Study: Isolation may be related to creativity

A study by researchers from the Department of Psychology at the University of Buffalo in New York found three different types of isolation and social withdrawal, and found that one of them was linked to higher creativity.

"During childhood and adolescence, people who isolate themselves a lot from their peers lose positive interactions such as receiving social support and developing social skills, but we have to understand why someone withdraws to understand the risks and benefits associated with them," said researcher Julie Booker, who led the study.

The team asked 295 participants between the ages of 19 and 31 to fill out a series of questionnaires about their motives for isolation, level of creativity, sensitivity to anxiety, willingness to be depressed, aggression and lack of pleasure in social activities.

The study found that non-communicable individuals were more likely to be creative, noting that this was the first evidence of the potential benefit of social isolation.

Source:
http://www.buffalo.edu/news/releases/2017/11/023.html