Abstract
Social anhedonia is characterized by decreased interest in and pleasure from social contact and intimate relations. The construct represents a fundamental disruption in the basic need to belong. It involves trait-like deficits, in contrast to transient social withdrawal seen in conditions such as dysphoria and depression. Social withdrawal and isolation in social anhedonia is associated with marked diminution of positive affect, in contrast to the social withdrawal in social anxiety that involves fear of criticism or humiliation. Social anhedonia's conceptual roots are linked to conceptualizations of schizotypy, schizoid personality, and schizophrenia, and it has primarily been operationalized, measured, and investigated within the field of clinical psychology. The present chapter presents the theoretical bases of social anhedonia, reviews cross-sectional, longitudinal, and daily life research findings, and considers issues and directions for future study of the construct.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | The Handbook of Solitude |
| Subtitle of host publication | Psychological Perspectives on Social Isolation, Social Withdrawal, and Being Alone |
| Publisher | Wiley |
| Pages | 369-390 |
| Number of pages | 22 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9781118427378 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781118427361 |
| State | Published - Jan 1 2013 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- schizophrenia
- schizotypy
- social anhedonia
- solitude
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Psychology