Re:Study: To Beat Loneliness, Visits Must Be Real, Not Virtual
by petra on Sunday June 05, 2016 @04:58PM
(#11843085)
The most recent review(for technologies to reduce loneliness) i found is from 2014[1].
The results are inconclusive:
"Two studies examined Internet-based video communication.
Tsai and Tsai (2011) focused on the efficacy of
videoconferencing to improve nursing home residents’
social support. Participants in this study were asked to
make contact with family or loved ones at least once a
week via services such as Skype or MSN. After regression,
the authors concluded that videoconferencing was
effective in reducing loneliness (p < 0.01).
Meyer et al.’s (2010) study on web-based communication
included a nine-item instrument that examined social
contact and interaction. Using a sample of 33 participants,
the authors did not find a statistically significant relationship between loneliness and the use of webcam."
Maybe it's partially depends on the technology(quality and eye-contact establishment, viewing full body language[which research says both help with trust]), and maybe on other on the social aspect of the interaction - contacts with family members should help more than chatting with people you have much stronger bond with .
The results are inconclusive:
"Two studies examined Internet-based video communication. Tsai and Tsai (2011) focused on the efficacy of videoconferencing to improve nursing home residents’ social support. Participants in this study were asked to make contact with family or loved ones at least once a week via services such as Skype or MSN. After regression, the authors concluded that videoconferencing was effective in reducing loneliness (p < 0.01).
Meyer et al.’s (2010) study on web-based communication included a nine-item instrument that examined social contact and interaction. Using a sample of 33 participants, the authors did not find a statistically significant relationship between loneliness and the use of webcam."
Maybe it's partially depends on the technology(quality and eye-contact establishment, viewing full body language[which research says both help with trust]), and maybe on other on the social aspect of the interaction - contacts with family members should help more than chatting with people you have much stronger bond with .
[1]http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13607863.2013.875...