Is there reason to assume that in our modern times it has become much more difficult to make and maintain social contacts, and has the risk of social isolation grown? Are the consequences of individualization in our society among these risks? The individual is unquestionably more focused and dependent on […]

In this chapter, we examine the research method and the questionnaires used. We then discuss the empirical basis of the typology of social contacts we constructed, the generalizability of the results, and the suitability of the measuring instruments used. Some suggestions will also be made for further research into the […]

Social isolation is often associated with a strong dependency on professional facilities. The idea behind this is that people who have little informal support in their immediate surroundings tend to rely on formal help or appeal more often to professional facilities than people with enough sources of support. This chapter focuses […]

Social isolation is often associated with city life. The assumption is that residents of rural areas are less likely to be lonely or socially isolated than city dwellers.
Allegedly, villages have a strong sense of community, family ties are stronger, and societal participation and involvement are more self-evident than in the […]

Social relationships are an essential part of human life. People are social beings who depend on each other for many things.  They are
connected to each other and embedded in a network of relatives and non-relatives in all kinds of ways. They are also part of numerous communities they identify
with. By […]

Een substantieel deel van de Nederlanders leeft net als deze man in een sociaal isolement, dat wil zeggen dat ze in hun persoonlijke leven geen betekenisvolle, ondersteunende contacten hebben (Hortulanus et al., 2003; Machielse, 2006). In dit betoog laat ik zien dat sociaal isolement een strategie kan zijn om met […]