Everyone Else Is Having Fun Except Me: Investigating the Effect of Emotional Pluralistic Ignorance on Loneliness

Loneliness is a pervasive problem that has serious implications for psychological and physical health. According to the cognitive discrepancy model of loneliness, loneliness arises when individuals perceive a difference between their desired and actual social relationships. Using a sample of college-age adults, the current study examined emotional pluralistic ignorance as a contributor to the perceived discrepancy by influencing a person’s desired relationships in three domains: with family, friends, and romantic partners. Results showed evidence of moderated mediation in friendships, with relationship dissatisfaction mediating the association between emotional pluralistic ignorance and loneliness. Further, the mediation was strongest among participants who had a high tendency to engage in social comparisons.

Author

• Mallari, Frances Marie Anolin

Language

• en

Keyword

• social comparison
• young adults
• loneliness
• emotional pluralistic ignorance
• relationship satisfaction

Date created

• 2023

Type of Work

• Dissertation

License

• All rights reserved

Rights statement

• In Copyright

GW Unit

• Clinical Psychology

Degree

• Ph.D.

Advisor

• Ganiban, Jody M.

Committee Member(s)

• Dodge, Tonya
• Rohrbeck, Cynthia

Persistent URL

•  https://scholarspace.library.gwu.edu/etd/v979v3770