Loneliness, shyness, and depression: The etiology and interrelationships of everyday problems in living.

Abstract

In addition to the emotional trauma and psychological suffering inflicted on the victims, these problems exact a heavy monetary toll on society. Like a pebble tossed into a pond, these problems have their most obvious effects at the point of entry, but the impact radiates outward in an ever-widening circle. Perhaps this simile is too optimistic: It implies that one can observe and predict relatively low-level effects as the modestsized waves dissipate at increasing distances from the initial point of impact. A coastal earthquake may provide a better analogy. The most obvious victims are those at the epicenter-the shy, the lonely, and the depressed. However, such traumatic events can lead to unexpected problems at quite some distance, just as the tsunami created by the earthquake can appear suddenly and unexpectedly thousands of miles away. For example, it is not simply the immediate family who suffer with the shy, lonely, and depressed; coworkers, friends, and acquaintances of the family may also be adversely affected. The health care costs, lost days at work, increased accident rates, and decreased productivity of the immediate victims and these "ripple effect" victims are all consequences of shyness, loneliness, and depression.Other hidden costs also accrue. For instance, there are theoretical and empirical reasons to suspect that these problems in living increase the likelihood of a variety of violent behaviors, ranging from child abuse to murder. For instance, Lee, Zimbardo, and Bertholf (1977) showed that convicted murderers who had no prior history of violence were unusually shy. Shyness, loneliness, and depression may all increase a variety of aggressive behaviors through at least three separate mechanisms (e.g., Anderson, Anderson, & Deuser, 1996; see also Berkowitz, 1993;Geen, 1990). First, the lack of satisfying interpersonal ties may contribute to a lower or less effective set of inhibitions against aggression. Second, the high level of negative affect characteristic of these problems in living may increase unwarranted aggression. Finally, these problems may prime aggressive thoughts, thus producing increases in aggression. THE ROLE OF MODERN SOCIETYNumerous characteristics of modern society contribute to shyness, loneliness, and depression. The high mobility in U.S. society makes it difficult to develop and maintain close interpersonal relationships, even within families. Similarly, the loss of intergenerational ties and the rise of single-parent families contribute to the social isolation that underlies many of the problems in living. These characteristics of modem U.

Social anxiety, depressive symptoms, and post-event rumination: Affective consequences and social contextual influences

“…For depressed individuals, concerns about social status appear to have been less salient. They may have taken advantage of the rare opportunity to engender positive interpersonal and affective experiences, temporarily recovering from a low rate of reinforcing experiences (i.e., anhedonia) and common feelings of loneliness (e.g., Dill & Anderson, 1999;Joiner, 1997). Future studies are needed to further elaborate on how these related vulnerability factors affect interpersonal behavior and responses.…”

Integrating Etiological Models of Social Anxiety and Depression in Youth: Evidence for a Cumulative Interpersonal Risk Model

“…Loneliness involves quantitative and/or qualitative aspects of social relationships (Dill and Anderson 1999). Not surprising, children's loneliness has been found to be related to children's peer relationships, including peer acceptance and rejection, as well as the quantity and quality of friendships (e.g., see Asher and Paquette 2003, for review).…”

Sport Participation and Loneliness in Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Perceived Social Competence

“…Cheek and Buss (1981) defined shyness as social anxiety or discomfort in the presence of others, particularly among strangers. Shyness has also been argued to be a precursor of loneliness (Dill and Anderson 1999), and may represent a risk factor that could detract from or reduce otherwise positive outcomes of sport participation as well as influencing the role of mediating cognitions such as perceived social competence. During adolescence, much emphasis is placed on peer groups and social activities, especially physical activity (Page and Zarco 2001).…”