isolation
Stay Home If You Must Quarantine for COVID
Preview Image: Strange Times on April 1, 2020
