Social connection

What is social connection and why is it important?

 

Social connection is the process of being a part of a group and interacting with one another. It is important to undertake social activities as we have evolved to be social animals. The benefits of social connection on our health, both physical and mental are immense (Myers,2000), (Diener & Seligman,2002). The results of Eply and Schroeder’s study on how positivity is impacted by conversing with strangers during your commute (Eply & Schroeder, 2014) show us that when connecting with others, one has greater positivity than when not whilst commuting. A study by Boothby et al. shows us that sharing an experience increases increases our enjoyment from the experiences (Boothby et al., 2014). The results show that when experiencing something with someone, even a complete stranger with whom you are not interacting, you derive more enjoyment from the experience than when experiencing it alone.

 

How to increase your social connection?

 

There are different ways to increase your social connection. It can be as easy as striking up a conversation with your neighbour on the bus. Alternatively, you could go out with friends. In which case, I highly recommend the board game cafe ‘Chance and Counters’, which is situated right at the base of the Christmas steps. It is a cozy place with a warm and welcoming atmosphere. With a wall of games and delicious food, there is no excuse not to visit this wondrous place. It’s perfect to bring your friends for either 2 or 4 hours of fun. I’ve been several times to date and can honestly say it’s probably my favourite place to be in Bristol.