Do you watch TV too much? It may be so because you are lonely

Four new studies by the University at Buffalo and Miami University of Ohio reported in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology showed that feelings of loneliness may go away after watching TV. In other words watching TV gives an illusion that social needs of viewers are satisfied.

"The research provides evidence for the 'social surrogacy hypothesis,' which holds that humans can use technologies, like television, to provide the experience of belonging when no real belongingness has been experienced," said one of the study's authors, Shira Gabriel. "We also argue that other commonplace technologies such as movies, music or interactive video games, as well as television, can fulfill this need."

The first study revealed that watching their favorite TV program people felt themselves less lonely. Second study showed that people whose "belongingness needs were aroused" wrote essays about their favorite program longer than other people. Third study discovered that thinking about favorite program on TV protected people from negative mood and dropping in self-esteem. And finally, fourth study reveals that after writing an essay about favorite program people verbally expressed less feelings of loneliness.

Nevertheless, authors of studies are not sure “whether social surrogacy suppresses belongingness needs or actually fulfills them." Anyway "the kind of social surrogacy provoked by these programs can be a poor substitution for 'real' human-to-human experience” as noted the authors later. Technologically induced belongingness may offer comfort for people who have difficulties in real social interaction due to their physical or mental imperfections.