Building resilience in the face of social rejection with power of improvisation

Unscripted performance, or improvisation, can help people cope with social rejection, according to an interesting Finnish study. Explanations.

Humans are sociable by nature. We collaborated, communicated, and built complex communities throughout history. Our nature requires social bonds, making rejection more painful.

Feeling lonely or unloved can cause depression, Alzheimer's, diabetes, and heart disease. Clearly, we need each other. How do we handle rejection, no matter how minor or severe? Can we get used to these innocuous rejections?

Unscripted performance, or improvisation, can help people cope with social rejection, according to an interesting Finnish study. Sirke Seppänen's study contrasted psychophysical signs of rejection in real interviews and fictional improv sessions. The surprise results suggested improvisation's therapeutic potential.

This study included 39 individuals in two settings. In the first, they talked about themselves while the interviewer judged them, interrupted them, and frowned and seemed annoyed. About half of the participants were told the interviewer was an actress, while the other half thought it was real.

Second, the study included 25 minutes of improvisation. Since participants realised the social rejections were fake, the scenarios were less emotional than the real interviews.

Improvisation allows people to handle rejection in a safe place, strengthening their coping skills and social confidence. Why does it matter and how does it affect our lives?

The study also found bodily responses to “demeaning” comments. Interviewers who say "yes, but" to participants' opinions, such as "Of course, that movie was good, but Barbie was better," devalue them.

Hearing "but" in response to their statements slowed participants' pulse rates immediately. In response to social rejection, feedback processing slows. This heart rate decreasing impact was stronger during improvisation than in real life.

According to Seppänen, “words really do matter, because even a simple, everyday ‘but’ can have such an effect on the body.” This shows how language and words affect interpersonal interactions. Buts’ can muzzle creativity, raise conflicts, and slow progress. However, improvisation's emphasis on "yes, and" might help people become less devaluing and more supportive, which encourages collaborative and constructive communication.

If you want greater collaboration and support in your encounters, practise saying “yes, and.” Instead of demeaning others' ideas with "yes, but" comments, encourage and grow.

Try improv: Drama As it has assisted social anxiety sufferers, improv can teach social rejection skills. Interestingly, improvisation affects persons with less confidence more. The spark can boost your confidence and relieve the ache of life's tiny rejections.

In conclusion
Life's unavoidable social rejection has tremendous effects on our physical and emotional health. The Finnish study lead by Sirke Seppänen proves that improvisation might help people avoid social rejection. Its capacity to imitate real-world events and elicit similar psychophysical responses makes it perfect for learning rejection management.

Language and communication are also stressed in the study. Using positive and constructive language in our interactions is important since the word “but” can affect our physiological reactions.

If you've ever considered improv, don't allow societal disapproval stop you. This may help you restore confidence and handle life's unavoidable disappointments. In a world where social ties are vital to our well-being, every tool that simplifies human interactions is worth researching.

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