Connected World

Our work shows that emphasising shared experiences and group belonging can increase trust and cooperation, even across perceived divides.

Studies reveal that when people are encouraged to think about what unites them rather than what separates them, they show greater openness, empathy, and willingness to engage across social lines. This research sheds light on how collective identity can be a tool for inclusion, rather than exclusion.

Avoiding attention is harder than we think. Research at Essex shows that people are highly sensitive to being observed or evaluated, even in subtle or indirect ways. This affects not only social anxiety and performance, but also how we relate to others in public spaces or digital environments.

Our studies help explain how social visibility influences feelings of connection, vulnerability, and belonging.

From tone of voice to facial expression and gesture, non-verbal signals play a powerful role in shaping how others see us.

Essex student and staff researchers have shown that expressive, warm non-verbal behaviours increase likeability, engagement, and even change learning styles. This work has implications for education, leadership, and teamwork, where social connection supports both wellbeing and performance.

Strong relationships depend on trust, but trust doesn’t come easily when we feel insecure or uncertain.

Essex research explores how people maintain emotional closeness while managing fears of rejection and vulnerability, especially in romantic partnerships. This work reveals that people who regulate uncertainty well, by interpreting their partner’s behaviour more positively or by affirming their own self-worth, are better equipped to build stable, satisfying connections.

Feeling like one’s identity is under threat, especially around masculinity, can influence how people react and relate to others. Essex researchers show that men who feel their masculinity is being challenged, become more defensive, less open, and more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviours.

By exploring the psychological roots of gender identity threat, this work helps us understand how to foster more supportive environments where people feel secure in who they are, strengthening connection rather than eroding it.