In a study that should surprise no one, new research suggests that a person can increase their feelings of belongingness — the sense of being in a social situation — by simply watching television. TV can act as a social surrogate for actual human contact, making us feel like we have a social relationship with the TV characters. It may not be real social relationship, but it appears that may not really matter in terms of its relief of feelings of social isolation and rejection.
And if television can be shown to do this, it’s not a huge leap to imagine the value of the Internet in also relieving social isolation. In fact, some research has already been published that shows just that (see previous link).
Is any of this a “good” thing? Well, it depends on how you look at it. If you’re home-bound or an older person who has lost all of their friends and family, you don’t have a lot of choices in where you can grab your social interactions. If you can get something that provides similar relief from feelings of loneliness and rejection from television or the Internet, it may be sufficient (and more than sufficient in some cases) for people faced with such a situation.
The world is changing in front of us (as it changed in front of previous generations). But this time around, technology is changing the very core of many of our social interactions and relationships, moving them from the face-to-face world to the virtual, always-on world.
Read the full article: T.V. Can Ease Loneliness and Rejection.
(9 votes, average: 4 out of 5)
Loading ...You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Links to This Article
Winner and Losers Ahoy! « Glaring Health Code Violations (4/24/2009)
Postmodern Conservative » Blog Archive » Solophobia (4/27/2009)
all my friends are two dimensional : clusterflock (4/28/2009)
19 Comments to
“TV Relieves Loneliness”
This reminds me of the Albert Brooks quote in Broadcast News: “Wouldn’t this be a great world if insecurity and desperation made us more attractive? If “needy” were a turn-on?”
If TV (or the internet) make solitary people less lonely, maybe it will also make them less needy and thereby more able to connect with other people.
YES IT’S MUCH EASIER TO HANG OUT WITH YOUR TELEVISION BUT i DON’T HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CHARATERS THAT ARE ON THE TELEVISION I JUST SEE HOW LIFE IS BETTER MANIPULATED FOR THEM .
I lost my Husband December 16 2008. The tv does not replace lonelyness. It is sort of boring and depressing . I feel better getting out of the house and meeting people. take care Gwen
I think television is a horrible surrogate for reality. All the reality shows…where people compete and someone gets left out and hurt. A pefect parallel to human interaction. No, I do not think it is a cure for loneliness. One needs to get out there in society, establish boundaries, act with compassion toward others, and do something to make things better, such as volunteering. Just sitting there passively is like dying to the self, the spirit.
It helps me heaps. But it’s only a temporary fix. When it’s turned off the same waves of loneliness, depression and despair return. 
I personally get pretty wrapped up in television. I watch the news. I have my favorite sitcoms that I can relate to and almost feel a part of. Most recently, the oldest soap, and the only one I have been faithful too, has been cancelled. That will feel like a huge void for me. I have watched since I was a kid and I’m 61 now. I also enjoy the fine entertainment of PBS and the history channel. Cooking shows; DYI; and QVC. Guess I’d be pretty lost without it.
Well, psychotropics (drugs for depression) help people, but also create a dependency.
I have been home on disability for the past 10 years so and watch tv to relax and sometimes to help me get through a sleepless night. I find it comforting and it’s a friend who rarely lets me down~unless the power goes out! I love to do volunteer wotk and like to interact with real people but sometimes they are just too busy when I feel the need for some companionship.
I spend a lot of time alone but after working for 40 years I really don’t mind. TV was a wonderful invention ( I remember when there was none in my part of the country) TV to me is entertainment and keeps me up with what is going on in the world but I certainly do not feel I have a social relationship with anyone on there. I probably watch more than I should, I should be reading or cleaning house.
Lonely people are not “needy.” They are lonely and if you are not, then you are lucky. Needy is not what we are and to say so is cruel. You can be lonely in a house full of people and be married, etc. Loneliness does not necessarily mean alone!
I too get tremendous relief and a feeling of connectedness with TV. Instead of sitcoms, I usually watch Fox News, ABC News, History Channel some A&E. and all of the CSIs and L&Os. Sometimes, after a day of relating to real people, coming home to my TV actually calms me & eases the tension I feel with real people. I used to feel guilty for my “addiction”, but now it is a comfortable old friend.
I love watching television and it takes me out of reality to another place. I have had a love affair with T.V. since I was a child. My childhood was not the greatest and it was my escape. I am being for real when I say I became articulate beyond my years when I was a child because of classic movies. So anytime I am feeling blue I put on a good movie and go to another place for two hours. I actually have a great career and wonderful daughter that does not allow me to watch T.V. the way I use to. It makes me cherish the time I have when I actually get to sit down and enjoy a good flick.
There are many reason why you should refraim from watch to much T.V. Televsion can you stress you out, make you uninteresting and ruin your relationships. Its important to discover new adventures and seek out new friends. You loss opportunities when you do nothing except watch T.V. Life comes from being out in the world talking to real people and reading interesting things. If you are an older adult I recomend you limit your T.V. and begin seeking out new adventures. Join a senior center, enroll in a exercise class, learn a new language, call a friend on the phone. There is much more to life than seating alone in your home watching T.V. I challenge you to become more energetic and more interesting.
Joe George
Senior Wellness expert
If a person (regardless of age) is homebound for whatever reason, I believe balance is the answer. Recently, with plantaar faciitis of the heel, it was impossible to walk except for personal care. At that time, I relied on TV to keep up to date with the news, experience humor, drama and excitement with movies, soap operas for fantasy and History and PBS for education and entertainment. Gradually, I was able to gain strength with exercise so I could enjoy nature.
Calling friends was important along with reading. It is also a good idea to exercise your eyes by looking up, down and to the sides as you look away from the TV or reading.
I am a people person, so I need to connect with family and friends and finally get out to have real people with whom to interact. Loneliness is a problem as we age.
Yes I love my tv.I am at the age of 56 and on oxygen 24/7 and sometimes I get out.I get very tired to andwhen you get a little older you just dont want all the outside activitys ,I dont anyway.I just love to watch the old clean love tv shows on tv.Old romance tv.I watched a new movie The notebook and it was the best movie.All the older folks should watch this if you like love storys clean.It was the greatest movie.I havent lost anything out in the world,just troubles,so I love my shows good clean ones.Some news ,it is mostly sad anymore so why watch it
.Bad News to ,not much good.Tv does help loneliness expecially when you husband keeps his nose in a laptop computer all day long and dont talk much.Is not this a crime ,Give me my tv,I can relate some not my computer.Keep up my tv daily.
Yeah it can help with loanlyness but one of the things that lonelyness comes from is that when your husband or boyfriend loves the computer more than you and there are many women online that are easily and ready to take the part of keeping then man happy…I wish there was a way that all people like that was not able to contact people that are looking for extra fun…and it isn’t always because the man or woman can’t get what they ned at home…they have just forgotten how the feeling was when they met their own wives or girlfriends so they take others.
I watch quite a bit of television due to lack of friends. I have tried to volunteer some of my time, but my bipolar disease and anxiety keep me home a lot. I am on disability for depression and the anxiety, as well as bipolar (manic-depression). I earned a B.S. degree in Business Management, but am not able to work right now, because of my current ups and downs. Television is nice to have, when my husband is working. I do a lot around the house with cleaning and keeping things nice, so it is nice to have the television to watch from time to time. My best friend, besides my husband, is our 14 year old cat named Chloe’.
To Gwendolyn:
Peace.
sdp.
This is crazy. TV can only mask the problems. My mother in law is desperately lonely and I feel she would be better off in a full care home as my husband and his sister passed away two years ago. She has only got worse but we are not home for her and she requires too much attention. We did have her home health care nurse check in twice a week to bathe her and that seems to help and also they have a telephone service Friendly Jingle where they call her every day instead of her calling my husband and me at our jobs all the time. this is better. The television is not helping but the interaction with people is helping and that is what must happen to displace the loneliness in her and others like this. I cannot believe this would think that tv is going to help. This is an American way and it is not how we should care for children as most Americans do and now they are doing this to their parents with the tv. Someone mentions the cat and this is also helps her. She has a small dog and it is her companion. She loves this. TV makes her tired and she hates the news it is too sad and she doesn’t relate to many shows. If I were home i would care for her and this is what she deserves, her family to care. not tv. Bei Sawyer
Join the Conversation! Post a Comment:
Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 23 Apr 2009
