The importance of belonging and the avoidance of social risk taking in adolescence

Adolescents are commonly thought of as risk takers. However, adolescents often avoid social risk taking, that is, the risk of being socially excluded by their peers. Here, we review evidence showing that the negative effects of social exclusion and loneliness are particularly high during adolescence, and that adolescents actively seek peer approval and avoid being excluded by peers. Evidence suggests that social belonging is especially important...