Built to Belong

Why does being left out actually hurt? In this episode, we break down the neuroscience of belonging: How your brain responds to connection, why exclusion triggers stress, and what simple cues create safety and trust at work.---This episode draws on research in social neuroscience and organizational psychology. While I’m not a scientist, all claims are grounded in peer-reviewed studies and credible workplace research.Eisenberger, N. I., Lieberman, M. D., & Williams, K. D. (2003). Does rejection hurt? An fMRI study of social exclusion. Science, 302(5643), 290-292.Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (1995). The need to belong: Desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human motivation. Psychological Bulletin, 117(3), 497-529.Kosfeld, M., Heinrichs, M., Zak, P. J., Fischbacher, U., & Fehr, E. (2005). Oxytocin increases trust in humans. Nature, 435(7042), 673-676.Heinrichs, M., von Dawans, B., & Domes, G. (2009). Oxytocin, vasopressin, and human social behavior. Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology, 30(4), 548-557.Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), 350-383.Google Re:Work (2015). Project Aristotle: The five keys to a successful Google team.Baumeister, R. F., et al. (2001). Bad is stronger than good. Review of General Psychology, 5(4), 323-370.Decety, J., & Jackson, P. L. (2004). The functional architecture of human empathy. Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience Reviews, 3(2), 71-100.BetterUp (2019). The Value of Belonging at Work: Why Inclusion and Belonging Drive Business Results.