Psychologists’ Advice: Navigating Loneliness and Fostering Social Connections in Isolation

The end of COVID-related isolation in Australia finally appears to be within sight. The impacts of loneliness, reduced social connectivity and the associated emotional and physical health issues may soon ease. After such a period, however, it will remain to be seen if these impacts have a lasting effect on the population.

The Australian Psychological Society and the Centre for Social Impact have recently released articles and reports outlining the impact that COVID-19 has had on mental health, concerning loneliness and social connectivity. Such organisations have warned of the health concerns brought about by decreased social interaction (Australian Psychological Society, 2020 here; Centre for Social Impact, n.d. here).

With the need to prioritise physical health and 'flattening the curve', the building and maintenance of social connection have taken a backseat in favour of physical isolation. Activities that encourage social connectivity have been in many cases, either impossible or complicated. As such, the opportunity to make new social connections has significantly lessened.

An article released by the Australian Psychological Society outlines the emotional and physical health issues associated with an increase in loneliness, which has been identified in the Australian population. The number of Australians reporting feeling lonely has dramatically increased in the past few months. This increase presents a significant concern as being lonely increases the chances of poor mental health. Furthermore, loneliness is correlated with physical health symptoms such as sleeping difficulties, headaches, nausea, colds and infections.

In the view that social connections may continue to remain in the background, the Centre for Social Impact recommends ways in which social contact may be improved or somewhat enabled before things in Australia ultimately return to normal. Research conducted by the University of New South Wales, the University of Western Australia and Swinburne University of Technology has revealed that the best conditions for building connections is where contact is a by-product and not the focus of the activities. For example, problem-solving activities, teaching activities, and 'bumping spaces', or spaces of close physical proximity where contact is often unavoidable. The Centre recommends making things fun and mixing things up when connecting with others, such as playing online games, searching for stimulating mediums of connection, and prioritising learning and nurturing.

It comes as a much welcome change that social restrictions are gradually easing. However, it is essential to maintain a focus on ensuring that the largely fortunate state of Australia's COVID-19 situation is sustained. While physical health is of the utmost priority at this time, we should still seek socialising and maintenance of mental health.


If you want to read the primary sources, click below:

Australian Psychological Society. (2020, May 6). Psychologists warn loneliness is a looming health issue. HERE.
Centre for Social Impact. (n.d.). Loneliness, social connection and COVID-19 CSI response. CSI. HERE


Written by Ursula Horton – UON Psychology

School of Psychology research seminar, 28/5/2020: Dr Sharon Savage

Please join us in the  Research Seminar mentioned below – all welcome!

When: 28^th May  2020

Time: 12:00 – 1:00pm

Via Zoom only : https://uonewcastle.zoom.us/j/353370843

E&D SERIES: I tolerate thus I am good and moral; I am tolerated thus I feel bad and devalued

 It was a beautiful day and the café was full of people. A couple of friends were sitting around a table when one of them said: “our society is becoming more diverse. We just need to ‘put up’ with people who are different to us”. “Yes, absolutely”, the other friend said. They nodded to each other and felt pretty about good their standing. 

Social psychologists at the Utrecht University and the University of Canterbury are of the view that, while standing up for minority groups and embrace tolerance may serve as a fence against discrimination and violence, ‘being tolerated’ does not always feel good for individuals from minority groups and might even have some serious psychological consequences. 

‘Being tolerated’ may have some unwanted negative consequences for minority members. In everyday life, feeling that others are ‘putting up’ with us may feel offensive and hurtful. It may convey the implicit message that what one believes and practices is not really approved, but just tolerated. The work by Verkuyten and colleagues suggests that when minority members feel that their values, lifestyle, and views are not genuinely accepted in society, they may engage in a variety of strategies to cope with these negative feelings. For example, they may avoid interacting with people or being present in situations in which they may feel disapproved. As a result, social interactions between individuals from distinct social groups in society may shrink and minority individuals may feel more lonely and isolated. Being tolerated might also place minorities in a dependent position and weaken their feelings of control and ability to affect society to tackle disadvantage, and achieve equality. 

Among majority members who tolerate, tolerance may create a sense of ‘good grace’ and ‘virtuous face’. Tolerance may make it psychologically more difficult for minority members to take action against those who are considered virtuous and with good morals. Hence, practicing tolerance may feel good and virtuous for majority members, but it may have negative consequences for minority members. Identifying, recognizing, and calling out mere tolerance may help us make progress in finding more constructive ways to embrace diversity in society and make the most of it. 

You can find out more about research on these issues in this article:  Verkuyten, M., Yogeeswaran, K., & Adelman, L. (2020). The Negative Implications of Being Tolerated: Tolerance From the Target’s Perspective. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 1745691619897974.

UON Psychology farewells beloved Dr Ken Sutton

A message of tribute from conjoint A/Prof Miles Bore (and with him the whole school), who was Ken's friend, colleague and PhD supervisor.

Ken Sutton passed away last Wednesday. Much too young to do so, being in his early seventies.

I worked with Ken for many years. I used to joke with Ken that even in retirement he worked longer hours than many. In early, often around 7am, and leave late, often well after 7pm.

Ken was with the University a long time, and in the School of Psychology when Aviation and Psychology were merged into one School in the restructure in the late 1990’s. He was a great Course Coordinator and teacher. Very organised, detailed, and very student focussed. Our SCIM course, a large service course for the Faculty and the School, struggled badly until the then PVC Bill Hogarth gave the course to Ken with the instruction “fix it”. And Ken did. Student Feedback on Course always greater than 4 under Ken.

