When One Is Company and Two Is a Crowd: Why Some Children Prefer Solitude

Abstract

In this article, we examine research on conceptualizing and assessing individual differences in children's preference for solitude. Social withdrawal is typically defined as the process whereby a child removes himself or herself from opportunities for social interaction with peers. Most research has focused on shy children (whose retreat into solitude is driven by social fear or anxiety), but some children may instead prefer solitary activities. We aim to clarify the distinction between unsociability (i.e., a nonfearful affinity for solitude) and social avoidance (i.e., a preference for solitude driven by actively avoiding social interaction). We also provide suggestions for further research, drawing on related perspectives from personality and clinical psychology.

A Person‐Oriented Analysis of Social Withdrawal in Chinese Children

“…For instance, compared to their shy and unsociable counterparts, socially avoidant Chinese children reported the most loneliness, social anxiety, and depression. These findings support previous speculations in the West that avoidant motivations may be linked to elevated anxiety (Schmidt & Fox, ) or early consequences of the development of depression (Coplan et al, ). Thus, it appears that socially avoidant motivations and behaviors are maladaptive in both individualistic and collectivistic societies.…”

“…Notwithstanding, the findings are consistent with other studies that have used variable‐centered approaches, with social avoidance being linked to more pervasive social and emotional difficulties in adolescence and young adulthood (Bowker & Raja, ; Nelson, ). Nonetheless, continued research on this particular subtype of social withdrawal is necessary to better elucidate the optimal method of assessment of social avoidance by drawing upon the relevant developmental, clinical, and cross‐cultural literatures (see Coplan et al, for a recent review).…”

“…Thus, socially avoidant children are conceptualized as not only possessing a comparatively lower desire to initiate social encounters, but also as actively seeking to avoid peers. Compared to shyness and unsociability, very little is known about this form of social withdrawal in childhood (Coplan et al, ). In terms of underlying developmental processes, it has been speculated that social avoidance might arise from extreme social anxiety (Schmidt & Fox, ), as a response to consistent exposure to negative peer experiences (Bowker & Raja, ), and/or as an early manifestation of depression (Coplan et al, ).…”

“…There is at least some preliminary evidence to suggest that this might be the case. Ding, Coplan, et al, ) recently presented Chinese children in kindergarten and grade one with vignettes depicting hypothetical shy, unsociable, and socially avoidant peers. Chinese children expected the hypothetical avoidant peers to have the most negative outcomes in their class (e.g., most negative impact, lowest friendship preference, least intelligent, poorest relationship with teacher).…”

Assessment and implications of social withdrawal in early childhood: A first look at social avoidance

“…Less is known about unsociability , which refers to a non‐fearful preference for solitary activities and is thought to be comparatively benign in early childhood (Coplan & Weeks, ). Finally, social avoidance is thought to reflect not only a lack of interest in peer engagement, but also the active circumvention of opportunities for social interaction (Coplan et al, ). Although this latter subtype of social withdrawal is postulated to have particularly negative implications for children's socioemotional functioning (Asendorpf, ), there is a current lack of a validated measure of social avoidance designed to assess this construct in young children.…”