The Stress of Social Isolation

"It may be said without hesitation that for man the most important stressors are emotional." —Hans Selye

Timestamps:
0:00 Introduction: Obligatorily gregarious
1:26 Homeostasis
2:13 Why zebras don’t get ulcers
3:33 The stress response: fight or flight
4:34 Inescapable stress induces learned helplessness
5:32 The role of oxytocin: tend and befriend
7:30 Touch starvation
8:26 Conclusion: Displaced aggression

References:
- Christopher Ryan: Civilized to Death: The Price of Progress
- John Cacioppo and William Patrick: Loneliness: Human Nature and the Need for Social Connection
- Robert Sapolsky: Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers
- Robert Sapolsky: The Influence of Social Hierarchy on Primate Health
- James W. Prescott: Body Pleasure and the Origins of Violence

Image: Office in a Small City by Edward Hopper