Unravelling the socio-cultural influence on loneliness

Loneliness is an individual experience shaped by the relationship standards of the individual that guide the achievement of social connectedness and initiates loneliness. In addition to individual factors, prevailing social values and norms also influence this process. We discuss the contrast between individualistic and collectivistic countries, a frequently used dichotomy of cultures to explain differences in loneliness prevalence. In this chapter, we extend this analytical frame by introducing two value dimensions; the dimension of togetherness versus solitude, and autonomy versus submission to integration in closed groups. Combining the value dimensions with associated sanctioning norms leads to three paths of influence towards loneliness. For each path supporting evidence from research is presented.