Featured Work
A daily-diary study of social rejection
Rejection shows up more often than we admit.
Across the study, most participants felt rejected at least once, and many reported it on multiple days. Every time researchers checked in, there was just over a 1-in-4 chance someone would say they felt at least “a little bit” rejected that day.
In just over 25% of all survey reports, participants endorsed feeling at least “a little bit” rejected.
The feedback loop
Rejection doesn’t stay in one place.
After people felt rejected, they reported feeling more hurt and more angry. Those emotions, in turn, made them more likely to perceive rejection again — a loop that can feed itself.
Watch what happens next.
Who feels it most
It’s not that they feel it harder.
They feel it more often.
People with higher social anxiety reported feeling rejected more often than those with lower social anxiety. But when rejection did happen, they didn’t react more intensely — their emotional response was about the same.
People with higher social anxiety felt rejected more often day to day.
Bars illustrate the reported pattern, not precise study values.
Alone vs. together
Are people with social anxiety
happier alone?
A common assumption: if socializing is stressful, being alone should feel better. Two studies put that to the test — tracking real moods in daily life, five times a day for two weeks.
Both groups are happier with others. People with social anxiety are not happier alone.
Bars illustrate the reported pattern, not precise study values.
