Psychologists at Case Western Reserve University say interpersonal rejection can dramatically reduce the capacity for intelligent thought.   It is so apparent to researchers that they wonder if reasoning skills evolved to help us navigate the complexities of social life rather than help us solve technical problems.

After taking a personality test in one study, one group of subjects was told they would die alone. The other group was told to expect lasting friendships. Subjects who thought they would have a solitary life were significantly impaired in performing complex reasoning tasks. They were also slower and less accurate in their responses to a timed IQ test.

  The doctors' report, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, said the effect   was similar to the cognitive impairment caused by head injuries. In a related study, rejected people took greater risks and made more unhealthy choices rather than taking better care of themselves.

  Study leaders conclude that excluded individuals are so busy trying to suppress emotional distress that they are unable to engage in controlled thinking.

If you can arrange to include a socially rejected employee in more socialized activities, you could be rewarded with one who thinks better and works better.

1. Survey of the Overall Vacation Experience
2. Know Your Customer!
3. The Cost of Being Disorganized!
4. Workers’ Knowledge Exists in Many Places
5. Motivate Your Employees
6. Sam Walton’s 10 Rules for Building a Successful Business
7. How important can first impressions be to your business?