John Cacioppo

John Cacioppo was an American psychologist renowned for his research on loneliness. He conceptualized loneliness as a subjective experience where an individual perceives their social connections as insufficient in quantity or quality. Cacioppo viewed loneliness as a relatively stable trait, with individuals having a baseline level that fluctuates with life circumstances. His work highlighted that prolonged loneliness is linked to negative outcomes such as depression, poor social support, neuroticism, and introversion. Furthermore, studies indicated that loneliness poses risks to physical health and may shorten lifespan. In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory calling loneliness an "epidemic".1