Social Technology Use and Loneliness: Exploring Online and Offline Patterns and Preferences in Young, Middle-Aged, and Older Adults

This study examines socialisation patterns, preferences, and the relationship between social technology use and loneliness in young, middle-aged, and older adults. Survey data was collected from 1079 adults aged 18–90 (M age = 53.5, SD = 18.64). ANOVA was used to make comparisons between age groups while Spearman’s correlation and binary logistic regression were used to examine associations between social technology use and loneliness. The results show varying patterns of social technology use and associations with loneliness across age groups. For middle-aged and older adults, in-person socialization, phone calls, and texting (older adults only) reduced odds of loneliness by 16% to 30%. For young and middle-aged adults, the number of virtual contacts was associated with decreased loneliness, while for older adults only face-to-face interactions were associated with reduced loneliness. These findings highlight generational preferences in social contact and reinforce the importance of face-to-face interactions for alleviating loneliness. However, they also provide insights into virtual connections that are effective in reducing loneliness when in-person interactions are not available.