The specific analysis of group dynamics that would emerge in response to contact with the truly alien. It explores how human social structures would fracture and reform, what new tribes would emerge (alien truthers, alien deniers, alien apologists), and how existing social hierarchies would scramble to accommodate beings who don't care about your Twitter follower count. Exotic sociology suggests that no matter how strange the alien, humans will find a way to make it about human drama—who gets to talk to them, who speaks for Earth, and whether their arrival validates or undermines our existing belief systems.
Example: "In a simulated exotic sociology exercise, participants were told aliens had landed. Within hours, three factions had formed: one demanding we greet them with peace, one demanding we greet them with weapons, and one demanding we check their social media credentials before engaging. The aliens, if they existed, would have probably just turned around."
by Nammugal February 14, 2026
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