Alone, Together: Why It ’ s Physical Distancing, Not Social Distancing

During the 2020 coronavirus outbreak, we’ve been hearing a lot about “social distancing.” That is, when out in public, you should keep at least 6 feet apart from others, as much as possible. But clearly this has nothing to do keeping socially distant from others. Instead, it’s all about keeping your physical distance from others. We have more tools than ever before to keep socially connected with colleagues, friends and family. Unlike previous pandemics, we need to utilize these social connectedness tools to ensure that physical isolation doesn’t result in psychological or social isolation. I’m not sure how so many governmental authorities got this wrong from Day 1. The term “social distancing” is not only a misnomer, it is exactly the opposite of what we want people to do during any type of natural disaster, such as the current pandemic ravaging the world. During a time of great upheaval, it’s important to stay connected to people that matter most in your life. Whether it be with friends or family, or even a next-door neighbor, social connectedness is an important component of society. It keeps us feeling like we’re all a part of the same group. Psychologists refer to this as “in-group” versus “out-group” (or ingroup vs outgroup) bias. When we feel like we’re all in this together, we don’t demonize or discriminate against others. And during a pandemic, we can all be a part of the...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Family Friends General Psychology Relationships Self-Help alonetogether coronavirus COVID-19 Loneliness physical distancing social distancing Social Isolation Source Type: blogs