Ren Dongning, Loh Wen Wei, Chung Joanne M, Brandt Mark J
Department of Work and Social Psychology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands.
Department of Social Psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands.
J Pers. 2025 Feb;93(1):12-30. doi: 10.1111/jopy.12916. Epub 2024 Jan 27.
People value solitude in varying degrees. Theories and studies suggest that people's appreciation of solitude varies considerably across persons (e.g., an introverted person may value solitude more than an extraverted person), and solitude experiences (i.e., on average, people may value some functions of solitude, e.g., privacy, more than other functions, e.g., self-discovery). What are the unique contributions of these two sources?
We surveyed a quota-based sample of 501 US residents about their perceived importance of a diverse set of 22 solitude functions.
Variance component analysis reveals that both sources contributed to the variability of perceived importance of solitude (person: 22%; solitude function: 15%). Crucially, individual idiosyncratic preferences (person-by-solitude function interaction) had a substantial impact (46%). Further analyses explored the role of personality traits, showing that different functions of solitude hold varying importance for different people. For example, neurotic individuals prioritize emotion regulation, introverted individuals value relaxation, and conscientious individuals find solitude important for productivity.
People value solitude for idiosyncratic reasons. Scientific inquiries on solitude must consider the fit between a person's characteristics and the specific functions a solitary experience affords. This research suggests that crafting or enhancing positive solitude experiences requires a personalized approach.
人们对独处的重视程度各不相同。理论和研究表明，人们对独处的欣赏在个体之间存在很大差异（例如，内向的人可能比外向的人更重视独处），而且在独处体验方面（即平均而言，人们可能更重视独处的某些功能，如隐私，而不是其他功能，如自我发现）。这两种来源的独特贡献是什么？
我们对501名美国居民进行了基于配额的抽样调查，询问他们对22种不同独处功能的感知重要性。
方差成分分析表明，这两种来源都对独处感知重要性的变异性有贡献（个体：22%；独处功能：15%）。关键的是，个体的特殊偏好（个体与独处功能的交互作用）有很大影响（46%）。进一步的分析探讨了人格特质的作用，表明不同的独处功能对不同的人有不同的重要性。例如，神经质的个体将情绪调节放在首位，内向的个体重视放松，而尽责的个体认为独处对提高生产力很重要。
人们出于特殊原因重视独处。对独处的科学探究必须考虑一个人的特征与独处体验所提供的特定功能之间的契合度。这项研究表明，创造或增强积极的独处体验需要个性化的方法。
