Have you ever felt like someone rejected you? Whether it’s being passed over from a promotion at work or being excluded from a friend group, rejection can be painful to handle. However, a recent study led by Leor Haeckel of the University of Southern California explored how the brain can learn from rejection experiences and further shape the way we connect with others. Read this also ‘Reject her before she rejects me’: Why men react negatively to attractive women, according to a relationship coach
The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, explored how BRAIN processes acceptance and rejection, and may help us connect in relationships. Lead researcher Lior Hackel said in a university release, “While much research has examined the emotional impact of social rejection – how it causes distress, motivates people to reconnect and how people’s emotions… Affects—we know very little about how it works as a learning tool.”
Study findings:
The study was conducted on college students, a demographic that experiences significant societal changes. A series of experiments were designed specifically to understand their social relationship patterns. Students were asked to create personal profiles and then answer questions that suggested they were potential partners. However, in reality, the reactions were computer-generated to control social reaction. Read this also Relationship Tips: 3 Steps to Dealing with Rejection in a Healthy Way
Using a combination of behavioral experiments, brain imaging and computational models, researchers explored how the brain works in two situations – learning from positive outcomes and learning from how others value us.
Acceptance, Rejection and Brain Function:
The researchers observed that the brain region associated with rejection lit up when participants adjusted their beliefs about social values, while the brain region associated with reward lit up in cases of acceptance.
Lead researcher Lior Hackel further explained, “For some people, the struggle may be due to not recognizing how much others value them, such as in social anxiety disorder. Others may have trouble feeling motivated by social rewards, as seen in depression, making it harder to connect with others. Read this also Feeling rejected? Doctors share tips to cope
This study is a wake-up call to understand how the brain works in matters of acceptance and rejection, and how it learns from every experience.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions you may have about a medical condition.
