Choice Matters More with Others: Choosing to be with Other People is More Consequential to Well-Being than Choosing to be Alone

Uziel, Liad; Schmidt-Barad, Tomer

doi:10.1007/s10902-022-00506-5

Cited by 9 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 68 publications

(97 reference statements)

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“…It also fits empirical research on solitude-seeking and well-being: A higher desire for solitude was associated with decreased PA in middle-aged adults (but not in older adults, Lay, Pauly, et al, 2020). People had more positive and less negative affective experiences in chosen as compared to unchosen solitary activities, and in chosen compared to unchosen social activities (Tse et al, 2022;Uziel & Schmidt-Barad, 2022). From a theoretical standpoint, people may seek out solitude voluntarily to attain broad benefits to well-being through creative or spiritual pursuits, self-discovery, increased productivity, or recuperation (Long et al, 2003).…”

Section: Social Contact Social Desire and Momentary Affectsupporting

confidence: 75%

“…Volition can be considered a precondition for a match between social contact status and momentary social desire and is therefore related to the social dynamics analyzed in this study. Higher volition of social interaction status has consistently been linked to higher well-being (Hall et al, 2021;Hall & Merolla, 2020;Uziel & Schmidt-Barad, 2022).…”

Section: Social Contact Social Desire and Momentary Affectmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Social dynamics and affect: Investigating within-person associations in daily life using experience sampling and mobile sensing

Krämer¹,

Roos²,

Schoedel³

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Social interactions are crucial to affective well-being. Still, people vary interindividually and intraindividually in their social needs. Social need regulation theories state that mismatches between momentary social desire and actual social contact result in lowered affect, yet empirical knowledge about this dynamic regulation is limited. 306 participants in a sample stratified by age and gender (51% women, M_age = 39.41, range 18-80 years) answered up to 20 questionnaires about social interactions and affect while mobile sensing tracked their conversations, calls, and app usage over two days. Combining preregistered and exploratory analyses, we investigated how momentary affect relates to social dynamics, focusing on two states of mismatch between social desire and social contact: social deprivation (i.e., being alone but desiring social contact) and social oversatiation (i.e., being in contact but desiring to be alone). We used specification curve analyses to scrutinize the operationalization of these constructs. Social oversatiation was associated with decreased positive affect (PA) and increased negative affect (NA). Social deprivation, however, was unrelated to affect. Exploratory multilevel models showed that a higher desire to be alone was consistently associated with decreased affect, whereas a higher desire for social contact was related to increased affect. Mobile sensing data revealed that having more conversations was related to higher PA even when controlling for momentary social desire. Using communication apps more frequently when alone was related to higher NA. We discuss implications for social need regulation, related studies on voluntary solitude, and the advantages of combining experience sampling and mobile sensing assessments.

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Section: Social Contact Social Desire and Momentary Affectsupporting

confidence: 75%

Section: Social Contact Social Desire and Momentary Affectmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social dynamics and affect: Investigating within-person associations in daily life using experience sampling and mobile sensing

Krämer¹,

Roos²,

Schoedel³

et al. 2023

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…With young adults, Uziel et al, (2022) found that in terms of daily momentary experiences, when participants sensed that they were in the company of others by their choice, this was associated with the greatest boost to their well-being, sense of meaning, and control. In contrast, they found that when participants were alone, they experienced calmness and relative emotional stability.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Canadian adolescents’ solitude experiences, self-perceptions, and well-being

Bosacki

2022

J. Silenc. Stud. Educ.

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This paper explores adolescents’ solitude activities, their reasons for choosing to be alone, and how they think and feel when they are away from others. Gender and age differences were also explored.ApproachWe looked at the links between solitary activities and emotional well-being and personal happiness. Sixty-one adolescents (68% female, Mage = 16.14 ± .50) completed self-report on-line measures assessing time alone, solitary activities, and indices of adjustment.FindingsMajority of participants reported that they were alone by choice, and that they were more often with others than alone. Age and gender differences emerged in time alone, feelings of self-worth, and emotional well-being.Research Limitations The demographics of participants was limited to English-speakers in Eastern Canada, and data collection was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.Practical Implications School programs could be developed to better equip adolescents with the skills necessary to be productive in, and feel positive about, time spent alone.

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“…For example, if individuals chose to live with others due to a high social approach tendency (e.g. living with friends), there can be an opposite indirect path connecting living arrangements and daily desire for solitude via social motivation (Nikitin & Schoch, 2021; Uziel & Schmidt‐Barad, 2022). In this case, living with others would be associated with low daily desire for solitude (This was not observed in our sample—living with others was not significantly associated with extraversion, communal orientation, or preference for solitude; see Table S3).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Having time to oneself in times of extended togetherness: Solitude experiences during the COVID‐19 pandemic

Choi

Pauly

Garza

et al. 2022

Applied Psych Health & Well

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This study investigated how time to oneself (solitude) is experienced under conditions of extended togetherness with household members during the pandemic. Both structural (living arrangements) and qualitative characteristics (relationship quality and conflict) were examined for their association with solitude desire and daily solitude–affect links. We expected that people living with others and those with more high‐quality as well as those with more conflictual relationships would report better affect quality when experiencing solitude. A Canadian adult lifespan sample (N = 141; Mage = 38.43 years, SDage = 17.51; 81% female; 73% White; data collected from April to August 2020) provided information on household size and relationship characteristics and completed repeated daily life assessments of solitude desire, solitude, and affect. Findings show that living arrangements were not associated with an increased desire for solitude or better affect quality from solitude. Individuals reporting higher relationship quality and individuals reporting more conflict showed more favorable affect quality on days when they had time in solitude than individuals reporting lower quality relationships and lower conflict. Findings add to the growing solitude literature by delineating who seeks and benefits from solitude, and under what conditions.

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Choice Matters More with Others: Choosing to be with Other People is More Consequential to Well-Being than Choosing to be Alone

Cited by 9 publications

References 68 publications

Social dynamics and affect: Investigating within-person associations in daily life using experience sampling and mobile sensing

Social dynamics and affect: Investigating within-person associations in daily life using experience sampling and mobile sensing

Canadian adolescents’ solitude experiences, self-perceptions, and well-being

Having time to oneself in times of extended togetherness: Solitude experiences during the COVID‐19 pandemic

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