Loneliness and the recursive formation of social environments

Abstract

Tackling loneliness is a challenging task in modern society. Recent research has focused primarily on the physiological nature of loneliness. However, the multifaceted psychological construct is clearly more than just a negative emotion. The virtue of helping each other can be undermined by the process in which loneliness breeds maladaptive social perception and behavior that also facilitate the avoidance of lonely individuals. To cut off the vicious cycle of loneliness, comprehending the dynamic nature of loneliness and social networks through the lens of social information processing is important. After introducing the conceptualization of loneliness, this paper discusses the process by which individuals feel isolated in dyadic/networked social connections, the social selection and influence mechanisms of loneliness, the distinction between loneliness and solitude, the current advances and limitation of loneliness interventions, and the importance of providing opportunities for social interactions for the lonely to deal with this modern disease.