A University of Cambridge-led study reveals that short periods of social isolation significantly increase reward-seeking behavior in adolescents. Loneliness heightened the drive to reconnect socially or seek alternative rewards, highlighting the need for understanding and supporting teen mental health.
A new study led by the University of Cambridge has unveiled a striking impact of short-term social isolation on adolescents, sparking heightened motivation to seek rewards. These findings are crucial, given the complex interplay between social media, loneliness and teen behavior.
The research demonstrates that young individuals, particularly those in their late teens, display pronounced sensitivity to brief periods of social isolation, showing an increased drive to pursue various rewards.
Such behavior, according to first author Livia Tomova, is a direct consequence of feeling lonely.
“Our study demonstrates just how sensitive young people are to very short periods of isolation,” Tomova, who conducted this research while at the University of Cambridge and is now based at the University of Cardiff, said in a news release. “We found that loneliness significantly increases adolescents’ motivation to seek out rewards – whether that’s more social contact, money, or something else.”
This study, published in Communications Psychology, highlights how brief isolation can prompt teenagers to seek social interaction more avidly.
However, in situations where social opportunities are scarce, this heightened drive could potentially lead to riskier behaviors, such as the pursuit of alcohol or drugs.
Notably, the researchers observed that loneliness among teens has doubled globally over the past decade. Various societal changes, including the complex role of social media, are suspected to contribute to this trend.
“Social media can lead to loneliness in some adolescents, but our study suggests that this relationship is complex,” added senior author Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, a professor of psychology at the University of Cambridge. “Virtual interaction with others seems to make isolated teens less driven to seek external rewards, compared to when they are isolated without access to social media. That suggests social media might reduce some of the negative effects of isolation – but of course we don’t know what potentially harmful effects it might have at the same time.”
In the study, 40 adolescents aged 16-19 from Cambridge, the UK, with no history of mental health problems and average levels of loneliness, participated in a series of tasks pre- and post-isolation.
They spent between three to four hours alone, with one session allowing access to social media and another without any form of virtual interaction.
The revelation that virtual interaction mitigated the increase in reward-seeking behavior underscores the nuanced role of social media in teen lives.
During isolation, nearly half the participants used platforms like Snapchat, Instagram and WhatsApp to maintain social contact, which helped reduce feelings of loneliness yet did not prevent the decline in overall positive mood.
Overall, this research provides a pivotal understanding of how short-term loneliness can alter adolescent behavior, emphasizing the critical need for strategies to support teen mental health.
Source: University of Cambridge