Ken completed his PhD, supervised by Andrew Heathcote and myself, in 2011. He also had a Bachelor and Masters degrees in Education. He developed a psychometric test of cognitive special ability and several publications, collaborations and grants flowed from this.

Ken ‘retired’ in 2015, but it was hard to tell the difference. As a Conjoint Senior Lecturer he continued to supervise research students at all levels and was Course Coordinator for the School’s new Work Integrated Learning (WIL) course. The WIL course ran both semesters and required significant outreach to organisations who could provide suitable placements. I was concerned at the time demands this placed on Ken but, to quote him, he used to say “That’s OK. It’s my way of giving back.”

Ken met Yvonne when he was 17 and she 16. Yvonne passed away last year. They had been married for over 50 years. Ken was a quiet and private man, but we used to chat. I know Ken loved the university. But not as much as he loved his family.

As a school, we will think of Ken around a cup of tea on Friday 29th, 2.30pm, as a very private family funeral service takes place. If you would like to join a face-to-face social gathering for Ken at the University on Friday 5th June, please seek details from the school of psychology office by emailing: psyc-admin (psyc-admin@newcastle.edu.au)

School of Psychology HDR progression seminar, Monday 25/5

Please join us for our next HDR Progression Seminar Day:

When: 25^th May  2020

Time: 10:30am – 12:00

Via Zoom only : https://uonewcastle.zoom.us/j/91496716004?pwd=TmNESEFkYjNvUG8vQm44cGZMWHo4UT09

 Password: 390339

 Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend.

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E&D SERIES: Missed connections: Using online alternatives to improve student social lives

Taking university courses online has become a necessity in the last couple of months. A few weeks ago, Dr Heather Douglas discussed on the blog how more students than ever before are having to move their learning online due to closures and social distancing measures put in place due to the coronavirus. For a lot of students, however, online learning is not new. 

On-line learning has become increasingly popular over the last couple of decades and will remain so beyond COVID, because it offers students the opportunity to be flexible in when and how they complete their studies. To address this new demand, Universities have invested in optimising online engagement in coursework. However there are other vital parts of the university experience that have not been transferred meaningfully to an online context: most notably the social lives of university students.

The friends and networks made at university are important and irreplaceable parts of the university experience. As well as adding to the enjoyment of attending university, UON-led research tells us that being socially active at university has many serious benefits for students during their degrees and beyond. University friends offer social support during what is generally a stressful and busy period of life, provide a sense of belonging and most importantly are a network of people to turn to for help with coursework, assessments and important career decisions.
When students move their studies entirely online they lose the face-to-face interactions that form an important part of their social life at university. Thus, it is important we investigate how students currently manage to engage socially online. And we need to work to improve these aspects of online experiences, so that students can make these vital social connections with other students, even if they never set foot on campus.

To aid in this investigation, myself and A/Prof Mark Rubin have been awarded a research grant from the Australian Research Council to analyse the online social integration of university students. Over the next 3-years we will survey the current online social integration practices of students and then test interventions for promoting online integration.

We will particularly focus on student-led Facebook groups as a social resource for students from non-traditional backgrounds who are unable to afford the time commitment of studying and socialising face to face. In the first year we will investigate how this potential resource is currently being used, and then test some tailored interventions aimed at increasing social activity online. We aim to ensure that university social lives, not just coursework, are going digital.

For more information about this research project, contact chief investigator Dr Olivia Evans: Olivia.Evans@newcastle.edu.au

School of Psychology research seminar: Dr Jason Friedman

Dear All,

Please join us for the below research seminar on Wednesday 13^th May, 12pm.

Where:  Via Zoom link

https://uonewcastle.zoom.us/j/95225195282

When: Wednesday 13^th May 2020, 12:00pm - 1:00pm

Guest Speaker: Dr Jason Friedman

Topic: Using arm movements to understand cognition, and vice-versa

E&D SERIES: ‘Diversify’ your online experience with UON Psychology-Led videolibrary on diversity and social cohesion

In these COVID-induced times of home isolation, “diversify” your online experience with a new videolibrary of research talks on “diversity” and “social cohesion” research.

  The Newcastle specialized meeting on social cohesion hosted by UON Psychology in 2019, led by Stefania Paolini and an army of motivated and enthusiastic volunteers, showcased the best research on the dynamics of intergroup contact and social integration that is currently available on the international stage. It offered 70+ senior and junior researchers a forum to discuss data from a variety of research laboratories, methods, and societal settings over a three day period.

With so much goodness at hand, we wanted the legacy of the Australian meeting to live long and produce fruits beyond Newcastle. Hence, we have captured it in a video-library of conference presentations that is now accessible worldwide on YOUTUBE and via the conference website for wider community’s consumption and enjoyment. Thank you to all of those who contributed!

The library can be accessed this way:

YOUTUBE Library location:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ04pfYcwk-PreX0r2t88bw/featured

FRONT PAGE on SASP conference website (including full authors’ details and short abstracts):
https://sasp.org.au/2020/04/video-library-of-conference-presentations-video-library-of-conference-presentations/

We hope you will enjoy this research resource as much as many of us did ‘live’ months ago.

You can learn more about this UON-led event at: https://sasp.org.au/2018/09/sasp-spssi-group-meeting-2019/

  
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On the conference website, you will find also the conference narrative report: go to the “conference feedback and report” link at:  https://sasp.org.au/2018/09/sasp-spssi-group-meeting-2019/  Thanks to Marta Beneda for her rich testimonial and to all of those who contributed data and comments.

We hope these resources will ignite fond memories of the Newcastle / Australian experience among those who attended the meeting and instigate a desire to visit us in the (post-COVID) future among all the others.