There seems to be a deficit of social skills in our post-COVID-19 world. We may have become more adept at digital communication in the past few years, but we’re less comfortable with face-to-face interaction.
Media outlets have noted the problem, with stories reminding us that “We’re All Socially Awkward Now.” But we can’t blame the pandemic alone. Research indicates that a decline in in-person interactions has actually been happening for years, in tandem with a steady increase in online communications.
The pandemic, with its forced isolation and rapid shift to online work and school, intensified this change. And our social skills, which need to be practiced in order to stay sharp, took a hit. A Tokyo-based research company surveyed thousands of college students between 2019 and 2021 and compared their social skills between their freshman and junior years. They found that the students’ ability to build good relationships, cooperate with others, and exercise patience all decreased over that time….