The Need To Belong Theory

Roy Baumeister and Maek Leary's need-to-belong theory suggested that human experience has a biologically based need to form and maintain interpersonal connections and group members. Through that theory, a research was experimented to see how well individuals do by themselves; by being alone. Researcher Stanley Schacter did a study by separating five male volunteers to live in separate rooms for an extended amount of time. While performing the process of this experiment, the first who could not withstand it any longer, bailed out only after 20 minutes. Three of those man lasted up to two days. The last male was able to endure the loneliness for eight days. He reported feeling very anxious. Through this experiment, researchers suggested that inmates in solitary confinement experience more psychological symptoms, mood and anxiety problems.