16 People can be alone without being lonely. According to Baron and Byrne
1987, being alone is different from feeling lonely p. 523. It is supported by Tillich 1959, who also distinguishes solitude and loneliness as cited in
Vanhalst, 2012, p.4. He explains that solitude expresses the joy of being alone while loneliness expresses the pain of feeling alone. Many people prefer solitude;
it is when they choose to be alone but they do not feel lonely. For instance, a person is able to make friends and interact with them well and yet prefer to spend
some times alone. It is usually done in order to spend leisure time in solitary activities such as pursuing a hobby, reading a book, listening to music, or having a
self-reflection.
b. Types of Loneliness
Many social scientists have identified various forms of loneliness. In Perlman and Peplau 1984, there are three dimensions which divide loneliness
into different types as cited in Peplau and Goldston, 1984, p. 16. These dimensions have to do with the positive or negative nature, the source, and the
duration of loneliness. The first dimension was suggested by Moustakas 1961, namely positive
or negative nature as cited in Peplau and Goldston, 1984, p. 16. He divides loneliness into existential loneliness and loneliness anxiety. According to
Moustakas 1961, existential loneliness is a part of human condition which is
inevitable and able to lead to positive experiences, for instance: periods of self-
17 confrontation. In contrast, loneliness anxiety is a negative experience as the result
of alienation. The second way of categorizing forms of loneliness can be seen from its
source. Weiss 1973 distinguishes loneliness into emotional loneliness and social loneliness as cited in Peplau and Goldston, 1984, p. 17. Emotional loneliness is
a subjective feeling manifested by the absence of a personal or close relationship. The antecedents of this kind of loneliness are divorce, bereavement, etc.
Meanwhile, social loneliness is a subjective feeling caused by the lack of a sufficient number of friends or an adequate network of social relationship. The
antecedents of this form of loneliness are losing of a job, being rejected by peers, feeling unacceptable and not belonging to a community.
The third dimension is duration of loneliness. Young 1982 divides loneliness into three types as cited in Peplau and Goldston, 1984, p. 17.
Transient loneliness or everyday loneliness is the shortest duration of loneliness which includes brief and occasional lonely moods. Situational or transitional
loneliness occurs when people who have satisfying relationships have to undergo a specific change, such as divorce, bereavement or moving to a new town. The
last is chronic loneliness which occurs when a person lacks of satisfactory social relations for a period of two or more years.
c. The Causes of Loneliness
Many factors can contribute to the experience of loneliness. Perlman and Peplau 1984 distinguish two kinds of factors: predisposing factors and
