Abstract
Three studies (total N = 501) showed a negative association between loneliness and the emotion of being moved. People who were lonelier than others consistently reported a weaker feeling of being moved after experimental manipulation. These results appeared both when the participants were presented with selected stimuli (video clips paradigm in Study 1 and Study 3) and when they were allowed to freely recall moving episodes from their past (episode paradigm in Study 2). This association remained reliable after controlling for depression, empathy, and initial mood. The more lonely the participants in Study 1 were, the less they considered themselves susceptible to being moved in everyday life. The results of Study 3 suggest that the association between loneliness and being moved is mediated by lonely people’s lack of faith in others’ goodwill and altruism. The results are discussed from the perspective of the potential causes and effects of loneliness and also in the context of the determinants of being moved.
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Notes
The preliminary analyses showed that groups exposed to different film clips did not differ significantly in terms of the KAMMUS-Two scores (KAMMUS-Two total score: t(195) = -0.12, p = .91; KAMMUS-Two sensations: t(195) = −0.36, p = .72; KAMMUS-Two appraisal: t(191.55) = 0.24, p = .81; KAMMUS-Two motivation: t(193.27) = 0.36, p = .72; KAMMUS-Two valence: t(195) = 1.00, p = .32; KAMMUS-Two label: t(195) = -1.36, p = .18; KAMF: t(194) = -0.85, p = .40) nor in the level of other measured variables (depression: t(211) = 1.09, p = .28; empathy: t(211) = 0.23, p = .82; loneliness: t(211) = 0.77, p = .44).
We assumed that admitting that they cried could be associated with a violation of a “tough man” stereotype for some male participants. Therefore, we decided to complete the instruction with the phrase “almost cry,” hoping that it will cause the same effect and minimize potential shame or fear of admitting to crying.
To check if co-occurrence of some categories might somehow impact the results, we also calculated multinomial logistic regression which levels of dependent variable representing the following thematic threads (that were found in the stories recalled by participants): (1) Only Relationships theme, (2) Only Achievements them, (3) Only Beauty theme, (4) Only Altruism theme, (5) Only Children theme, (6) Relationship + Achievements themes, (7) Relationship + Children, (8) Relationship + Weddings, (9) Relationship + Beauty, (10) Relationships + Altruism, (11) Achievements + Children, (12) Relationships + Achievements + Children, (13) Relationships + Beauty + Children, (14) Relationships + Children + Weddings. The logistic model was not significant: χ2 (13, N = 127) = 13.14), p = .44, McFadden’s R2 = .02.
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Śmieja, M., Blaut, A., Kłosowska, J. et al. Not moved, still lonely: the negative relation between loneliness and being moved. Motiv Emot 46, 557–571 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-022-09955-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-022-09955-0