Scientists from the University of Arizona found that feelings of loneliness among teenagers do not depend on the time spent alone with oneself. Results are published on: Journal of Personality Research.
438 people between the ages of 24 and 90 participated in the study. They wore devices on their hips that recorded sounds for two to six days. Using the data obtained, scientists were able to understand whether a person was talking on the phone, driving a car, watching television, or communicating with a partner or a stranger.
On average, study participants spent 66% of their time alone. Those who were alone more than 75% of the time felt the loneliest, but overall this feeling had little to do with actual social isolation.
The link between social isolation and feelings of loneliness was stronger in people over 67. The authors suggest that older people tend to view spending time alone as a negative thing, while younger people consciously choose to do so, believing they still have plenty of time to socialise. Researchers say age and marital status should be taken into account in future studies on the relationship between loneliness and social isolation.
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