Solitude experiences: varieties, settings, and individual differences.
Solitude may be positive or negative, depending on situational and personal factors. From prior research, nine types of solitude were identified. Based on data from a questionnaire study of undergraduate participants, factor analysis suggests that these nine types can be reduced to three dimensions, two positive and one negative. These are, respectively, Inner-Directed Solitude (characterized by self-discovery and inner peace), Outer-Directed Solitude (characterized by intimacy and spirituality), and Loneliness. Personality and value correlates, as well as situational correlates, of the various types of solitude also were explored.
Long
Christopher R
CR
Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA. clong@psych.umass.edu
Seburn
Mary
M
Averill
James R
JR
More
Thomas A
TA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D003405:Creativity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008132:Loneliness; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029181:Spirituality; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires