Summary: New research suggests that one form of social withdrawal — unsociability — can have a positive side: it is linked to greater creativity.
Source: University at Buffalo.
Everyone benefits from an occasional break from social activity, but excessive isolation can be harmful. Still, not all forms of withdrawing from others carry the same risks.
New research from a psychologist at the University at Buffalo indicates that some kinds of social withdrawal are not only benign but may promote creativity. Published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, the study distinguishes between different motivations for withdrawing and reports a positive link between non-fearful solitude — called unsociability — and creative thinking.
“Motivation matters,” says Julie Bowker, an associate professor in UB’s Department of Psychology and the study’s lead author. “To understand the consequences of social withdrawal, we must know why someone chooses solitude.”
Throughout history, thinkers and artists have often emphasized the value of intentional withdrawal — from Thoreau’s retreat to Walden to Thomas Merton’s life of contemplation. Yet empirical psychology has not thoroughly explored why solitude can sometimes be beneficial. Bowker’s study helps fill that gap by separating types of withdrawal and examining their distinct outcomes.
Developmental perspectives typically highlight the costs of withdrawal during childhood and adolescence, arguing that avoiding peers can reduce opportunities for social support, skill-building, and other developmental benefits. That emphasis has led much research to focus on the negative effects of peer avoidance.
Bowker and her colleagues note, however, that youth avoid peers for different reasons. Some withdraw because of fear or anxiety, a pattern associated with shyness. Others withdraw because they actively dislike social interaction; this is social avoidance. A third group prefers solitude without anxiety — they enjoy being alone to read, work, or reflect and are characterized as unsociable.
Research consistently shows unsociability is generally unrelated to negative outcomes. Bowker’s study goes further, identifying a positive association: unsociable individuals reported higher levels of creativity. In contrast, shyness and avoidance were negatively associated with creativity, suggesting that anxiety-driven or avoidant withdrawal can interfere with the productive use of alone time.
“Unsociable individuals spend more time alone than with others, but they still participate in some peer interactions,” Bowker explains. “They aren’t antisocial; they don’t habitually reject social invitations. That balance may allow them enough peer contact to avoid isolation, while preserving solitude that fosters reflection and idea generation — similar to an artist working in a studio or a scholar in an office.”
By contrast, shy or avoidant people may find solitude less productive because their alone time is often clouded by negative thoughts and worries, limiting their ability to think creatively.
The study surveyed 295 emerging adults (average age about 19) who completed self-report measures assessing motivations for social withdrawal, creativity, anxiety sensitivity, depressive symptoms, aggression, and two temperament systems: the behavioral approach system (BAS), which governs approach behaviors and reward sensitivity, and the behavioral inhibition system (BIS), which governs avoidance and threat sensitivity.
Bowker notes some overlap among withdrawal types — a person can show both shy and unsociable tendencies — but when the researchers controlled for all subtypes, distinct patterns emerged. Unsociability showed a unique positive relationship with creativity, while shyness correlated positively with anxiety sensitivity and negatively with creative outcomes. These findings suggest that withdrawal is not monolithic; its effects depend on underlying motives and emotional context.
“Historically, unsociability has been viewed as relatively harmless,” Bowker says. “Our results suggest it may be more than benign — it can be a potentially beneficial form of social withdrawal that supports creative thought.”
Source: Bert Gambini – University at Buffalo
Publisher: NeuroscienceNews.com (organized coverage)
Image Source: Image adapted from the University at Buffalo news release.
Original Research: “How BIS/BAS and psycho-behavioral variables distinguish between social withdrawal subtypes during emerging adulthood” by Julie C. Bowker, Miriam T. Stotsky, and Rebecca G. Etkin in Personality and Individual Differences. Published online August 16, 2017. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2017.07.043
University at Buffalo. “Non-Fearful Social Withdrawal Linked Positively to Creativity.” NeuroscienceNews, 20 November 2017.
Abstract
How BIS/BAS and psycho-behavioral variables distinguish between social withdrawal subtypes during emerging adulthood
Guided by prior theory and research, this study examined whether three subtypes of social withdrawal — shyness, avoidance, and unsociability — are associated with BIS and BAS functioning and whether they relate uniquely to psycho-behavioral outcomes in emerging adulthood. Participants (N = 295, Mage ≈ 19.3 years) completed self-report measures of withdrawal motivations, aggression, anxiety sensitivity, creativity, social anhedonia, and BIS/BAS. Structural equation modeling challenged certain theoretical assumptions about BIS/BAS combinations underlying withdrawal subtypes and revealed both specific and non-specific associations. Notably, the study provides the first evidence of a potential benefit — increased creativity — associated with unsociability.
Study authors: Julie C. Bowker, Miriam T. Stotsky, and Rebecca G. Etkin. Published online August 16, 2017 in Personality and Individual Differences. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2017.07.043