Why groups use the silent treatment to enforce loyalty and punish dissent

Ideas & Philosophy · Published 3 October 2026 · Updated 25 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Shunning is more than just ignoring someone; it is a powerful social sanction designed to isolate individuals from their community. Whether practiced by religious groups or informal social circles, this deliberate withdrawal of association serves as a low-cost punishment that can inflict genuine psychological damage on its targets.

Shunning operates as a mechanism of social control, often employed by tight-knit communities to maintain cohesion or punish those perceived as threats. In religious contexts, it can be a formal ecclesiastical censure, such as the Jewish practice of cherem or the Amish tradition of meidung. These actions are not merely personal slights but structural decisions that dictate how members interact with those deemed apostates, dissidents, or sources of conflict.

The psychological impact of such exclusion is profound. Research suggests that social rejection is a form of torture, often used to compel conformity. Sociologist Andrew Holden found that many Jehovah's Witnesses remain in their organization not out of belief, but out of fear of losing contact with family and friends. Similarly, Scientology’s practice of disconnection forces members to sever ties with 'suppressive persons,' a policy that courts have noted is often involuntary due to the immense pressure applied to the individual.

While the practice is often associated with religious groups, its mechanisms appear in various forms, from the ostracism of ancient Athens to modern digital phenomena like cancel culture or ghosting. The motivation remains consistent: the fear of losing social status or the desire to enforce group solidarity. In some cases, such as in Orthodox Jewish communities, shunning is used as a tool of social pressure to resolve marital disputes, demonstrating how this ancient practice adapts to modern legal and social landscapes.

The rules governing these exclusions are constantly evolving. For instance, the Catholic Church abolished the distinction between different types of excommunicated members in 1983, ending the expectation that adherents shun certain individuals. Meanwhile, Jehovah's Witnesses updated their guidelines in 2024, allowing members to offer brief greetings to those removed from the congregation. These shifts highlight that shunning is a human construct, subject to the changing priorities and internal politics of the groups that wield it.

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