Social Safety and Social Safety Theory

Social safety and social safety theory are overall perceptions of security and protection within a social environment, encompassing trust, respect, freedom from threats of discrimination, and a sense of belonging. While safety behaviors are individual actions, social safety describes the overall climate of a group, workplace, or community. When feeling safe, we feel accepted, valued, and comfortable expressing ourselves without fear of judgment or hostility. From an evolutionary perspective, social safety theory suggests our forebears had an innate need for social connection and safety, when belonging to a group was crucial for survival. Recent research suggests social safety is missing from understanding LGBTQ+ stigma/health. Its absence is just as health-consequential for stigmatized individuals as is the presence of minority stress. The chronic threat/vigilance fostered by insufficient safety has negative long-term effects on cognitive, emotional, and immunological functioning, even when exposure to minority stress is low. Also see Avoidance Behavior