Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Consequences of Loneliness: Health Behavior, Social Interactions, Self-Disclosure, and Perceived Responsiveness

As a social species, human beings are driven by an innate desire to belong and are thus motivated to develop and maintain meaningful social relationships. As such, perceiving a lack of belongingness strongly impacts psychological and physiological health and wellbeing. A common form of perceived relationship deficits is loneliness, a negativeaffective experience detrimental to health and well-being over time. Through a series of three manuscripts, this dissertation applies the full-cycle model of social psychological research to explore various affective, behavioral, and cognitive consequences of loneliness. Whereas existing models of loneliness focus on long-lasting or chronic forms of loneliness, these studies investigate chronic and transient loneliness, as well as processes through which transient loneliness may develop into more chronic levels. The first paper demonstrates that solitary consumption is a unique behavioral response to transient loneliness, which may exacerbate the experience of loneliness and negatively impact health over time. The second paper provides support for a positivity-deficit perspective, demonstrating that chronic loneliness is related to less disclosure of recent positive experiences, a deficit which may be consequential for the development of close relationships. The third paper demonstrates the role of transient loneliness in inhibiting individuals and their interaction partners from reaping the social rewards of positiveevent disclosure, particularly among those who typically feel socially connected. Taken together, these studies expand the current understanding transient loneliness, revealing various social-cognitive and behavioral consequences which could impede the socialreaffiliation process, and thus contribute to the maintenance of loneliness over time. CONSEQUENCES OF LONELINESS ii DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to all of the support resources and social connections present throughout life – who have made my experiences of loneliness few and far between, and who have provided me comfort in times of stress and company with whom to celebrate times of joy. CONSEQUENCES OF LONELINESS iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to extend my appreciation to my dissertation committee for their support and enthusiasm throughout this process. First, I would like to thank my doctoral advisor, Dr. Cynthia Mohr, for her kindness, support, and encouragement over the past five years. Cynthia, in you I have found not only a lifelong colleague but also a friend. I also wish to thank Dr. Jeffrey Robinson for his generosity in providing me access to his research laboratory as I conducted study three of this dissertation. I would also like to extend my gratitude to my lab team, who devoted innumerable hours of their time during data collection. Kendra, Jason, Tara, Bitsie, Nina, Yumi, Devin, Martin, Tiffani, Sarah, Megan, and Stephanie, I am immensely grateful for your enthusiasm and dedication to this project. Further, I would like to acknowledge the American Psychological Association for funding my third study through the APA Dissertation Research Award. I also wish to thank my friends, peers, and colleagues. I feel blessed for your unwavering support and encouragement throughout graduate school. Last but certainly not least, I would like to extend my gratitude to my parents (Greg and Lori), sister (Megan), and partner (Ian) for their ongoing support, encouragement, and patience over the past five years. This would not have been possible without all of you, and for that I am forever grateful. I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship. -Louisa May Alcott CONSEQUENCES OF LONELINESS iv Table of