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Disciplinary and Methodological Pluralism in Loneliness Studies

Swader, Christopher LU and Guevara-Ayón, Renato (2025) p.63-85
Abstract
Scientists may benefit from implementing interdisciplinary and multi-method approaches when studying loneliness. Loneliness is a complex phenomenon that is influenced by biological, psychological, social, cultural, and political factors. In addition, it also reflects and impacts personal and local experiences as well as broader social forces, thus being both universal and contextual at the same time. For these reasons, no single disciplinary lens or methodological approach can capture its full scope. It is important to recognize and appreciate that different academic fields and a very wide range of methodological strategies are involved in the study of loneliness, each with its own range of vantage points and advantages. Mapping out such... (More)
Scientists may benefit from implementing interdisciplinary and multi-method approaches when studying loneliness. Loneliness is a complex phenomenon that is influenced by biological, psychological, social, cultural, and political factors. In addition, it also reflects and impacts personal and local experiences as well as broader social forces, thus being both universal and contextual at the same time. For these reasons, no single disciplinary lens or methodological approach can capture its full scope. It is important to recognize and appreciate that different academic fields and a very wide range of methodological strategies are involved in the study of loneliness, each with its own range of vantage points and advantages. Mapping out such disciplinary and methodological heterogeneity in this chapter supports a case for epistemic pluralism when studying loneliness, in terms of its multilevel and multidomain aspects, complex intersectionality, dual cognitive and embodied dimensions, and its temporal, nonstatic nature. Ultimately, the study of loneliness is an ideal case for advancing and benefiting from a reflexive and pluralist research approach (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
host publication
The Handbook of Loneliness
editor
Nelson, Todd
pages
63 - 85
publisher
Springer Nature
ISBN
978-3-032-02959-1
978-3-032-02958-4
DOI
10.1007/978-3-032-02959-1_4
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
c7624515-1fb6-47db-8150-c1dfaa6c2fa1
date added to LUP
2025-11-25 15:43:34
date last changed
2025-11-26 13:25:55
@inbook{c7624515-1fb6-47db-8150-c1dfaa6c2fa1,
  abstract     = {{Scientists may benefit from implementing interdisciplinary and multi-method approaches when studying loneliness. Loneliness is a complex phenomenon that is influenced by biological, psychological, social, cultural, and political factors. In addition, it also reflects and impacts personal and local experiences as well as broader social forces, thus being both universal and contextual at the same time. For these reasons, no single disciplinary lens or methodological approach can capture its full scope. It is important to recognize and appreciate that different academic fields and a very wide range of methodological strategies are involved in the study of loneliness, each with its own range of vantage points and advantages. Mapping out such disciplinary and methodological heterogeneity in this chapter supports a case for epistemic pluralism when studying loneliness, in terms of its multilevel and multidomain aspects, complex intersectionality, dual cognitive and embodied dimensions, and its temporal, nonstatic nature. Ultimately, the study of loneliness is an ideal case for advancing and benefiting from a reflexive and pluralist research approach}},
  author       = {{Swader, Christopher and Guevara-Ayón, Renato}},
  booktitle    = {{The Handbook of Loneliness}},
  editor       = {{Nelson, Todd}},
  isbn         = {{978-3-032-02959-1}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{63--85}},
  publisher    = {{Springer Nature}},
  title        = {{Disciplinary and Methodological Pluralism in Loneliness Studies}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-02959-1_4}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/978-3-032-02959-1_4}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}