The Role of World Beliefs in Loneliness: Implications for Daily Social Interaction and Persistence of Loneliness Over Time

Abstract

IntroductionLonely people often crave social connection, but their social interactions fall short of fulfilling their needs. Although loneliness has been associated with negative views of the world, it is not clear whether these world beliefs contribute to the unfulfilling social interaction patterns that sustain loneliness. This research examined the role of world beliefs in explaining the effects of loneliness on daily frequency and quality of interaction, and the implications for sustained loneliness over time.MethodsBoth members of romantic couples (N = 472) completed measures of loneliness, world beliefs, and daily social interactions with weak and strong ties over 2 weeks (daily N = 6411) and completed a follow‐up assessment of loneliness a year later.ResultsRelative to those who felt connected, lonely people believed the world was worse, dangerous, dull, and did not need them. Loneliness also indirectly predicted reduced quality and quantity of social interaction via negative, dull, and not needed world beliefs. In turn, the quality of interactions with strong ties predicted maintained loneliness a year later. However, dangerous world beliefs predicted better interactions with close relationship partners.ConclusionFindings suggest that the negative subjective worlds inhabited by lonely people may partially explain why lonely people have unfulfilling social interactions that tend to sustain their loneliness.