Wired for Connection, Struggling to Connect: Social Anxiety in Gen Z
Type of Presentation
Poster Session
Location
University Library
Start Date
4-9-2026 2:00 PM
End Date
4-9-2026 3:15 PM
Abstract
Social anxiety isn’t just an occasional nervous feeling, it’s something that shows up in classrooms, restaurants, and everyday interactions. After noticing how common avoidance has become among my peers and in my own experiences, it led to the question, why does Gen Z struggle so much with social anxiety, and does social media make it worse? In this project, I explore how social anxiety shows up in everyday life and why it appears especially widespread among Gen Z. Drawing on psychological research, I examine how growing up online, combined with pandemic-era isolation, reduced opportunities for face-to-face interactions during key developmental years. I also consider how social media encourages comparison, performance, and avoidance, which can intensify social anxiety rather than relieve it. Rather than framing Gen Z as fragile, I argue that social anxiety is a response to environments that limit social practice. I conclude by highlighting research that shows how real-world connections can build resilience over time. This presentation invites attendees to rethink social anxiety as a shared cultural issue and to consider how meaningful connection can be rebuilt in a digital world.
Faculty / Staff Sponsor
Professor Laura White
Wired for Connection, Struggling to Connect: Social Anxiety in Gen Z
University Library
Social anxiety isn’t just an occasional nervous feeling, it’s something that shows up in classrooms, restaurants, and everyday interactions. After noticing how common avoidance has become among my peers and in my own experiences, it led to the question, why does Gen Z struggle so much with social anxiety, and does social media make it worse? In this project, I explore how social anxiety shows up in everyday life and why it appears especially widespread among Gen Z. Drawing on psychological research, I examine how growing up online, combined with pandemic-era isolation, reduced opportunities for face-to-face interactions during key developmental years. I also consider how social media encourages comparison, performance, and avoidance, which can intensify social anxiety rather than relieve it. Rather than framing Gen Z as fragile, I argue that social anxiety is a response to environments that limit social practice. I conclude by highlighting research that shows how real-world connections can build resilience over time. This presentation invites attendees to rethink social anxiety as a shared cultural issue and to consider how meaningful connection can be rebuilt in a digital world.