Two new stories caught my eye recently:

“Survey shows Internet lessens sociability”
“Isolated Americans Trying to Connect”

It doesn’t take a Ph.D. to figure out that these two trends may be related. According to Self-Determination Theory, the three basic human needs are Autonomy, Relatedness, and Competence. As work and leisure activities continue to become solo endeavors and communities continue to be diluted into islands of individuals, the second basic need is becoming more difficult to fill. Culture in the U.S. promotes making money and owning expensive things as a way to achieve happiness, but research has shown over and over that strong relationships are the real keys to a satisfying life. As we all spend more time in front of the computer screen reading blogs, watching videos on YouTube, and finishing a spreadsheet for work, don’t forget that the real valuable parts of life are the people around you.

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    Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 15 Aug 2006
    Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.