Calming Effect through Pure Solitude and Devices Resistance

A new research informed that the psychological experience of being in solitude with no electronic devices present can enrich calming effect. Professor Thuy-vy T. Nguyen of the University of Rochester and co – authors Richard M. Ryan and Edward L. Deci displayed the emotional implications of staying alone in four studies that got published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.

Time of solitude decreases the intensity of the emotions whether positive and negative, experienced by people. People spending alone time have feelings of peacefulness, calm and relaxation. It is also known that under some conditions and circumstances, the solitude time can also increase feelings of sadness, boredom and loneliness. The three laboratory experiments were conducted in the pure solitude condition. The participants sat alone for about 15 minutes in a comfortable chair, thus having non engagement in any activities and staying away from their electronic devices.

The emotions described by them were rated on scales at the beginning and then at the end of the experiment.

By: Bhavna Sharma