Skip to main content

The Psychology of Loneliness: Some Personality Issues in the Study of Social Support

  • Chapter
Social Support: Theory, Research and Applications

Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((ASID,volume 24))

Abstract

With certain exceptions, the literature on social support has not emphasized personality issues, focusing instead on the availability of support networks, and the ways in which they contribute to health and well-being. Similarly, little attention has been paid to those factors that might influence the probability of either developing or accessing a supportive social network. Research on relationships and interpersonal behavior more broadly conceived, however, suggests that individuals vary considerably in their ability to achieve interpersonal goals as well as in the skill and confidence necessary to interact with others effectively. The purpose of the present paper then is to consider the role of personality and individual differences in the experience of loneliness and by implication in the process of social support.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 259.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 329.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 329.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Briggs, S.R., Snider, R.K., & Smith, T.G. (1983). The Assessment of shyness: A comparison of measures. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Anaheim, CA; August.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carpenter, B.N, Hansson, R.O., Rountree, R., & Jones, W.H. (in press). Relational competence and adjustment in diabetic patients.Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cutrona, C.E. (1982). Transition to college:Loneliness and the process of social adjustment. In L.A. Peplau & D. Perlman (Eds.). Loneliness: A sourcebook of current theory, research and therapy. New York: Wiley-Interscience.

    Google Scholar 

  • Duck, S. (in press). A perspective on the repair of personal relationships. In S. Duck (Ed.). Personal Relationships 5: Repairing Personal Relationships. London: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gerson, A.C., & Perlman, D. (1979). Loneliness and expressive communication. Journal of Abnormal Psychology. 88. 258–261.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gormly, J. (1983). Predicting behavior from personality trait scores. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 9,267–270.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goswick, R.A. & Jones, W.H. (1981a,). Loneliness, self-concept and adjustment. Journal of Psychology. 107. 237–240.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goswick, R.A., & Jones, W.H. ( 1981b, April). Loneliness and shyness: Two longitudinal studies. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Southwestern Psychological Association, Houston, Texas.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hansson, R.O., Carpenter, B.N., Nelson, S.A., & Slade, K.M. (1983). Relational competence, assertiveness and adjustment in vulnerable populations. Unpublished manuscript, The University of Tulsa.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hansson, R.O., & Jones, W.H. (1981). Loneliness, cooperation and conformity atsong American undergraduates. Journal of Social Psychology. 115. 103–108.

    Google Scholar 

  • Horowitz, L.M., & French, R. de S. (1979). Interpersonal problems of people who describe themselves as lonely. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 47, 762–764.

    Google Scholar 

  • Howarth, E . (1980). Major factors of personality. Journal of Psychology. 104. 171–183.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, W.H. (1982). Loneliness and social behavior. In L.A. Peplau & D. Perlman (Eds.). Loneliness: A Sourcebook of Current Theory. Research and Therapy. New York: Wiley Interscience, 1982.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, W.H . (1981). Loneliness and social contact. Journal of Social Psychology. 113. 295–296.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones. W.H. & Briggs, S.R. (1983). Shyness and Interpersonal behavior. Unpublished manuscript, The University of Tulsa.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, W.H., Carpenter, B.N., & Quintana, D. (1982). Interpersonal and personality predictors of loneliness in two cultures. Paper presented at the International Conference on Personal Relationships, Madison, WI.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, W.H., Cavert, C.W., Snider, R.L, & Bruce, T. (in press). Relational stress: An analysis of situations and events associated with loneliness. In S. Duck & D. Perlman (Eds.). The Sage Series on Personal Relationships, London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, W.H., Freemon, J.A., & Goswick, R.A. (1981). The persistence of loneliness: Self and other determinants. Journal of, Personality, 49, 27–48.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, W.H., Hansson, R.O. & Cutrona, C.E. (in press). Helping the lonely: Issues of intervention with young and older adults. In S. Duck (Ed.). Personal Relationships 5: Repairing Personal Relationships. London: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones. W.H., Hobbs, S.A., & Hockenbury, D. (1982). Loneliness and social skill deficits. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 42. 682–689.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones. W.H., & Russell, D. (1982). The Social Reticence Scale: An objective instrument to measure shyness. Journal of Personality Assessment. 416, 629–631.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, W.H., Sansone, C., & Helm, B. (1983). Loneliness and interpersonal judgements. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. 437–442.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lawton, M.P., & Simon, B.(1968). The ecology of social relationships in housing for the elderly, Gerontologist. 8. 108–115.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lefcourt, H.M., Martin, R.A., & Saleh, W.E. (in press). Locus of control and social support: Interactive moderators of Stress. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lopata, H.Z. (1969). Loneliness: Forms and components, Social Problems. 17. 248–261.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore, J.A., & Sermat, V. (1974). Relationship between self-actualization and self-reported loneliness. Canadian Counsellor. 8. 84–89.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morgan, T.J., Hansson, R.O., Indart, M.J., Austin, D.M., Crutcher, M.M., Hampton, P.W., Oppegard, K.M. & O’daffer, V.E. (in press). Old age and environmental docility: The roles of health, support and personality, Journal of Gerontology.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peplau, L.A., & Perlman, D. (Eds.) (1982). Loneliness: A Sourcebook of Current Theory. Research and Therapy. New York: Wilely-Interscience.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peplau, L.A., Russell, D., & Heitn, M. (1979). The experience of loneliness. In I.H. Frieze, D. Bar-Tal, & J.S. Carroll (Eds.). New Approaches to Problems: Applications of Attribution Theory. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rook, K.S. (in press). The negative side of social interaction: Impact on psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,

    Google Scholar 

  • Russell, D., Peplau, L.A., & Ferguson, M. (1978). Developing a measure of loneliness. Journal of Personality Assessment. 42. 190–294.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sarason, I.G., Levine, H.M., Basham, R.B., & Sarason, B.R. (1983). Assessing social support: The social support questionnaire. Journal, of Personality and Social Psychology. 44, 127–139.

    Google Scholar 

  • Solono, C.H., Batten, P.G., & Parish, E.A. (1982). Loneliness and patterns of self-disclosure. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 43. 524–331.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stokes, J.P. (in press). The relation of social network and individual differences variables to loneliness. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weiss, R.S. (1973). Loneliness: The experience of emotional and social isolation. Cambridge. MA: MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wheeler, L., Reis, H., & Nezlek, J. (1983). Loneliness, social interaction and sex roles. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 45. 943–953.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Williams, J.G., & Solano, C.H. (1983). The social reality of feeling lonely. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. 9, 237–242.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, K.B., & Williams, K.D. (1983). Social inhibition and asking for help: The effects of number, strength, and immediacy of potential help givers. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 44, 67–77.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1985 Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, Dordrecht

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Jones, W.H. (1985). The Psychology of Loneliness: Some Personality Issues in the Study of Social Support. In: Sarason, I.G., Sarason, B.R. (eds) Social Support: Theory, Research and Applications. NATO ASI Series, vol 24. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-5115-0_13

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-5115-0_13

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-8761-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-5115-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics