Social Networking and the Experience of Loneliness
Social Networking and the Experience of Loneliness

Summary/Abstract: Objective: This paper addresses the issue of social networks and loneliness in young adulthood. The aim of the paper is to analyse the possible association between feelings of loneliness and the use of social networks. Method: A total of 206 people (162 women and 44 men) participated in the research with an average age of 22.6 years. There were three data collection instruments used in the study. The first was the Social Networking and Instagram Activity scale designed to measure social networking behaviors and Instagram in particular. The Differential Loneliness Scale (DLS) (Schmidt & Sermat, 1983) was used to measure loneliness. The third instrument was the Social Network Attitude Scale which was used to collect data from February to March 2020. The collected data were processed using the programs Jamovi 2.3.26 and PSPP 1.6.2.Results: An association between loneliness and time spent during the day on social networks was shown using a χ² test (χ² = 6.26, p < .05). Comparisons between persons with lower and higher levels of feelings of loneliness indicate that the majority of the observed reasons for using social networking sites are more emphasized by persons with higher levels of experiencing loneliness. A U-test indicated that the most significant difference is related to meeting new people (p < .001). In terms of Instagram, there were no significant differences found between being lonelier or less lonely. Loneliness is related to attitudes towards social networking (r = .34, p < .001) with lonelier people attaching more importance to social networking. Conclusion: The results show that there is an association between loneliness and social networking in young adulthood. The topic requires a more thorough exploration in future research.

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