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Research Paper | Information Technology | Volume 15 Issue 8, August 2026 | Pages: 1586 - 1591 | India
The Psychology of Loneliness in the Digital Age: A Sociological Study of Social Media and Human Relationships
Abstract: The rapid diffusion of digital technology has transformed the way individuals communicate, build relationships and participate in social life. Social media platforms offer unprecedented opportunities for connection, self-expression and community formation, yet concern has grown that the same platforms are associated with rising loneliness, weakened social ties and diminished well-being - a phenomenon often described as connected isolation. This paper examines loneliness in the digital age from combined psychological and sociological perspectives. The psychological analysis addresses social comparison, the gap between desired and actual intimacy, self-esteem, emotional regulation and the reward mechanics of feedback-driven interfaces. The sociological analysis addresses the decline of physical community, the substitution of strong ties by weak ties, and changing patterns of family and civic life. Drawing on a structured review of published literature and secondary data, the paper develops a pathway model in which intensive platform use contributes to loneliness through social displacement, upward social comparison and weak-tie substitution, converging on perceived social isolation. The analysis finds that the relationship depends less on the quantity of use than on its mode: active, reciprocal communication is associated with reduced loneliness, while passive consumption of curated content is associated with increased loneliness. The paper concludes that technology is neither the cause nor the cure of modern loneliness but an amplifier of existing social conditions, and recommends interventions at individual, institutional and design levels.
Keywords: loneliness, social isolation, social media, digital sociology, social comparison, weak ties, adolescent well-being, digital well-being
How to Cite?: Ahaana Mehra, Raghu Raja Mehra, "The Psychology of Loneliness in the Digital Age: A Sociological Study of Social Media and Human Relationships", Volume 15 Issue 8, August 2026, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 1586-1591, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR26823164932, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR26823164932