Summary: The Importance Of Social Connection

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Why are depression rates skyrocketing, and can the lack of social connections between people be the underlying cause? Can prosocial spending make you a happier individual? Emily Esfahani Smith in “Social Connection Makes a Better Brain” comments on the importance of social connection. Additionally, social connections are vital, without these connections humans are subjected to a broad amount of mental responses. Elizabeth W. Dunn acknowledges in “Prosocial Spending and Happiness: Using Money to Benefit Others Pays Off”the importance of prosocial spending and sheds light on the importance of bonding between humans. In addition, prosocial spending can assist individuals to develop or strengthen their social connection. Ruth Whippman in “Happiness …show more content…
Research shows that a lack of social connection carries with it a risk of premature death comparable to that of smoking, and is roughly twice as dangerous to our health as obesity. The most significant thing we can do for our well-being is not to “find ourselves” or “go within.” It’s to invest as much time and effort as we can into nurturing the relationships we have with the people in our lives.
There's a multitude of negative health effects that come with neglecting social connections, and the most ethical thing to aid these effects is taking into account these required connections.
Markedly, individuals are biologically hardwired to crave social connections, and this can be concluded from the brains activation of the "default network". I agree the default network provides credible evidence of a homo sapiens need for creating social
…show more content…
In one experiment, participants who received a $10 Starbucks gift card were happier if they spent it on a friend rather than on themselves—but only if they took the time to go to Starbucks with their friend. Other research suggests that we may get the biggest happiness bang for our buck when we spend money on close others rather than acquaintances (Aknin, Sandstrom, Dunn, & Norton, 2011), perhaps because close relationships are especially critical for satisfying the need to belong (Baumeister & Leary, 1995).Competence
Individuals are more prone to tackle prosocial spending when they are able to nurture a social connection, while in the process. Dunn asserts that individuals are more willing to give; when they know their actions will benefit someone else. In my eyes people are surely more prone to give, but only if they are given the opportunity to boost another individuals

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