A new study from Bar-Ilan University suggests that simply being alone can weaken a person’s sense of belonging and lower their view of their social groups.

Aloneness is a common part of life, yet its effects on social identity are not well understood. This research, which involved five experiments and 1,312 participants, found that people who focus on themselves while alone—a state called the “alone mindset”—tend to feel less connected to their groups and value them less. On the other hand, thinking about social interactions has the opposite effect, strengthening group identity.

Shifting behavior

The study also showed that this shift is not just in attitude but in behavior. Participants in an alone mindset gave fewer resources to their group, similar to the way people react after being socially excluded. This suggests that even the thought of being alone can trigger a sense of disconnection, even when solitude itself is not distressing.

These findings are especially relevant today. The rise of remote work and digital communication, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has reduced face-to-face interactions, making it harder to maintain social bonds. If being alone weakens group identity, this could have consequences for teamwork, community life, and social cohesion.

“This research helps explain why loneliness and social fragmentation are on the rise,” the authors say. “Understanding how aloneness affects group identity may be key to addressing these issues.”

The study highlights that aloneness is not just a personal state—it has social consequences. Future research will explore how being alone shapes attitudes toward other groups, offering more insight into how solitude influences the way we relate to the world.