The mission: to understand the prevalence of feelings of loneliness in an “overcrowded” world where it is becoming increasingly easy to contact others via the digital sphere. Left unchecked, loneliness becomes a “risk factor for mental disorders, physical illnesses and early mortality,” the researchers point out.
“Social network users are no longer protected from feelings of loneliness and are even more at risk of feeling lonely, especially if the use is very frequent and compulsive,” researcher Rui Miguel Costa, who is the one of the authors of the work from ISPA’s William James Research Center. “AND It’s fair to say that, on average, people who use social media are lonelier.”
The results are based on surveys on line answered by five thousand Portuguese participants. The final sample includes a proportion of participants similar to the Portuguese population in terms of gender, age and area of residence. Only 218 (4.4%) of respondents did not use any type of social network.
The level of loneliness was assessed based on the University of Los Angeles Loneliness Scale (UCLA – Loneliness Scale ), developed in the 1990s to assess how often a person feels “disconnected” from others based on 20 questions, such as “How often do you feel left out?” or “How often do you feel part of a group of friends?”
In addition to traditional networks such as Facebook or Instagram, the researchers considered work platforms such as Linkedin, forums on line like Reddit, websites video sharing and messaging channels.
“All have in common to bring together a group of people who can communicate with each other. It is precisely certain characteristics of this communication which could lead to loneliness”, justifies Rui Miguel Costa. “More than a particular social network, it is the characteristics of use which can lead to loneliness”, continues the expert. “For example, a great exposure to content that makes a person feel inferior, or a great desire to get other people’s attention on social media that never happens.”
The human brain has evolved to sense social connection when other people are physically present.
The very characteristics of communication on line , like the lack of physical contact, are also relevant. “The human brain has evolved to sense social connection when other people are physically present; therefore, communication via screens will never fully satisfy our need for affiliation”, theorizes the ISPA researcher. “A group can only help its members to survive if they are physically present. Just as fear evolved to keep us away from danger, loneliness evolved to motivate us to be with others,” continues Rui Miguel Costa. “With screen communication, the alarm bells of loneliness continue to ring.”
The findings of the ISPA study are not unique – For years, several researchers have tried to explore the relationship between social networks and loneliness. A 2021 literature review, based on 52 studies on the subject, published in the academic journal Computer in Human Behavior Reports , notes that greater use of social media is associated with feelings of social anxiety and loneliness. A small 2018 study from the University of Pennsylvania, USA even notes that college students who reduced their use of social media (like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat) to 30 minutes a day showed reductions in symptoms of depression. isolation and depression.
“Some research shows that reducing social media use leads to improved mood, but this is still little; more is needed, including in Portugal, where no study of this kind has yet been conducted,” says researcher Rui Miguel Costa. Going forward, the team hopes to understand what other negative feelings are associated with social media and what triggers them. “Studies are needed to allow us to clarify in more detail what mechanisms cause social networks to lead to loneliness and why they may do so even in people who report having satisfying personal relationships.”
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