Lecture 4: the loneliness epidemic

Question 1

definition of loneliness (by perlmain & peplay and cacioppo & patrick)

Answer 1

p&p: ‘Loneliness is the unpleasant experience that occurs when a person’s network of social relationships is deficient in some important way, either quantitatively or qualitatively.’

c&p: Loneliness as a social pain (alike physical pain): a motivation to reconnect with others

Question 2

difference loneliness and social isolation

Answer 2

loneliness is subjective social embeddedness, social isolation is an objective social embeddedness

Question 3

most important causes of emotional loneliness

Answer 3

• lack of partner and/or best frind
• lack of attachment figure (parents)
• bad quality of partner relationship

Question 4

emotional loneliness

Answer 4

Deficit in the quality of realized social relationships, measured by statements such as: ‘I miss having a really close friend‘

Question 5

social loneliness

Answer 5

Deficit in the quantity of social relationships, measured by statements such as: ‘I find my circle of friends and acquaintances too limited’

Question 6

important causes of social loneliness

Answer 6

• exclusion from peer groups

- physical, cognitive and mental health problems

Question 7

3 strategies to counter loneliness

Answer 7

1. network improvement
2. lowering relationship standards
3. rationalization of the deficit

Question 8

distal and proximal factors influencing loneliness

Answer 8

distal factors: structural factors, such as work status that influence lonelines indirectly trough proximal, interpersonal factors
proximal factors: frequency of contact with network members and other social relationship characteristics
distal factors –> proximal factors –> loneliness

Question 9

causes of loneliness peaks around age 30 and 60 and dips at 40 and 75

Answer 9

larger number of friends are more frequent f-t-f contact with relatives and friends is related to less loneliness
- frequent use of media, higher level of loneliness

Question 10

causes physical functioning

Answer 10

• depressive symptoms, poor sleep quality and worse self-reported health
• when older, less easy to go out

Question 11

causes martital status, living arrangements

Answer 11

• living with partner decreases loneliness –> effect is larger for young adults than other age groups

Question 12

causes socio-demographic factors

Answer 12

• woman are lonelier
• lower-educcated/income tend to be lonelier
• full time workers are lonelier
• when failing expectations, more loneliness

Question 13

differences between loneliness Italy, the netherlands and canada

Answer 13

IT: strong family ties –> low emotional loneliness, high social loneliness wit fam, but low with friends
CA: weak family ties –> high emotional loneliness, low social loneliness wit fam, but high with friends
NL: moderate family ties –> in between with everything

Question 14

main take-away message cohort-differences in loneliness

Answer 14

cohort doesn’t effect loneliness. No strong increase between birth cohorts
- people have more control over their life (because of social media)

Question 15

connection social media an loneliness

Answer 15

social media has been linked by some studies to loneliness
–> internet addiction, risky behavior, less time for other things
but:
- might be a selection effect: only occurs among those that use media a lot
- loneliness the cause or effect?
- social media also helps to create communities