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.
Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA. clong@psych.umass.edu
Christopher R
CR
Long
Mary
M
Seburn
James R
JR
Averill
Thomas A
TA
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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