Something Real About Loneliness

“Lonely people process the world idiosyncratically, which may contribute to the reduced sense of being understood that often accompanies loneliness,” the researchers explained.

Additional research is needed in order to determine the underlying cause of these results, however, Baek said.

“One possibility is that lonely individuals do not find value in the same aspects of situations or scenes as their peers,” Baek and colleagues wrote. “This may result in a reinforcing feedback loop in which lonely individuals perceive themselves to be different from their peers, which may in turn lead to further challenges in achieving social connection.”

Another possibility is that loneliness itself could lead people to process information differently, the researchers added.