Social isolation

Psychologists and sociologists use the term social isolation to refer to a person’s lack of meaningful social contacts and relationships with others, particularly regarding the lack of having others that one can confide in. If prolonged, social isolation can lead to feelings of loneliness and despair and have negative impacts on one’s mental and physical well-being. Social isolation is not necessarily the same as being a hermit or a loner; the primary difference between the two is that social isolation and loneliness are involuntary while hermits and loners tend to intentionally limit their exposure to and contact with others. The topic of social isolation and its ramifications in US society has generated a considerable volume of media attention and debate among scholars.

Overview

Human beings are social creatures. Anthropologists contend that while certain primate species, such as gorillas and chimpanzees, have rudimentary language abilities, the capacity for fully developed language is a distinctly human trait. Similarly, the capacity for highly developed culture is thought to be distinctly human. People acquire and transmit cultural knowledge and skills through the socialization process, which begins at birth and continues throughout one’s lifetime. Psychologists often point out that interaction between humans is a fundamentally innate need, a concept that is reflected in various psychological theories such as Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and Kurt Goldstein’s principle of self-actualization.

Sociologists, anthropologists, and psychologists are in general agreement that a prolonged lack of meaningful social contact with others, through friendships, romantic relationships, trust, and humor, can lead to harmful consequences such as low self-esteem, depression, feelings of hopelessness, and a loss of interest in life.

According to US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy's 2023 report, Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation, approximately 50 percent of US adults reported that they experienced loneliness, with young adults experiencing loneliness at higher rates. Between 2003 and 2020, the report found that time spent alone increased nationally, with social isolation rising by twenty-four hours over that time period, while time spent on in-person social engagement decreased, including within family groups, friends, and others. The surgeon general also concluded that the COVID-19 pandemic that was declared in 2020 exacerbated these trends. Looking at the health impact of social isolation and loneliness, the report stated that social isolation increases the risk of premature death by 29 percent, while loneliness increases this risk by 26 percent. The report also stated that a lack of social connection correlated with an increased risk of developing diseases and disorders such as heart disease, stroke, anxiety, depression, and dementia.

While researchers agree that social isolation is becoming a more pressing problem, disagreement persists as to the causes of this phenomenon, besides the pandemic. Many experts point out that given the nature of the economy in the 2020s, an ever-growing number of people must work additional hours at work or work more than one job to make ends meet. Spending more time working results in considerably less leisure time to interact with friends and relatives or to partake in other recreational or social activities where personal bonding occurs. Others have blamed the rise of new technology for worsening social isolation by claiming that the Internet, instant messaging, cell phones, text messaging, and social media have presented people with an artificial sense of connectedness. In other words, while such technology has appeared to make society more connected than ever before, individuals actually end up having much less face-to-face interaction with one another than at anytime in the past. Some sociologists and psychologists take exception to this theory by citing research indicating that people who regularly use the Internet or cell phones do not necessarily have fewer confidants than people who use this technology less often. Also, most people express that they still prefer face-to-face interaction with close, intimate colleagues than texting or communicating via Internet or cell phone.

Social isolation can be a particular concern for older people, whether living alone or in a nursing home setting. Declining health, the lack of workplace interaction, the loss of a spouse, limited contact with children, and other factors can increase the risk of isolation. Human rights activists have also criticized the isolation of prisoners, especially in solitary confinement and the sensory deprivation used in some interrogation methods, as psychologically damaging and akin to torture. Other research has identified symptoms of social isolation among individuals of other social animal species, including rats, mice, and starlings.

Two studies using data from the 2011 National Health and Aging Trends study of Medicare beneficiaries found evidence supporting earlier findings on the effects of social isolation and loneliness on geriatric health outcomes. One of the studies, published in 2022, found that 70 percent of people aged sixty-five and older who were not social isolated had access to a mobile phone and/or a computer and regularly emailed and texted others. The study also found that participants with access to communication technology had a 31 percent lower risk of social isolation compared to other participants. The other study, published in 2023, found that socially isolated older adults had a 27 percent higher chance of developing dementia than adults who were not socially isolated.

Bibliography

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