Individual differences in social homeostasis

Karen L Bales; Sally Hang; John P Paulus; Elaina Jahanfard; Claudia Manca; Geneva Jost; Chase Boyer; Rose Bern; Daniella Yerumyan; Sophia Rogers; Sabrina L Mederos

doi:10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1068609

Individual differences in social homeostasis

Front Behav Neurosci. 2023 Mar 10:17:1068609. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1068609. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, >Davis, CA, United States.
² Graduate Group in Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States.
³ Graduate Group in Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States.
⁴ Graduate Group in Human Development, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States.
⁵ Graduate Group in Animal Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States.

Abstract

The concept of "social homeostasis", introduced by Matthews and Tye in 2019, has provided a framework with which to consider our changing individual needs for social interaction, and the neurobiology underlying this system. This model was conceived as including detector systems, a control center with a setpoint, and effectors which allow us to seek out or avoid additional social contact. In this article, we review and theorize about the many different factors that might contribute to the setpoint of a person or animal, including individual, social, cultural, and other environmental factors. We conclude with a consideration of the empirical challenges of this exciting new model.

Keywords: attachment; biobehavioral stress tendencies; culture; epigenetics; personality; sex differences; social homeostasis; stress reactivity.

Publication types

Review