We are social animals. We spend time with family and friends, and enjoy it. (Well, normally. Christmas can be a bit trying.) Solitary confinement is one of the most extreme forms of punishment in the developed world: withdrawal of the privilege of being with others is close to the ultimate sanction.

We need confirmation, positive or negative, from those around us. That’s why so many languages have some form of rhetorical question. This is just the best sushi, isn’t it? It’s such a wonderful day today, don’t you think? Isn’t that revolting? In Swedish, we have eller hur. German has “nicht wahr?”, French “n’est-ca pas?”. It’s all about affirmation, confirmation that we have a shared experience,  that other people like (or dislike) what we like (or dislike).

This can be seen in so many aspects of modern culture. We want to see blockbuster movies often just because they are so popular. Bestselling books must be good, because so many people like them.

Online, one of the most widespread manifestations of this phenomenon has been the Facebook “Like” button. Publish something on Facebook (most often good news, or something witty) and dozens, even hundreds of your friends might like it. The opposite applies too: many people call regularly for Facebook to add a “Dislike” button.

The same reinforcement comes from Twitter. Tweet something pithy or profound (or controversial or dumb) and your 140 characters can race around the world at the speed of light. If your followers pick up your tweet positively and pay it forward, they are affirming that they agree (which makes tweeters feel better). Numerous other social media, from Reddit to Fark.com, work in a similar way: people can comment on your link, praising it or criticizing it.

Google has taken this to the internet as a whole with its 1+ button. If you have a Google account, you can press 1+ on sites listed in the Google search results, and give them a stamp of approval. Google describes +1 as “shorthand for ‘this is pretty cool’ or ‘you should check this out’.” (Read more here.)

It has been around for a few months now, but is picking up speed thanks to the launch of Google+, the internet giant’s own social network.

Many websites are introducing a 1+ button, and placing it alongside the other social-media sharing functions such as Twitter, Reddit and Facebook’s Like or Recommend buttons. People in your Google+ circles can see your personal recommendations, and those from other friends in their circles. That provides the affirmation, the validation of your peers.

But because Google’s approach goes outside the closed environment of, for example, Facebook, even strangers will see that a site has received thousands of positive ratings. Or that it hasn’t.

With the launch of Google+, the 1+ button has received some extra functionality, now allowing users to share the content on their Google+ pages. Of course, it could be seen as simply part of Google’s push to make its Google+ as popular, ubiquitous and indispensable as Facebook.  Or am I just being cynical?