The big get together: Why group experiences are important

Sometimes it’s fun to do things in a big group with other people, which is why this month Virgin Red is celebrating The Big Get Together.

Many things are more fun when experienced with others: celebrating your team’s win at a football match, or smashing a pub quiz, for example. But why else should we share experiences?
A study published in Psychological Science found that having incredible experiences like going on a cruise on your own or road-tripping solo across America can leave you feeling left out with others who haven’t done those things and even make you unpopular. According to the report’s authors: “Extraordinary experiences are both different from and better than the experiences that most other people have, and being both alien and enviable is an unlikely recipe for popularity.”

Image from gettyimages

So does that mean you shouldn’t have incredible experiences by yourself? Of course not. It simply means that you’ll enjoy them more in the long run if you have people to share them with. For example, sitting through someone showing you their holiday pictures is fairly dull – but if you were there and share those memories, you’ll love seeing all the pictures and reminiscing over the fun you had.
But the same can be said for more everyday experiences such as listening to music or eating a meal. Research has found that experiences such as these are more intense when they occur with other people.
“We often think that what matters in social life is being together with others, but we’ve found it also really matters what those people are doing,” says psychological scientist and lead researcher Erica Boothby of Yale University. “When people are paying attention to the same pleasant thing, whether the Mona Lisa or a song on the radio, our research shows that the experience is much more pleasurable.”

Image from gettyimages

Other research has also found that there’s a mental health benefit from doing sports with other people. The benefits of exercising to help reduce panic attacks or mood and sleep disorders have been well publicised. But new research has found that team sports may be even more beneficial than other forms of physical activity.
Adam Chekroud, one of the study’s authors, explains there are biological, cognitive and social aspects of mental illness. “Some sports might just be hitting on more of those elements than other sports. If you just run on a treadmill for example, it's clear that you're getting that biological stimulation. But perhaps there are other elements of depression that you're not going to be tapping into.”
So if you’re looking to benefit from exercise in more than one way this summer, grab some friends and hit the park for a game of football or rounders, or gather your gym buddies and work out together.
What other group experiences are you planning for this summer? Download the Virgin Red app for some inspiration and enjoy the big get together this summer...
Thumbnail from gettyimages.