There are two different phenomena here, one they studied and one you've observed.<p>There are intelligent but different people who experience some social rejection but have their own interests and eventually come around to being accepted after puberty when they are obviously more intellectually and emotionally stable than the formerly "cool" people. That is probably the majority of readers of HN and their kids.<p>What this study is talking about is social rejection among kids who are not that intelligent or self-driven. In school, you may remember one person who, though not "geeky," did seem slightly off. Kids jump on this quickly, lacking any absolute ideas about behavior and only knowing what they are used to.<p>For geeks, this rejection can become a strong drive and badge of honor among ourselves. But for "normal" kids who just happen to be out of sync with their peers, and have nothing else to define themselves in terms of, it is a big problem.