Activism / Protests | Arguing With People Online |
Caring for Children | Celebrations |
Classes / Learning in a Social Environment | Coaching |
Collaborative Media Projects - e.g. podcasting | Collaborative Work |
Community Participation - e.g. organizing a local event | Concerts |
Conferences | Connectedness - a feeling that you want to belong to society / social groups |
Dance | Dating |
Debate | Doing Good - or at least wanting to do good |
Empathy - an interest in feeling what others feel | Engaged / Vocal in Class Discussions |
Engaged / Vocal in Meetings | Epic Experience / Adventure - e.g. sailing across an ocean with others |
Events | Family |
Festivals | Friendship / Time With Friends |
Games - e.g. playing cards with others | Giving Presentations |
Group Travel | Hobby Clubs / Meetups |
Holiday Observances - e.g. social meals during a holiday | Improv / Acting |
Institutional / Organizational Memberships | Interest-based Clubs / Meetups |
Leadership | Learning Languages |
Letter Writing | Marriage / Romantic Partnerships |
Meetings / Solving Problems Collaboratively | Membership in Community Groups |
Membership in Social Groups | Mentoring |
Messaging / Personal Emails / Chats | Musical Groups / Collaboration |
Negotiation | Networking |
Nightlife | Online Forums / Communities |
Parties | People Person - genuine interest in others |
People Watching | Performance Art |
Play - a foundational type of social interest & behavior | Political Participation |
Public Speaking | Relatives |
Religious Congregations | Rites of Passage |
School Clubs / Enrichment Programs | Social Interaction in Video Games / Virtual Worlds |
Social Meals | Social Media |
Social Professions - e.g. sales | Solo Travel - Meeting the Locals / Other Solo Travelers |
Striking Up Conversation With Strangers | Studying Together |
Summer Programs - e.g. going to camp in summer | Talking to Coworkers |
Talking to Neighbors | Teaching |
Team Sports | Teamwork |
Traditions | Video Conferencing |
Volunteering | Workshops |
Commoditization of Social Interests
Entertainment and media can be viewed as commoditization of social interests. For example, watching a television show allows you to follow the lives of fictional people until you almost feel that you know them. This can be viewed as the fulfillment of social needs with a product or service. Likewise, following people in social media is somewhat social but may act as a poor substitute for foundational social processes such as friendship.Alfred Adler
It is the individual who is not interested in his fellow men who has the greatest difficulties in life and provides the greatest injury to others. It is from among such individuals that all human failures spring.”The term social interest is attributed to Alfred Adler, who is viewed as the founder of the school of individual psychology. Adler presented social interest as a cohesive force that binds society together in civility and common interest. He defined social interest as "a feeling of community, an orientation to live cooperatively with others, and a lifestyle that values the common good above one's own interests and desires."
― Alfred Adler, What Life Should Mean To You
| Overview: Social Interests | ||
Type | ||
Definition | A sense that you want to interact with others, to know about them, to bond with them and belong to groups. | |
Related Concepts | ||
