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The Science of Being Social Without People
New science suggests we can fulfill our social needs through “guilty pleasures.”
“People can feel connected through all sorts of means,” says study author Elaine Paravati in a press release. She’s talking about the new study from the University at Buffalo showed that listening to our favorite music or indulging in comfort food can bring the same social satisfaction as spending time in person with a friend.
Research has long found that the happiest people are those who feel they have strong social support in their lives. However, most of that research has focused on people’s romantic partnerships or close friendships. More recently, studies have begun to show that people can meet their social needs in nontraditional ways, through different kinds of social behaviors. But most of us still assume that in person social interaction is more fulfilling.
What fills the social fuel tank?
To investigate, the authors created a new measure they called the “Social Fuel Tank.” They told study participants that they could fill this tank with different types of “fuel.” These social strategies could mean all sorts of things. Maybe it meant being in a large group, spending time with family, or watching TV. The participants were encouraged…
