Recent neuroscience research showed that when people are lonely they
respond more negatively to social stimuli than when they are not lonely (Wall
Street Journal, September 21, 2015).
The research team, John and Stephanie Cacioppo, professors of psychology,
psychiatry, and behavioural neuroscience at the University of Chicago’s Center
for Cognitive and Social Neuroscience, showed that when people are lonely their
brains operate differently than when they are not lonely.
The researchers defined loneliness – not as being alone (because many times
people are content being by themselves) – but as feelings of social isolation
when there is a disconnect between a person’s desired social relationships and
actual social relationships.
The UC research team conducted two studies. In the first study they
recruited 70 participants – 38 stated they were very lonely and 32 stated that
they were not lonely (Cortex, July 2015). The team used electroencephalography
(EEG) to measure and assess electrical activity in the participants’ brains to
note any activity changes when they were given a Stroop test in which they were
shown words written in different colours. All participants were asked to
identify the colour, not the meaning of the word. Twenty-five percent (25%) of
the words were social and positive (pal, admired, etc.), 25% of the words were
social and negative (disliked, unwanted etc.), 25% were emotionally postive but
non-social (joy, happy), and the last quarter of the words were emotionally
negative and non-social (angry and vomit).
In the second study the research team worked with 19 participants – 10 of
whom said they were lonely and were shown 28 pictures while their brain
activity was assessed using an EEG (Cognitive Neuroscience, August 2015). Seven
of the pictures were social and positive (people celebrating happily together),
seven were social and negative (someone in a group being mocked and ridiculed),
seven were non-social and positive (pleasant scenery), and seven pictures were
non-social and negative (snakes).
Researchers found that, when lonely, the brain activity was faster and more
extreme every time participants were shown negative social cues than when
non-lonely people viewed the words or pictures.
Loneliness appears to prime the brain to be hyper-vigilant to threats and
to go into self-preservation mode. John and Stephanie Cacioppo maintain that
people act that way when lonely because they are constantly and subconsciously
guarding against social threats. The brain is already in a heightened attentive
state.
To combat the hyper-vigilant brain activity, the researchers say that, when
lonely, people should accept social invitations even if they don’t feel like
going out (they call it extending yourself). Another tactic that the
researchers suggest is to ‘expect the best’ – because people’s brains might be
reading the situation incorrectly. Other people’s actions may not be as
negative as lonely people think they are.
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