http://news.uchicago.edu/news.php?asset_id=1796
We’ve talked before about emotions being contagious. Well, here’s a study that was done at the University of Chicago about social networks that discovered that lonely people actually spread that loneliness to others around them – friends, neighbors, anyone they come into contact with. The most interesting thing about this study for me is that they talk about the mechanism for the spread – they reference a gradual ‘fraying’ at the edges of society. They also showed that this phenomenon was more pronounced among friends than family, and for women than for men. None of this surprised me but I was thrilled to see a little of the ‘how’ come to light. I wonder if there are other good studies about emotional contagion out there? Anyone know of any?
Alex Russell
there is not one reason only to loneliness. A person can become lonely just because of fear of beeing hurt; a very low selfsteem; because one has already been hurt; and the healthy way to choose loneliness: one is driving an inner process that request quiet and peace. In this path one discover among other things that most part of the social interactions are empty of real contents
Hi Maria,
I agree completely! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this subject. I understand the need for time alone and wonder how that relates to our word ‘loneliness’ and if we accidentally equate the two in many instances. Every person is on their own journey and sometimes being alone is part of that. Perhaps there are other words we want to choose to talk about being alone? Loneliness (and it’s contagion) I believe stems from the kind of being alone that is not a purposeful choice, nor is it embraced as a positive situation to find oneself in. Thanks for helping with the distinction between the two.
Alex